Egg Wash

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Use an egg wash (whole egg, yolk, or white and water, milk, or cream) to seal edges or add shine and color to baked goods. Discover which combination of ingredients is best suited for your recipe.

Brushing egg wash on a galette.


 

Recipe ingredients

Ingredients for egg wash (egg + water).

Ingredient notes

  • Egg: Egg washes can use the whole egg, just the egg white, or just the egg yolk. It depends on the recipe and what outcome you want. Please see the Tips and Variations section for options.
  • Water: Or substitute milk or cream depending on your recipe and your desired outcome.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water.
Egg wash in a bowl.
  1. Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash over dough prior to baking.
Brushing egg wash on a galette.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes about ¼ cup egg wash, enough for 32 dinner rolls, 12 soft pretzels, 1 pie, or 2 galettes.
  • Make ahead: Egg wash is best applied to baked goods immediately before baking. Otherwise, the dough may get soggy.
  • Whole egg: Deep color and shine
  • Whole egg + milk or cream: Deep color and shine
  • Whole egg + water: Medium color and shine
  • Egg yolk: Yellow color and shine
  • Egg yolk + milk or cream: Brownish yellow color and shine
  • Egg yolk + water: Pale yellow color and shine
  • Egg white: Very little color and lots of shine
  • Egg white + milk or cream: Light color and light shine
  • Egg white + water: Very little color and light shine
  • Milk or cream: Medium color and no shine
  • Water: For crispness and sealing edges or seams
A cranberry cheesecake galette.

Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls

When nothing but homemade bread will do, try these easy Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls. They are perfect at your holiday table, on the side of Sunday Supper, piled with any kind of meat, or served simply with a bowl of soup.

2 hours 20 minutes
View Recipe

Recipes with egg wash

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Brushing egg wash on a galette.

Egg Wash

Use an egg wash (whole egg, yolk, or white and water, milk, or cream) to seal edges or add shine and color to baked goods. Discover which combination of ingredients is best suited for your recipe.
Prep Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute
Servings 12 servings
Course Bread, Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 1
5 from 3 votes

Ingredients 

  • 1 whole egg or yolk or white (see note 1)
  • 1 tablespoon water or milk or cream (see note 2)

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water. Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash over dough prior to baking.

Notes

  1. Egg: Egg washes can use the whole egg, just the egg white, or just the egg yolk. It depends on the recipe and what outcome you want. Please see the Tips and Variations section for options.
  2. Water: Or substitute milk or cream depending on your recipe and your desired outcome.
  3. Yield: This recipe makes about ¼ cup egg wash, enough for 32 dinner rolls, 12 soft pretzels, 1 pie, or 2 galettes.
  4. Make ahead: Egg wash is best applied to baked goods immediately before baking. Otherwise, the dough may get soggy.
  5. Whole egg: Deep color and shine
  6. Whole egg + milk or cream: Deep color and shine
  7. Whole egg + water: Medium color and shine
  8. Egg yolk: Yellow color and shine
  9. Egg yolk + milk or cream: Brownish yellow color and shine
  10. Egg yolk + water: Pale yellow color and shine
  11. Egg white: Very little color and lots of shine
  12. Egg white + milk or cream: Light color and light shine
  13. Egg white + water: Very little color and light shine
  14. Milk or cream: Medium color and no shine
  15. Water: For crispness and sealing edges or seams

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbspCalories: 1kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 1mgVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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