The Best Way to Make an Egg Wash and Use It for Perfectly Golden Baked Goods (2024)

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.

1. 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.)
2. 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.

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.

Recipes That Use an Egg Wash