Egg White Recipes

By
Danilo Alfaro
Danlio Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
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Updated on 09/1/23
Spoon the meringue

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

There are a number of ways you might end up with extra egg whites. Maybe you've prepared a dish that calls for just the egg yolks, and you have the whites left over. Or maybe you bought some liquid egg whites to use in a recipe, and there's some left in the carton. You can, of course, simply scramble those egg whites in a pan and eat them, or use them to make an egg white omelet. But if you're feeling a bit more ambitious, here are 16 dishes you can prepare using leftover egg whites. The recipes below each call for at least two egg whites, which works out to 4 tablespoons of liquid egg white (although some use more than that).

  • 01 of 16

    Easy French Macarons

    A pile of pink French macarons

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

    These classic cookies, traditionally filled with ganache, buttercream or jam, are a French delicacy, and this recipe uses an Italian meringue as the base for extra stability. It calls for a total of 12 egg whites, or 1 1/2 cups of liquid egg whites.

  • 02 of 16

    Coconut Macaroons Recipe

    Four Coconut macaroons resting on a plate

    Luca Trovato / Getty Images

    These coconut macaroons, a traditional Passover treat, are made using 3 egg whites that are whipped until light and fluffy, then combined with sugar, shredded coconut and vanilla extract. For extra goodness, after baking, dip the cooled cookies in melted chocolate.

  • 03 of 16

    Fluffy Japanese Pancakes

    Fluffy Japanese pancakes resting on a white plate

     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

    Japanese pancakes are fluffy, soufflé-like pancakes that get their height from whipped egg whites that are added after the rest of the batter is prepared. The recipe calls for 2 whole eggs, separated, plus an additional 2 egg whites.

  • 04 of 16

    Classic Angel Food Cake

    Classic angel food cake covered in whipped cream and sliced strawberries

    Bernard Prost / Getty Images

    Angel food cake is a light, airy, low-fat cake made by whipping egg whites and then folding them into cake batter before baking, usually in a special tube pan that ensures even cooking all the way through. This recipe calls for 1 1/3 cups of liquid egg whites (around 11 egg whites).

    Continue to 5 of 16 below
  • 05 of 16

    Swedish Nuts Recipe

    A pile of Swedish nuts on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Linda Larsen

    Swedish nuts are a sweet, crunchy treat made by coating pecans in whipped egg whites, along with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract, then tossing them in butter and baking them for about half an hour. It uses 2 egg whites.

  • 06 of 16

    Royal Icing Recipe

    Yellow, red, and purple Royal icings in small bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

    Royal icing is a sweet, hard icing made from egg whites and powdered sugar, that's used for decorating cookies and gingerbread houses. The recipe makes two cups of icing and uses 4 egg whites, or 1/2 cup of liquid egg whites.

  • 07 of 16

    Swiss Meringue Buttercream

    Three bowls of Swiss meringue buttercream

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

    Swiss meringue buttercream is a silky, smooth and delicious frosting that gets its fluffiness from egg whites that are heated with sugar and then whipped into a glossy meringue. This recipe, which calls for 1/2 cup of liquid egg whites, or 4 egg whites, can be tinted and flavored in a variety of ways to suit all types of cakes and cupcakes.

  • 08 of 16

    White Chocolate Mousse Cake

    Overhead of a White chocolate mousse cake

    Sot / Getty Images

    This white chocolate mousse cake is a birthday party showstopper. The combination of white cake, white chocolate cream filling, and white frosting not only makes for a beautiful presentation but also a delicious combination of flavors. It's made with 3 egg whites.

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  • 09 of 16

    Light Cinnamon French Toast

    Three slices of Cinnamon French toast

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray

    This French toast recipe cuts back on fat without sacrificing flavor. It calls for 2 whole eggs plus an additional 2 egg whites. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract round out the flavors in this dish. Make it with French bread for a special breakfast treat.

  • 10 of 16

    Crispy Vanilla Gaufrettes

    Crispy Vanilla Gaufrettes on a baking sheet

    Iain Bagwell / Getty Images

    Gaufrettes are delicately crisp waffles that can be served fresh from the iron, like cookies, or shaped into delicious little cones while the waffle is still warm and pliable. They can be served with ice cream or or with coffee or tea. This recipe calls for 2 egg whites.

  • 11 of 16

    Brown Sugar Meringue Cookies

    A pile of Brown Sugar Meringue Cookies

    Brooke Anderson Photography / Getty Images 

    These fat-free meringue cookies are made with 3 egg whites, along with brown sugar, vanilla, and a simple cinnamon sugar topping. First the meringue is piped through a decorative star tip, then baked at a low temperature, giving the cookies a crunchy exterior.

  • 12 of 16

    Lemon Chiffon Cake

    Lemon Chiffon Cake resting on a cake platter

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

    This lemon chiffon cake is tall, light, and airy thanks to the 8 whipped egg whites the recipe calls for, while the moist crumb is the result of 4 egg yolks and vegetable oil. So you'll need 4 whole eggs, separated, along with an additional 4 egg whites, or 1/2 cup of liquid egg whites.

    Continue to 13 of 16 below
  • 13 of 16

    Classic Meringue Pie Topping

    A Classic Meringue Pie Topping

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

    This meringue pie topping, known as a French or common meringue, is a simple combination of egg whites whipped with sugar. It makes a delicious topping for a chocolate, banana, or lemon meringue pie or tart. You can make it using either 2 or 3 egg whites.

  • 14 of 16

    Low Fat Brownies

    A plate of cut Brownies

    Brett Stevens / Getty Images

    These brownies use canola oil instead of butter, and applesauce and egg whites are swapped in for some of the whole eggs. They're not as dense as regular brownies, but they'll still hit the spot. The recipe calls for 2 egg whites, plus 1 whole egg.

  • 15 of 16

    Spinach and Egg White Frittata

    Spinach and Egg White Frittata resting on a serving dish

    QVC, Inc.

    This frittata is easy to prepare, and is an alternative way to feed your morning crowd from a single pan. The recipe calls for 12 egg whites, or 1 1/2 cups of liquid egg whites, along with cherry tomatoes, spinach, and broccoli.

  • 16 of 16

    New Zealand-Style Pavlova

    New Zealand-Style Pavlova on a white plate

    The Spruce Eats

    This recipe for Pavlova, made with a meringue shell, whipped cream, and fruit, is one of New Zealand's national desserts. It is not only beautiful to look at, but also a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. It's made using 4 egg whites.

Since most of the recipes above call for whipping the egg whites, here are some tips on how to whip egg whites. Likewise, here's how to freeze leftover egg whites. And one last tip: two egg whites will substitute for a single whole egg in many recipes, like cakes and cookies, that call for whole eggs.