Egg Wash For Baking - Baker Bettie
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Home » All Recipes » Components » Egg Wash for Baking Egg Wash for Baking Jump to Recipe by Baker Bettie April 22, 2025 Jump to Recipe An egg wash is a mixture of egg and water that is used to brush on top of breads and pastries before baking to give them a shiny, golden-brown finish.
What is an Egg Wash?
In baking, many recipes call for an egg wash to be brushed on the baked good before it bakes. The purpose of this is to give the final product a golden brown color that is slightly shiny.
This is purely for aesthetic purposes and does not effect the final flavor of the baked good. Egg washes make the final product look more professional and appetizing.
Watch the video tutorial!
How to Make an Egg Wash
An egg wash is made simply by whisking together an egg with about one tablespoon of water. Most bakers don’t actually measure the amount of water that is whisked in. They simply eyeball it until it looks like it is the right consistency.
Make sure that the egg white and yolk are completely incorporated and thin enough to easily brush with a pastry brush. I recommend using a small whisk or fork.
What is it Used on?
Typically egg washes are used on pastries like a danish or pie crust or on enriched breads like dinner rolls or sandwich bread. It is also sometimes used as a barrier on pie crust before the filling goes in to help prevent a soggy bottom.
The main purpose of brushing the egg on your baked good before baking is appearance. If you see it in a recipe, it is almost always optional. It will not effect the final texture or flavor of your baked good – only the appearance.
If you compare a baked good with a wash and one without, you will notice that the one without will look more dull or rustic. The one that did get brushed will have a brighter golden color. It tends to look a bit more professional.
TIP: Make sure that the consistency of the egg wash is fluid before brushing it on the baked good. If there are clumps of yolk that did not get incorporated fully in with the white, it can leave a blotchy look to your final product.
Substitute for Egg Wash
There are several substitutes for egg wash including milk, oil, butter, or even honey thinned out with milk. All of these options will give varying final results as far as the shine and final color.
How to Store
Leftover egg wash can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I often throw it into my scrambled eggs the next day. But if you will be baking again in a few days, then you will have it ready to go!
Continue to ContentIngredients
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Combine the egg (1 whole) and the water (1 tablespoon) together and whisk vigorously until well combined and very smooth. You can add a bit more water if needed to thin it out.
- Using a pastry brush, brush on top of your baked goods before baking.
- If you have leftover egg wash, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. I like to throw any leftover into my scrambled eggs the next day.
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Hi, I’m baker bettie!
I’m a trained chef and baking educator. My goal is to help you build baking confidence through teaching foundational baking techniques, approachable baking science, and classic recipes.
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19 Comments on “Egg Wash for Baking”
Most baker’s don’t actually measure the amount of water that is whisked in, they just eyeball it until it looks like it is the right consistency.
bakers*
I bake a lot, but I measure everything so that my results are always the same. Thank you to Baker Betty for exact instructions. I have seen different egg washes, but I like this one. My pie that is cooling looks great!
Wonderful!
Most people aren’t bakers… Thanks for the recipe!
Tips for baking
Good Morning,
I used the egg wash and I loved the shine it gave to my pies. I made sweet potatoe pie like apple turn overs. It came out great! I wrapped the pies in foil paper and it was soggy on top. What can I do about that? Help! Sheila
Don’t cover it with foil and see how it goes
Thanks for the tips, I’m learning a lot from your blog.
Cheers, Niba
I’ve used an egg wash the last two times I’ve baked dinner rolls. I like the results, however some of the rolls ended up “eggy” on the bottom. Did I brush too much on, or do I need to thin the wash a bit more?
I would suggest both. Add a bit more water and also use less so that it doesn’t pool around the sides of the rolls.
I’m making a dessert that calls for a sugar cookie crust. Could I use an egg white wash on that to keep the crust from becoming soggy?
Yes, you can!
Why does my egg wash crack? Like a dessert 🙁 I made buns for the first time and they are good but my wash is not even Thanks
Make sure you thoroughly whisk the egg and water together so it’s perfectly homogenous. You can also thin it with a touch more water if needed.
How long can egg wash sit on the bread while it’s proofing before baking it? I planned to have it proof overnight and then egg wash and bake in the morning but accidently added it tonight! Can I still wait till morning to bake?
Hi Rachel, that’s perfectly fine!
One thing missing in all this…. 7 breads made, 6 washed and one got missed. All baked. When I pulled all loafs out , saw the miss. Missing egg wash applied AND put back into the oven. 5 mins showed some sheen. Put in for 2 minutes. And pulled to store for tomorrows luncheon.
What should have been done differently?
My mother’s name was Betty…she was a fantastic baker, mother, friend and wife. I think of my mother daily and all the good she gave to me. I named my Singer Featherweight sewing machine “Betty Lou” Have a wonderful day and bake something wonderful….. Arlene
Hi Arlene, thank you for sharing!