Choosing the Best Eggs for Baking Success

By Pete & Gerry's Family Farm Team

Identify Your Baking Goal and the Egg’s Role

When it comes to baking, eggs are more than just a pantry staple. They’re the foundation that brings structure, texture, and richness to so many recipes. From tender cakes to glossy meringues to silky custards, eggs quietly do the heavy lifting that transforms good recipes into great ones. And just like experienced bakers know the difference between good flour and exceptional flour, the quality of your eggs matters just as much.

Premium ingredients make better results, and that includes your eggs. Choosing Certified Humane® organic, free range, or pasture-raised eggs can enhance the flavor, color, and consistency of your baked goods while supporting hen welfare and sustainable family farming. By understanding how eggs function and selecting the right type for your needs, you’ll elevate every recipe, even when eggs aren’t the star of the dish.

Understand the Egg’s Role: Richness, Lift, or Binding?

Before you preheat the oven, take a moment to consider what you need from your eggs:

Richness (Yolks):  Yolks provide healthy fat to bring richness and moisture to recipes like custards, butter cakes, or brioche.
Lift (Whites):  Whipped, foamy whites add volume, trapping air to give structure and lift in meringues, soufflés, or angel food cake.
Binder (Whole Eggs):  Whole eggs emulsify and bind ingredients, creating stability in cookies, muffins, and quick breads.

Understanding which function you need (richness, lift, or binding) guides how many eggs and which part (whole egg, yolk, or white) to use to achieve the best results. No matter the role, rich yolks, airy whites, or the balance of a whole egg, Pete & Gerry’s eggs deliver the quality and consistency that help every recipe rise to its full potential.

Match Egg Function to Your Recipe

Different recipes rely on eggs in different ways. Understanding how they work can help you fine-tune the texture, flavor, and structure of your finished products. Whether you’re baking a delicate sponge or a dense custard, eggs are the ingredient that brings balance and integrity to your batter. Here are just a few ways they contribute:

Cakes:  Whole eggs act as natural emulsifiers, helping fats and liquids combine smoothly for a moist, tender, and even crumb. Their proteins also set gently during baking, creating structure without toughness.
Meringues:  Fresh egg whites are essential for creating the stiff, glossy peaks of a stable foam. As they’re whipped, proteins trap air bubbles that expand in the oven to create volume and lift.
Custards:  Egg yolks lend rich flavor and a creamy mouthfeel while thickening gently when heated. Their natural lecithin helps create smooth, silky textures but requires careful attention while preparing to avoid curdling.

Whenever possible, use eggs from trusted, consistent sources (like Pete & Gerry’s) to achieve repeatable results. Their freshness, balanced composition, and strong shells help ensure every batch bakes up just the way you intend.

Choose the Right Egg Type for You

Not all eggs are created equal, and when you’re baking, the difference can be striking. While most recipes simply call for large eggs for their reliable balance of yolk and white for structure and moisture, the type and quality of egg you choose can have an even greater impact on the outcome.

While cheap conventional eggs can get the job done, more premium options such as Certified Humane® organic, free range, or pasture-raised eggs offer advantages you can see and taste. Their rich golden yolks and strong whites create more consistent textures, more vibrant batters, and deeper, more natural flavor. Even when eggs aren’t the featured ingredient, these small details can make every baking recipe better.

Below, we look at how each egg variety reflects hen lifestyle and production practices to help you make the right choice for your next baking recipe:

Conventional Eggs: Conventional eggs come from large-scale industrial production systems that prioritize output over welfare. Hens are typically kept in cramped wire cages with little room to move. While inexpensive, these eggs come at the cost of both animal welfare and quality, yielding thinner whites and paler yolks. ^[6]

Cage Free Eggs: The term “cage-free” simply means that hens are not confined to individual cages, but most “cage-free” hens are still kept indoors in crowded barns with limited space to move and no outdoor access. While marginally better than conventional cage systems, “cage-free” environments remain far from the life hens deserve. ^[7]

Free Range & Organic Free Range Eggs: Free-range eggs come from hens with regular access to the outdoors. The amount and quality can vary between brands, but at Pete & Gerry’s, we follow Certified Humane® standards and provide at least 2 square feet of outdoor area per hen, where they can perch, scratch, and explore. In addition to outdoor access, Pete & Gerry’s Organic Free Range Eggs are fed an organic, non-GMO diet and are raised without antibiotics, synthetic pesticides, or hormones. The result is a more natural life for the hens and a richer, better-tasting egg. ^[3]

