50 Egg Yolk Recipes for Leftover Egg Yolks

ByCourtney March 20, 2014February 28, 2023

29 Comments

Save this collection of 50 Egg Yolk Recipes for the next time you have leftover egg yolks to use up!

Table of Contents

Using Up Leftover Egg Yolks

In the Stuff I’ve Googled series, we find ways to use up all those pesky leftover ingredients that tend to sit in our fridge until that dreadful moment when we uncover their moldy remains from behind the yogurt and strawberry jam containers.

Here’s what we’ve covered so far:

Leftover Buttermilk Recipes
Coconut Milk Recipes
Canned Chipotles in Adobo Sauce Recipes
Leftover Egg White Recipes

Today, we’re tackling Leftover Egg Yolk Recipes!

If you’ve spent any amount of time baking or cooking, I’m sure you’ve experienced this conundrum. You made Peanut Butter Meringue Pie or an Egg White Mushroom Omelet or Almond Joy Cookies, and now you’re left with a bowl full of sunny leftover egg yolks.

In this post we’ll cover how to store and use egg yolks in a variety of recipes, so whether you have one or six egg yolks, you can be certain they’ll be put to good use!

What are egg yolks used for?

Egg yolks are great for adding richness to everything from pasta to ice cream to breads. An extra egg yolk is also the secret ingredient to irresistibly chewy cookies.

Don’t feel like turning on the oven? Use those extra egg yolks to make your own mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce.

I’ve even included a recipe for hair superfood, because, let’s face it, who couldn’t use a little extra shine after these brutal winter days?

Can you refrigerate egg yolks? How long do egg yolks last?

Absolutely. Leftover raw egg yolks can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you can avoid breaking the yolk, it’s always nice to store them whole so you can see how many you have. (Pssst- an egg separator can help with this).

Otherwise, be sure to mark how many yolks are in the container before refrigerating.

Unfortunately, egg yolks do not freeze well, so I recommend storing them in the fridge and using them within a few days!

Recipes with Egg Yolks

Recipes Using 1 Egg Yolk

The Best Chocolate Bundt Cake from NeighborFood

Giant Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies from NeighborFood
Lemon Sandwich Cookies from NeighborFood
Cajun Burgers from NeighborFood
Cheesecake for Two from Homemade in the Kitchen
Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars fromHandle the Heat
Cake Batter Sugar Cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream from Baked Bree
Three Cheese Mac and Cheese from Cook Like a Champion
Macaroon Kisses from Chef in Training
Peanut Butter Snickers Brownie Skillet from Picky Palate
Spa In the Kitchen- Hair Superfood from Our Best Bites
Red Velvet Crepes from Tidy Mom

Recipes Using 2 Egg Yolks

Lemon Rosemary Butter Cookies from NeighborFood
Homemade Mayonnaise from The Perfect Pantry
Hollandaise Sauce from Earth Food and Fire
Eggnog cookies from Recipe Girl
Triple Chocolate Mousse from Kitchen Confidante
S’mores Ice Cream from Homemade in the Kitchen
Creamy Angel Hair Carbonara from The Noshery

Recipes Using 3 Egg Yolks

Homemade Egg Noodles from NeighborFood

Crepe Suzette Crepe Cakefrom Pineapple and Coconut
Tiramisu from The Comfort of Cooking
Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce from Just a Pinch
Bearnaise Sauce from The Novice Chef
Country Eggs Benedict from Lana’s Cooking
Double Chocolate Almond Macaroons from Love and Olive Oil
Strawberry Paczkifrom NeighborFood

Recipes Using 4 Egg Yolks

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict from Or Whatever You Do

Tiramisu Brownies
Linguine Alla Carbonara from Simply Scratch
Peanut Butter Pudding from I Wash You Dry
Easy No Bake Creme Brulee from Completely Delicious
Banana Pudding from Eat 2 Gather
Italian Cream Puffs with Custard Filling from Eats Well With Others
Olive Garden Copy Cat Alfredo Sauce from The Slow Roasted Italian
Key Lime Pie from I Wash You Dry
Julia Child’s Chocolate Mousse from Bran Appetit
Prosciutto and Asparagus Eggs Benedict from bell’alimento
Peaches and Cream Ice Pops from The Slow Roasted Italian

Recipes Using 5 Egg Yolks

Recipes Using 6 Egg Yolks

Margarita Pie from Baking Sense

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream from Lauren’s Latest
Cappuccino Creme Brulee from A Farm Girl’s Dabbles
Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard Sauce from Two Peas and their Pod
The Best Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream from Cooking LSL
Greek Lemon Soup with Chicken and Orzo fromLove and Olive Oil

