Egg wash is the perfect finishing touch to take your baked goods to the next level. While a recipe for whisking egg wash might seem overly simple because it only takes 2 minutes to prepare, the secret to creating a beautiful golden-brown finish on your pastries, bread, or pies is in your egg wash's egg-to-water ratio.
Hi hi! Just popping in to share a 'recipe' for something that I use in a bunch of my baking - egg wash!
While a recipe for egg wash might seem super simple, I often get asked about how to make egg wash, how to store it, and good egg wash substitutes, so I thought that I would pop all the relevant information in one place for you!
I use egg wash for pie recipes, to help the salt on my pretzel recipe stick, and for giving homemade burger buns that beautiful golden brown finish.
The Best Ratio for Egg Wash
While there isn't really a need for an egg wash recipe here, the ratio that I usually go for when I make egg wash is One whole egg, whisked with 1 Tablespoon of cool water. I just mix them together well with a fork or a whisk in a small bowl or a container that I can add a lid to, then use to finish my dough or baking as needed.
If you have any stringy bits in the egg when you crack it into your bowl or container, fish those out first.
The one tip I have here is to make sure that your egg wash is super well combined so that it is nice and smooth when you brush it onto your baked goods. I like to give it a really good whisk, then re-stir it quickly before using if it has been sitting for a while.
Can I skip the egg wash?
If you are really short on eggs, you can skip it, or use an alternative. If you also only have an egg yolk or egg white leftover this will work too, but will have varying results - egg white will give a more clear shine, while egg yolk only will give a slightly darker finish.
I prefer to use a whole egg combined with water, but use what you have on hand! Make sure if you do skip it, you pay attention to bake time - if a recipe uses an egg wash then it will likely brown quicker. You don't want to dry out whatever you are making so just keep this in mind.
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Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Quick and Dirty Egg Wash Recipe
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Baking tips
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Egg wash is the perfect finishing touch to take your baked goods to the next level. While a recipe for whisking egg wash might seem overly simple because it only takes 2 minutes to prepare, the secret to creating a beautiful golden-brown finish on your pastries, bread, or pies is in your egg wash's egg-to-water ratio.
Ingredients
- One whole egg, at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp water, cool or at room temperature (not hot)
Instructions
- Place the egg in a small bowl or container.
- Add the water, and whisk well to combine, ensuring that there are no lumps or stringy bits.
- Use as directed.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Egg wash will keep, stored in the fridge in an airtight container, for up to three days. I know a lot of people have dogs who love eggs too so give them the leftover. However if I know I am making a recipe which will need egg wash in the coming days, I just pop it into the fridge, or into the compost if I know I will not be using it again.
Make sure that if you re-use your egg wash that you give it a good whisk to make sure that it is fully combined before using.