What to Do with Leftover Egg Yolks

If you’re whipping up a meringue or enjoying an egg white omelette for breakfast, don’t throw away your leftover egg yolks. Egg yolks are a brilliant baking ingredient in both sweet and savoury recipes. So it’s time to cut back on food waste and get baking instead. Here are some of our favourite egg yolk recipes to make the most of your leftovers.

Egg yolks play an important role in baking. They make things sumptuously soft, rich and moist. Use them to: 

•  Make richer and chewier cookie dough 
•  Craft homemade crème brûlée
• Create tarte pastry 
•  Wow your guests with homemade custard (P.S. throw in some Dr. Oetker Cocoa Powder for rich chocolatey custard)

So, what to do with leftover egg yolks? Here are a few recipes to get you thinking: 

Extra Dark Chocolate and Cherry Tarte: You’ll use one egg yolk to add some richness to the pastry for this delectable tarte. 

Triple Chocolate Cookie Bars: One egg yolk is all you need to add to the cookie dough of these fantastic Triple Chocolate Cookie Bars. With 40 minutes cooking, you’ll be satisfying the chocolate lovers in your home in no time. 

Custard Slices: To create eight delicious Custard Slices, you’ll use six leftover egg yolks. They all go into the custard to make it creamy and rich. You can use leftover puff pastry too for the perfect no-food-waste bake. 

Crème Brûlée Doughnuts: Yes, you can use leftover egg yolks to knock up a stunning crème brûlée. But why not take it a step further with the ultimate leftover egg yolk recipe? These Crème Brûlée Doughnuts are filled with creamy custard for finger licking goodness – they’re always a real showstopper. You’ll need just two leftover egg yolks. 

Vanilla Egg Custard Tarts: Use four eggs for this timeless classic dessert. These Vanilla Egg Custard Tarts are perfect for afternoon tea, a little treat or anytime you want to satisfy a craving.

Pastel De Nata: You don’t have to travel to Lisbon to enjoy the real taste of Portugal. With five leftover egg yolks you’ll enjoy 12 Pastel De Natas. It’s time to taste the sunshine with every bite.

You can store egg yolks in both the fridge and freezer. They’ll keep in the fridge for around two days, but they can dry out easily. Make sure you store them in small containers with little air in them or in food bags with the air squeezed out.

Egg yolks can also be frozen and will keep for up to 12 months. Simply mix with ½ tsp of sugar per egg yolk. Freeze them in an ice-cube tray with one egg yolk in each ice cube mould. Then defrost them at room temperature to use straightaway.

And if you want to avoid any potential egg yolk waste, why not use our Dr. Oetker Egg White Powder as a substitute for egg whites?

Now you know what to do with your leftover egg yolks, you’ll be cutting out food waste and baking some real delights in the kitchen. For more baking hits and tips from Dr. Oetker, check out our guides on how to ice a cake and how to accurately measure out baking ingredients.

And if you want to avoid any potential egg yolk waste, why not use our Egg White Powder as a substitute for egg whites, and check out our Cream of Tartar.