Pasture Raised Eggs: Pasture-raised eggs come from hens with expanded outdoor access compared to free-range. Pete & Gerry’s Pasture Raised Eggs come from hens with at least 108 square feet of pasture each, allowing them to forage for grasses, seeds, and bugs as they enjoy sunshine and fresh air. This freedom produces eggs with vibrant yolks, sturdy shells, and exceptional taste. ^[4] ^[7]

Organic Pasture Raised Eggs: Organic pasture-raised eggs represent the highest standard of hen care and egg quality. Pete & Gerry’s Organic Pasture Raised hens live on open pastures with at least 108 square feet of outdoor access each, where they can roam, forage, and dust bathe freely. Their diet is USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO, free from pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and antibiotics. This combination of more space, greater outdoor access, and clean nutrition produces strong shells, rich golden yolks, and naturally robust flavor: eggs as nature intended. ^[8]

When you bake with higher-quality eggs, the results are easy to see, taste, and feel. You can see it in the vibrant yolk color and better structure of your batters and meringues, taste it in the richness and texture of the finished goods, and feel it in the confidence that comes from choosing responsibly sourced ingredients. ^[9]

Why Large Eggs Are the Standard

Most baking formulas are calibrated for large eggs (about 50 g) to balance yolk and white in predictable proportions. Using extra-large or jumbo eggs without adjusting your recipe can throw off moisture, fat ratio, and structure. For bakers who want to understand exactly what “large” means, our Egg Size Guide  breaks down USDA weight classes for each size category from medium through jumbo and explains how uniform sizing helps ensure consistent results in every recipe. ^[1]

Incorporate Eggs Correctly into Your Batter

For Beaten Egg Whites (Meringues, Soufflés):
- Use a clean, grease-free bowl.
- Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Add sugar gradually and continue beating until glossy, stiff peaks appear.

For Egg Yolks (Custards):
- Start with cold eggs as these hold their shape better for ease of separation.
- Use three bowls: one for cracking, one for yolks and one for whites.
- Crack each egg on a flat surface to help keep yolk intact and prevent mixing in shell pieces.
- Gently separate the yolk by passing it back and forth between two shell halves or your clean hands, letting the egg white pass through into the egg white bowl.

For Whole Eggs (Cakes, Quick Breads):
- Let eggs reach room temperature before mixing. They emulsify better and prevent curdling.
- Once flour is added, mix gently for only about 30 seconds to avoid developing gluten and toughening the crumb.

Troubleshoot Common Egg-Related Baking Issues

Cake Not Rising?

Eggs may be too small or too cold. Use large, room-temperature eggs for consistent lift.

Meringue Won’t Hold?

Older whites or high humidity may be the culprit. Opt for fresher whites and bake on a low-humidity day.

Egg Flavor Too Strong?

Reduce yolks slightly (about ¼ cup per batch) or substitute part with neutral oil for balance.

Final Thoughts: Treat Eggs Like the Foundational Ingredient They Are

In a well-stocked kitchen, eggs are as fundamental as flour. A single egg can enrich, leaven, bind, or stabilize. When used intentionally – knowing their role, selecting the right type, and handling them properly – premium eggs can take your baked goods from passable to polished.

Choose well, bake with purpose, and let your eggs bring out the best in every recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to use large eggs if a recipe doesn’t specify size?
A: Yes. Most recipes are written for large eggs (~50 g), ensuring consistent moisture and structure.

Q: How can I tell if an egg is fresh enough for baking?
A: Perform the Water Float Test: fresh eggs sink, upright eggs (that still sink but stand up at the bottom of the bowl) are still usable, and floaters should be discarded.

Q: Why did my meringue collapse after baking?
A: Collapse is often due to older whites, high humidity, or under-baking. Use fresh egg whites, bake on dry days, and ensure structure is fully set.

Q: How do I store eggs to keep them fresh for weeks?
A: Keep them in their original carton at the back of the refrigerator, where temperatures stay most stable. Avoid storing eggs in the door.

Q: What is the proper way to store my eggs?
A: Store eggs in their original carton on the back shelf of the refrigerator where the temperature is most stable. The carton also protects eggs from absorbing odors.