How to Measure Partial Eggs (2 Easy Ways!)

One of my favorite kitchen tips is how to measure partial eggs because it comes in handy when you’re making adjustments to recipes.

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Why Would You Need to Measure a Partial Egg?

Have you ever wanted to make a half recipe of something but there are an odd number of eggs in the original? Me too. This tutorial is great for small batch recipes when you need less eggs due to recipe adjustments.

Take last week for example. I wanted to make these Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes to experiment with a new frosting recipe. But I did not want 30 cupcakes.

The original recipe calls for 3 eggs, which might seem problematic, but it really isn’t.

This method also works great if a recipe calls for an exact amount of egg, like 1 tablespoon egg.

Is it Possible to Use Half and Egg?

Yes, it is possible to use half an egg! Now that you know that you can use half an egg, you might be wondering how you would know what half an egg is.

You can find this out by measuring the contents of the egg either by weight or by volume.

What is the Measurement of 1 Egg

Typically one large egg contains about 3 tablespoons of egg (1 tablespoon of yolk and 2 tablespoons of white).

If you measure by weight, a single large egg usually weighs around 45 grams. You can weigh the contents of your egg on a kitchen scale to find your egg’s exact weight.

Now that you know the amount contained within an egg, you can easily measure out half an egg. Read on to find out how…

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What Do You Need to Measure Partial Eggs?

You will need the following items to measure partial eggs:

• Glass Bowl or Glass Measuring Cup
• Wire Whisk
• Measuring Spoons or Kitchen Scale
• Extra Bowl

I’ll go over the method for measuring partial eggs in detail. You can also find a free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post that details how to use partial eggs if you would like to print the easy instructions off for your records!

How to Measure Partial Eggs

5 Easy Steps to Measure a Partial Egg (by Volume)

1. Crack your egg into an empty bowl or a measuring cup.
2. Hand whisk the egg until the yolk and white are thoroughly combined.
3. Measure the number of tablespoons (or teaspoons) from the single whisked egg. I measure out a tablespoon at a time and transfer it to another small bowl. One large egg contains approximately 3 tablespoons, but you’ll want to measure the eggs you typically purchase for accuracy.
4. If you need a half an egg, measure out half of the total whisked amount, i.e. 1 1/2 tablespoons.
5. Add the partial amount to your recipe, then add the remaining amount of egg and proceed with the rest of the recipe. (i.e. you need 1 1/2 eggs: add the measured 1/2 egg and one whole egg)

How to Measure a Partial Egg (by Weight)

This method is very similar to the previous. But, instead of measuring tablespoons of egg, you are going to be measuring it the partial egg by weight. Kitchen purpose digital scales work best for this method.

1. Crack and whisk your egg in a bowl.
2. Turn the digital scale on. Select your measuring unit (ounces or grams, depending on what the recipe calls for) Place an empty bowl or glass measuring cup on top, then press the “tare” button. This zeroes the scale out so it doesn’t count the weight of the container.
3. Pour your whisked egg into the bowl on the scale. Note the total weight.
4. Remove the amount of egg you need. If you need half an egg, then remove half of the total weight to use in your recipe. If you need 3 grams of egg, then remove 3 grams worth of egg.
5. You can double check your weights before proceeding with your recipe. To do this, repeat step 2 and then add the partial egg amount to the empty bowl to check the weight.

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.

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Measuring Partial Eggs in Recipes

Not only does this tip apply to when you want to cut a recipe down, but it can also help you if you want to make more – perhaps not a double batch, but maybe 1 1/2 of a batch.

For instance, say the original recipe makes 1 dozen cupcakes and 3 eggs, but you need to bring 18 cupcakes to your child’s classroom party.

To convert this recipe to 18 cupcakes, you would multiple all of the ingredients by 1.5.

3 eggs x 1.5 = 4.5 eggs.

Now that you know how to measure a partial egg you can easily adjust this recipe. Just a little bit of math and measuring and you’ll be ready to go.

How Do I Use a Half an Egg White in a Recipe?

If you don’t need to measure a partial of the whole egg, and only need the egg white you can follow the above instructions using only the egg white to measure half and egg white (or a partial egg white in whatever amount you need).

If you’re using a large egg, you can keep in mind that the egg white usually measures approximately 2 tablespoons and that half of an egg white would be 1 tablespoon.

To divide the egg white in a different increment than by 1/2 I recommend weighing your egg white using a kitchen scale to find out the exact weight of your egg white and then doing the math from there (multiplying by .75 for 3/4, .25 for 1/4, etc).

How Do I Use a Half an Egg Yolk in a Recipe?

The yolk of a large egg usually measures approximately 1 tablespoon. To use a partial egg yolk, you can measure out 1/2 tablespoon of an egg yolk for use in a recipe.

If your egg is a different size than the standard “large” egg, then follow the instructions above for measuring partial eggs to find out what half of a yolk would be.

To use a partial egg yolk in a different amount than 1/2, I recommend weighing your egg yolk using a kitchen scale to find out it’s exact weight.

Then, do the math from there (multiplying by .75 for 3/4, .25 for 1/4, etc).

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What Do You Do with Leftover Egg After Measuring a Partial Egg?

If you are wondering what to do with the other half of the egg, or whatever weight you have leftover here are a few of my ideas:

• You can freeze the unused portion. Use within 4 months for freshness.
• Place the unused portion in the fridge if you have another recipe you think you’ll use it in. Make sure to use the unused half within 2 days of refrigerating.
• Or, cook up a small amount of scrambled egg using the remaining beaten egg.
• Add it to another recipe that won’t be altered by extra egg.
• Make fried rice with egg.
• Feed it to your dog. Seriously, our dog loves to eat leftover egg. Cooked or uncooked. Check with your vet first, though.
• You can toss the unused portion.

What to Make with Eggs

• Easy Pumpkin Custards
• How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
• Leek and Mushroom Tarts
• Vanilla Bean Gelato
• Zucchini Potato and Bacon Frittata

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Have you ever had to measure partial eggs before?

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