Food Cooking Tips & Techniques How to Make an Egg Wash and Use It for Golden Baked Goods Learn this simple technique for making an egg wash and use it for stellar baking results. By Ananda Eidelstein Ananda Eidelstein Ananda Eidelstein is a vegetable-loving food writer, recipe developer, and editor with nearly a decade of culinary and food media experience. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 21, 2023 Medically reviewed by Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN Medically reviewed by Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN Kristy Del Coro is a registered dietitian nutritionist, RDN, and professionally trained chef with more than 10 years of experience in the field of culinary nutrition. Her strong background in nutrition science, sustainable food systems, and culinary education makes her exceptionally qualified to write about food that is good for us and the planet—while not sacrificing flavor. Learn More Fact checked by Haley Mades Fact checked by Haley Mades Haley is a Wisconsin-based creative freelancer and recent graduate. She has worked as an editor, fact checker, and copywriter for various digital and print publications. Her most recent position was in academic publishing as a publicity and marketing assistant for the University of Wisconsin Press Our Fact-Checking Process Trending Videos Close this video player Isn't it wild how a simple kitchen technique can make a huge difference in your cooking or baking? Knowing how to make an egg wash when baking is a perfect example of this—and it takes less than a minute to do. Here, we share a step-by-step procedure, followed by sample recipes that use an egg wash for perfectly baked goods. What Is an Egg Wash? An egg wash is simply a whole egg, egg yolk, or egg white mixed with a small amount of water, milk, or cream. Often, a single beaten egg is also used; though it might be a bit trickier to brush on evenly, it will provide a luscious, dark sheen nonetheless. The egg-liquid mixture is then brushed over baked goods—like bread or pastries—before going in the oven to help give them a strikingly golden color and an eye-catching gloss after baking. An egg wash can also help seal the edges of filled pastries or hand pies and help any sprinkled sugar adhere to the dough. It's a straightforward technique that elevates both sweet and savory baked goods. How to Make an Egg Wash As you may have guessed, making an egg wash is very simple and requires only two steps. Beat one large egg and one tablespoon of liquid (water, milk, or cream) in a small bowl with a fork until well combined. (Alternatively, beat one large egg white or one large egg yolk with one teaspoon of liquid.)Brush the egg wash mixture evenly on the surface of the dough using a pastry brush. Bake according to the recipe. The desired browning and gloss effect is a direct result of heat. Because this technique involves raw eggs, the brush should be thoroughly washed after use to avoid cross-contamination, and this technique should not be applied if not followed by the indicated baking time of a recipe. Water vs. Milk or Cream Choosing which liquid to use in an egg wash can depend on how much browning and gloss is desired. The more fat and protein in the mixture, the more browning and shine. A whole egg mixed with water will produce golden-brown results with some gloss, while a whole egg combined with heavy cream takes that up a few notches and yields deeply golden-brown results with a touch more sheen. Egg White vs. Egg Yolk Additionally, you might wonder when it's best to use just an egg white or an egg yolk. An egg white mixed with water is best used for baked goods that would benefit from a nice gloss and just some light golden color. An egg yolk mixed with water will yield a deep golden color (much like a whole beaten egg without any liquid). Using milk or cream will further enhance the color and gloss. However, feel free to use what you have on hand. The benefit of using a whole egg instead of only an egg white or an egg yolk is that it minimizes food waste. Or, be sure to use the rest of the egg for tasty scrambled eggs if only using the egg white or yolk for the egg wash. How to Use an Egg Wash Using an egg wash when baking couldn't be easier. All it takes is brushing the mixture evenly with a pastry brush onto the baked good. The keyword here is "evenly," as it's important to avoid any pooling around the base or on the surface, which can result in an uneven look after baking but can also be off-putting in terms of taste. Try one of these sample recipes that use this simple egg-wash technique when baking. Ideally, a silicone brush is used for easy clean-up and less concern over loose bristles from a natural pastry brush, which has the potential to shed. Recipes That Use an Egg Wash 01 of 04 Shortcut Palmiers Caitlin Bensel These flaky, crispy pastries are brushed with an egg wash, which gives the final product a golden crackle. Sometimes called palm leaves or elephant ears, our recipe uses frozen puff pastry to shorten the cooking time to only 35 minutes. get the recipe 02 of 04 Antipasto Stromboli Caitlin Bensel A beaten egg works double-time in this calzone-like stuffed pizza dough. While this recipe calls for traditional antipasto ingredients like prosciutto and pepperoncini, you can customize it to your liking. Using store-bought pizza dough helps save time. get the recipe 03 of 04 Honey-Apple Galette With Pistachio Sugar Anna Williams Brushing the edges of this galette with an egg wash helps the pistachio sugar adhere to the dough. It's a beautiful apple recipe that's perfect for serving guests. get the recipe 04 of 04 Red Pepper Walnut Knots Victor Protasio An egg wash helps these flaky and flavorful knots turn into golden perfection. They're a delightful party appetizer and are easy to make using puff pastry. get the recipe 11 Easy Breakfast Recipes Kids Will Love Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit