Should eggs be room temperature before use?

[True2marie]

When baking, should eggs be room temperature before use? Most of the other ingredients including butter mix better when warm. Considering this, the same must be true about eggs. Right?

 

[smlewis00]

Honestly, I had never thought of this. That's a great question! I guess I have always just took my eggs directly from the refrigerator and put them into the mix. I've never let them sit at room temperature before using them. My recipes have always come out just fine without them being room temperature-but I wonder if it would make a difference?
Great question though! I'm anxious to read what other's suggest and say about this....

 

[dandeliion]

I'm not always good about putting the eggs out for a while before baking but I think most people recommend it, especially with more sensitive items that I can't come up with right now lol

 

[thomas pendrake]

If the eggs must be beaten, as in meringue, they definitely work better when at room temperature, Tests on cakes show little or no difference. It s a good practice for perfectionists.

 

[Becky]

I always try to remember to let eggs warm up to room temperature before baking with them, but I don't always take them out of the fridge in time. I have noticed that when I add cold eggs to the creamed butter and sugar then the mixture tends to look quite granular - almost like it's starting to separate - but once I add flour it's fine. Anyone else noticed this? It doesn't seem to happen when I use room temperature eggs, but to be honest the end result always seems to taste the same.

 

[Sandman]

Well at the moment I store my eggs on a kitchen counter but I used to store them in the fridge and I know some people that still do that, honestly, I have never noticed a difference when using eggs at different temperatures.

 

[SmartPea85]

Interesting how some recipes actually call for room-temp eggs (apparently meringue) but others (like cakes and pies) there seems to be no difference. Having butter be room temperature is obviously just for ease of blending and beating, but this shouldn't be the case with eggs. I store my eggs in the fridge, so they are always cold when I go to bake.

Has anyone ever baked using those liquid eggs from the store, like "Bettern'eggs" or "Egg Beaters" ? What kind of result does that give you?

 

[janineaa]

For avid bakers, well according to them, it is better to use room temperature eggs when baking because the whites and yolks will combine easier when whisking. It means that the eggs will disperse more evenly into the batter, making for even cooking and a lighter texture (because the eggs trap air). A suggestion to bring eggs to room temperature quickly is to soak them in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes.

 

[andrew172]

I always just take my eggs straight out of the fridge and use them cold. I've never had any difficulty when whisking them.

 

[Jessi]

Yes, technically they are supposed to be room temperature. My mom used to set the carton of eggs and butter out while she was making dinner and then by the time dinner was over and everything was cleaned up, her dessert ingredients were all the right temperature to be used.

Frankly, I never plan this far ahead myself. I tend to bake on a whim or when the time comes up, so if I were to take them out in advance and walk away, I'd probably forget.

The only time I have ever noticed a difference myself, though, is with meringue, like mentioned above. Cold eggs are easier to separate, so I always split the eggs immediately and then let them rest on the counter for a bit to warm up. It creates better peaks and volume when they're warm.