How to Freeze Eggs

Don’t want those fresh eggs to spoil before you can use them up? Freeze them! Freezing chicken eggs is a great way to preserve their shelf life and ensure you never run out of eggs for baked goods. This post will explain how to freeze eggs, including raw and cooked eggs! 

Can You Freeze Eggs? 

If you’ve never thought to freeze eggs before, you’re not alone! Not many people realize that you can freeze whole eggs, egg yolks and whites, and cooked or raw eggs! 

I know eggs seem like an odd food to freeze, but you can totally do it! Provided you store the eggs correctly, that is. 

You have to be careful when freezing eggs, otherwise their texture will be unpalatable once thawed. 

Freezing fresh eggs is a wonderful way to preserve them before they go bad. And if you’re someone who rarely eats eggs on their own (i.e. hard boiled or scrambled), having frozen eggs on hand is a good idea so you don’t have to run out to the store every time you want to make a batch of cookies. 

This post will walk you through the different ways you can freeze eggs, as well as the top tips for success for each method. 

Before Freezing the Eggs… 

Before freezing fresh chicken eggs, you need to make sure they’re still good. If your eggs have gone bad, you need to throw them out. Freezing the eggs won’t magically make them safe to eat again! 

Eggs will last 3 to 5 weeks in the fridge. After that, you should test them to see if they’ve spoiled. (Note that the sell by date listed on the egg carton is NOT the same as a “use by” date.)

To test whether a whole egg in the shell is still good: 

1. Fill a bowl with cold tap water. 
2. Drop the whole eggs one at a time into the bowl. 
3. If the egg sits at the bottom of the bowl or stands up only slightly, it’s still good and can be frozen. 
4. If an egg floats to the top of the water, it’s gone bad and must be thrown away. 

Katie’s Tip: Another way to tell if an egg is rancid is to crack it into a bowl. Sniff the egg; if the smell or color is off, the egg should be thrown away. 

How to Freeze Eggs 5 Ways 

Some methods for freezing chicken eggs are better than others, but I’ll walk you through the pros and cons of each in the section below. 

All of these ways to freeze eggs are perfectly safe, but you have to be careful how you freeze the eggs so that they retain their original texture. 

1. Freezing Raw Eggs Whole 

Can you freeze raw eggs? Yes! 

There are a couple ways you can go about freezing whole raw eggs. 

1. First, you’ll want to add the desired number of eggs to a bowl. 
2. Then, use a fork to whisk the eggs together until they’re uniform in color and no streaks show. 
3. From here, you can transfer the raw eggs to the container of your choosing. Silicone ice cube trays work for small portions, silicone muffin trays for larger.
4. Cover the ice cube tray or muffin tin with plastic wrap (this prevents the eggs from drying out). 
5. Freeze until hardened (about 2 hours). 
6. Pop the frozen eggs into a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Label and freeze. 

Katie’s Tip: 3 tablespoons of the raw egg mixture equals roughly 1 whole raw egg. If you want to be extra precise, you can crack the eggs into individual silicone muffin wells. Then, scramble each egg with a fork within the muffin tin. This way, you can be 100% confident that you’re thawing out one egg at a time.  

2. Freezing Egg Yolks 

Can you freeze egg yolks? Yes! Egg yolks may be frozen raw or cooked. 

• If freezing cooked egg yolks, simply seal them inside a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, label, and freeze. 
• If freezing raw egg yolks, you’ll freeze them just like you would a whole raw egg (see instructions above). 

However, raw egg yolks don’t freeze as well as whole raw eggs. You need to add granulated sugar or table salt to the yolks to prevent them from becoming gelatinous once frozen. For every 4 egg yolks, add ⅛ tsp salt OR 1.5 teaspoons granulated sugar. 

I prefer freezing raw egg yolks in ice cube trays so I can thaw one yolk at a time later on. 

Note that 1 tablespoon of whisked raw egg yolks equals 1 regular egg yolk.

3. Freezing Egg Whites 

Can you freeze egg whites? Sometimes! 

Unlike egg yolks, you cannot freeze both cooked and raw egg whites. 

Cooked egg whites don’t freeze well at all. They release a lot of moisture once frozen, and they become tough and rubbery. 

However, you can freeze raw egg whites. 

To freeze raw egg whites, whisk together the egg whites in a bowl. Then, transfer the whisked egg whites to a silicone ice cube tray or muffin tin. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. 