I recently baked and I have 2 eggs and 8 yolks to use and since they are mixed I’m wanting to use them but don’t know how exact some of the recipes are since they call for just yolk and mine are mixed together. Any that would be okay with a little bit of whites?
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1. Cookies would be a great recipe to try that in! They can definitely use whites, but benefit from the richness of egg yolks.
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You mentioned using them to make sweet potato fries crispier but I didn’t see the recipe?
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1. Here is an example of a recipe that uses egg whites for sweet potato fries! https://www.wellplated.com/sweet-potato-fries/
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Oh my! This сrepe Suzette сrepe сake was delicious and so easy to make! Will have to try this for my family. Thanks so much!
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Thanks for this compilation, I found my recipe… Just one thing: I’d perhaps leave out the ones where you need both yolk and white, even if used separated.
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That would be great, HSH. I do recall hearing about a cake that is made along with angel food but have never come across it.
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1. I just read another website and it’s a 12 yolk pound cake that you make with an angle food cake.
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Thanks a lot for sharing list of cool recipes Courtney! First of all i’ll try Challah Bread, Crepe Suzette Crepe Cake and Greek Lemon Soup with Chicken and Orzo! I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it.
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1. Great! I hope you enjoy and thank you for sharing!
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It’s remarkable designed for me to have a site, which is beneficial designed for my experience.
thanks admin
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I seriously love this round up and have shared it with so many people! Egg yolks rock.
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1. I’m so glad it’s been helpful to you Christina! I was hoping I wasn’t the only one who always needed new ideas for egg yolks. 🙂
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Courtney, so fun to see that this post of yours brought quite a few people to my blog yesterday! It was great to spend the last couple days with you! You are truly a sweet sweet person! thanks again for the share! Sheila
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1. That’s awesome Sheila! I’m so glad. It was so lovely to meet you. I wish I had more time to chat with you! I was hoping to talk to you more about your experience with adoption. It’s something my husband and I are both passionate about. We’ll have to stay connected online!
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Came by for Chocolate and PB Day and this caught my eye – EVERY morning my 12 year son wants 2 eggs – straight up or on a sandwich of some sort – minus the yolks (doesn’t like them) – I feel guilty that I usually throw them away – THIS IS AWESOME! I kept meaning to make a list of uses, in addition to the ones off the top of my head…and you did it for me! Smaaa-oooch!
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I always seem to have egg yolks hanging around! This is such a great roundup! Thanks so much for including my cream puffs!
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1. No problem girl! They look wonderful!
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2. You are a life saver! Just made a white wedding cake and have 18 egg yolks. Yes, 18 as in one and a half dozen.
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You’ve totally got our back, girl. I’m always wondering what to do with extra yolks! I’ve got to pin this post so that I always have this list handy. I just read your reply to Danielle’s question – I’m notorious for putting eggs yolks in the fridge and seeing them a week later, all flaky ‘n dried ‘n gross. No more wasted yolks for me!
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1. Yeah! i just discovered that trick and it’s going to save me from a lot of nasty yolks!
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Thank you for sharing this! I soooo need it 🙂 Out of curiosity – how long can you keep an egg yolk in the fridge before it goes bad – not that I have one waiting to be used or anything 😉
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1. The standard I’ve heard is 4 days. You can put a little water over the yolks to keep then from drying out then just drain before using.
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2. I was trying to make a baked alaska with meringue but I messed up horribly and I was crying and feeling really bad because I cant make anything this really helped me thankyou.
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  1. Wait you cooked Alaska is that what global warming really is? It’s ok mistakes are ok at least that’s what my mom told me!
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3. I think you can keep them in there until they spoil not that you needed to know because you don’t have any 😉
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I have 5 eggs yolks sitting in my fridge as we speak. You’re a GENIUS Courtney!
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LOVE this roundup! Such a great idea (because I always seem to have leftover egg yolks).
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1. Thanks girl! I actually have some leftover yolks in my fridge right now. Oh, the irony. 🙂
  Reply

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50 Egg Yolk Recipes for Leftover Egg Yolks | NeighborFood (2024)

FAQs

How do you not waste egg yolks? ›

How to store egg yolks. Egg yolks will also keep for two days in the fridge but can dry out easily, so store them in small containers with less air in them, or food bags with all of the excess air squeezed out.

Explore More ›

Can I freeze egg yolks for later use? ›

To freeze yolks, mix four yolks with a pinch of salt and one and half teaspoons of sugar or corn syrup. Store frozen blended eggs, whites or yolks up to 12 months for best quality. You can freeze cooked eggs but the quality is not the best.

Know More ›

What does an extra egg yolk do in baking? ›

The fat gives baked goods extra-rich flavor and a velvety texture. The yolk also has the unique ability to bind liquids and fats together, creating an emulsion that prevents them from separating.

Get More Info Here ›

How long should leftover egg yolks be stored? ›

Storing Egg Yolks

Yolks will keep for up to four days in an airtight container placed in the fridge. A tip to keep your yolks from drying out is to cover them with a bit of cold water, just drain them off before using.

Know More ›

Is it bad to waste egg yolk? ›

In most cases egg yolks do not increase cholesterol levels much and if they do they usually increase HDL which is the 'good cholesterol”. So if you tolerate eggs you shouldn't be throwing out the yolk! Of Course if you do have high cholesterol it is important to have regular blood tests to ensure your diet aligns.

Read The Full Story ›

Why do bodybuilders not eat egg yolk? ›

For decades, bodybuilders and those seeking to look “ripped” have kicked the egg yolk to the curb in a bid to cut the calories associated with the yellow stuff. Based on a medium sized egg, the white contains around 15 calories, while the yolk has a relatively hefty 52 calories.

Is it wasteful to throw away egg yolks? ›

Egg yolks have good amount of carotenoids; lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenoids are colourful pigments that give the egg yolk its yellow colour. These carotenoids are known to act as antioxidants that protect different parts of the eyes from free radicals, thus preventing age-related macular degeneration to set in.

Can you use day old egg yolks? ›

Eggs out of the shell

And in that case, know that stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, raw egg whites will keep for up to four days, while raw egg yolks will keep for up to two days.

Get More Info ›

How should leftover egg yolks and egg whites be stored? ›

Leftover raw egg whites and yolks should be put in airtight containers and stored in the refrigerator immediately. To prevent yolks from drying out, cover them with a little cold water. Drain the water before using. When storing hard boiled eggs, you may notice a "gassy" odour in your refrigerator.

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How do you store cooked egg yolks? ›

In the fridge:

To keep leftover egg yolks in the fridge, firstly beat them lightly with a fork before storing them in a closed container (to avoid spillage), for up to 3 days.