Freezing Eggs, Now, to Use in Baking and Cooking, Later

Oops! It looks like I put all my eggs into one basket!

When I find a deal on eggs, I make my best guess as to how many eggs our family can use before they go on sale again. This can be several dozen, as many as 20 dozen or so. I know -- that does sound like a crazy amount of eggs to buy. However, there are two very compelling reasons why buying this many eggs isn't wasteful.

First, did you know that the sell-by date doesn't mean the eggs will suddenly go rancid on that date? In fact, unlike milk, with eggs you have more than just a couple of days past their sell-by date. (Milk is usually is still good for 1 week past the sell-by date.)

Eggs, if stored properly, will be safe to eat several weeks past the sell-by date, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture. (All kinds of helpful egg tips at this site.) Several weeks, not a couple, but several. I take that to mean that a I have 4 to 5 weeks to use those eggs. Evidently, the sell-by date on eggs is more about freshness than safety. Though, it's still a good idea to break eggs one at a time into a small dish before adding to other ingredients.

The second reason stocking up on eggs isn't wasteful is this -- eggs freeze well!

About 1 to 2 weeks past the sell-by date,  I freeze whatever amount of eggs that I am sure we won't use within the next 2 to 3 weeks.

I use frozen eggs in baking, for scrambled eggs, and in entrees like quiches, frittatas, and stratas. 

I discovered freezing eggs many years ago, when I made a bargain-hunting blunder. At the wholesaler, they had 15-dozen cases of eggs on sale for about $4. I jumped on that bargain! My thinking at the time -- even if I had to throw most of them out, I would have still come out ahead.

But we don't need to throw out excess eggs. At that time, my kids were all young and not overly large eaters. I discovered my folly, oh, about 4 dozen eggs into the case. What to do? WHAT TO DO?

That's when I got out my trusty old copy of Joy of Cooking and read up on freezing raw eggs.

Whole eggs and egg yolks need the addition of either sugar or salt to stabilize the texture of the yolk. Egg whites can be frozen, as is, nothing extra added.

If freezing eggs for baking, where a little sweetness is fine, you can use sugar as your stabilizing agent. For most of my cooking, though, I prefer to use salt. I mark my freezer container or bag, indicating whether I've used sugar or salt as the stabilizer for each batch. In my experience, eggs with salt added can be used in most applications.

Joy of Cooking gives instructions for freezing eggs measured by pints, suggesting 2 tablespoons of sugar per pint of beaten eggs or 1 teaspoon of salt per pint of beaten eggs.

Using sugar, the ratio is just over 1/2 teaspoon (rounded 1/2 teaspoon) of granulated sugar for each large egg.

Using salt, the ratio is just under 1/8 teaspoon (scant 1/8 teaspoon) of salt per large egg.

My method for freezing eggs:

• I freeze eggs in 1-egg, 3-egg, 4-egg and 6-egg portions.
• I freeze as individual eggs in muffin tins (then store in ziploc bags), or as multiples of eggs in ziploc bags, or as multiples of eggs in freezer containers.
• I use my blender to beat the 6 eggs at a time, adding just over 1/2 teaspoon salt for the 6 eggs (or 3  1/3 teaspoons of sugar per 6 eggs). 
• I then pour the combined beaten egg and salt/sugar into a freezer container, plastic ziploc bag, or a section of a muffin tin. 
• If freezing eggs as 1-egg portions, I use a muffin tin. Sometimes I line the muffin cups with plastic wrap. Other times I pour the beaten egg directly into the tin.
• A large egg is equal to about 3 tablespoons of beaten egg. When pouring beaten eggs into muffin tins, I measure 3 tablespoons for the first egg, then "eyeball" the remaining amounts for subsequent eggs.
• If freezing in larger amounts, I measure 3 tablespoons per egg. So, a 3-egg portion would be 9 tablespoons or 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon. A 4-egg portion would be 3/4 cup of beaten eggs. And a 6-egg portion would be 18 tablespoons or 1  1/8 cup of beaten eggs

Freezing eggs in a muffin tin

You can line each muffin hole with a small piece of plastic wrap to remove eggs from tin more easily. You can also just pour the beaten egg into bare muffin pans.

• If freezing a dozen eggs in a muffin tin, I place the filled muffin tin in a flat spot in the freezer. Once frozen solid (about 3-4 hours), I set the muffin tin on the counter for about 3-5 minutes. 

• I use a table knife to wedge the egg disks out of each muffin section and place these in ziploc bags to store in the freezer.

• To use, I thaw the number of eggs I need for a recipe in the fridge overnight or, in a pinch, on the counter for about 30 minutes. 
• Use thawed eggs within 2 to 3 days of thawing. So, if you thaw a 6-egg ziploc portion of eggs, you can bake with an amount equal to an egg or two, make scrambled eggs with the amount equal to another egg or two, and maybe throw together a quiche with the remaining eggs over the course of 2 or 3 days. Just remember, 1 large egg is about 3 tablespoons of beaten egg.

FYI on storing fresh eggs

There is a "best" method for storing eggs. According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, store your eggs at about 40 degrees in the carton that they were originally packed. Don't store in the door of the fridge or in a decorative egg holder. Keeping them in the carton provides you with the sell-by date printed on the carton itself. Eggs stored at this temperature will keep for several weeks past the sell-by date.


You'll find this post, and many others like it, just a click away on this page -- a compilation of my recipes, shopping lists, and menu plans that illustrates how I feed my family of 4 adults on $125 to $135 per month.