Note that 2 tablespoons of whisked raw egg whites equals 1 whole egg white. 

4. Freezing Hard-Boiled Eggs

Can you freeze hard-boiled eggs? Yes! You can freeze hard-boiled eggs that have been shelled. 

However, the egg whites will become tough and rubbery. They release water once frozen and don’t taste great once thawed. 

The hard-boiled egg will still be safe to eat, the texture just may be unpalatable. 

5. Freezing Scrambled Eggs 

Can you freeze scrambled eggs? Yes! 

Cook the scrambled eggs just until soft. This helps to preserve their moisture once frozen. Let the eggs cool completely off the heat, then seal in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, label, and freeze. 

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

How to Thaw Frozen Eggs

Now that you know how to freeze eggs, you need to learn how to thaw them correctly so that they retain their original texture. 

• To thaw raw eggs, egg yolks, and egg whites: Transfer the desired number of frozen eggs to an airtight container. Refrigerate overnight to thaw. Then, use the recipe as instructed. 
• To thaw hard-boiled eggs:  Transfer the desired number of frozen eggs to an airtight container. Refrigerate overnight to thaw. OR reheat the frozen hard-boiled egg in the microwave on 10-second bursts. 
• To thaw scrambled eggs: Transfer the desired number of frozen eggs to an airtight container. Refrigerate overnight to thaw. Reheat in a buttered skillet over low heat. 

Never thaw frozen raw eggs in the microwave. You’ll likely end up partially cooking them by accident. 

Katie’s Tip: You can also thaw frozen raw eggs under running cold tap water. Place the eggs in a zip-top bag first so that they don’t get wet. 

FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

How Long Do Frozen Eggs Last? 

If stored correctly, frozen eggs will last up to 1 year in the freezer. 

Can You Freeze Eggs in the Shell? 

No! The water content in the egg white will cause the raw egg to expand and the shell will crack. Never freeze eggs — cooked or raw — in the shell. 

Do Frozen Eggs Taste Different? 

Hard-boiled eggs have a much different texture once frozen and thawed. 

However, raw eggs, egg yolks, and egg whites taste the same once frozen. Scrambled eggs typically hold up well in the freezer as well. 

Can Frozen Raw Eggs Be Used Normally? 

Yep! You can use them in omelets, frittatas, and even baked goods. As a rule of thumb, you can use frozen raw eggs for any recipe in which they’ll be whisked together (on their own or with other ingredients). 

I don’t recommend cooking with raw eggs if they need to retain their form, such as when poaching eggs or making fried eggs. 

Can Frozen Raw Eggs Be Scrambled? 

Yes, that will work perfectly well. Just be sure to thaw the raw eggs completely before scrambling them. 

How Should I Portion Frozen Eggs? 

I recommend portioning frozen eggs in a silicone ice cube tray or muffin tin. Portion them into individual servings to make cooking with them easier later on. 

Here are the portion sizes you must remember: 

• 1 tablespoon of whisked egg yolks = 1 fresh egg yolk 
• 2 tablespoons of whisked egg whites = 1 fresh egg white 
• 3 tablespoons of whisked raw egg = 1 fresh whole egg 

More Freezing Tutorials: 

Knowing how to freeze soup and which soups that freeze well makes meal prep a breeze! In this post, I share the best ways to freeze soup, plus how to defrost soup and which soups you can and can’t freeze.

Freezing strawberries is a wonderful way to enjoy summer’s harvest year-round! This guide explains how to freeze strawberries, plus it answers the most commonly asked questions about thawing frozen strawberries and using them in recipes.

Freezing spinach is really simple, and handy if you would like to have extra vegetables stored in your freezer. Come learn all about the 4 different ways I like to freeze spinach and several ideas for what to make with frozen spinach!

Can you freeze butter? Absolutely! In this post, I walk you through how to freeze butter and how to defrost it. Plus, I answer other FAQs about freezing butter. 

Freezing pie dough is a great way to save time when preparing for busy holidays! This post will show you how to freeze pie dough, how to freeze unbaked pie crusts, answer questions about freezing and thawing pie dough, and shares some of my favorite pie recipes.

Who doesn’t love a good kitchen tip? Looking for more kitchen tutorials? Check out the entire Kitchen Tips and Tricks archive for lots of great ideas!