Why It Helps To Add Cold Water To Scrambled Eggs

There are countless celebrity tips for making scrambled eggs. Martha Stewart prefers to add milk or cream to hers, while Ina Garten uses half-and-half. Alton Brown has even suggested using mayonnaise to achieve the best scrambled eggs. However, we think the most ingenious tip for beautifully fluffy eggs comes from an unexpected source: Dolly Parton. To make perfect scrambled eggs, she recommends whisking in a bit of cold water before cooking them. Who would have thought the queen of country music would offer the best tip of all?

As it turns out, Dolly Parton can do no wrong; even her scrambled eggs are iconic. While the idea of adding cold water to eggs may initially seem counterintuitive — leading one to assume that it could dilute the eggs, making them runny or less flavorful — it actually has the opposite effect. In reality, just a small amount of cold water begins to evaporate as you cook the eggs. This evaporation has a lifting effect, and helps yield the fluffiest, most delicious eggs of your life.

This breakfast-making tip is actually a trick that has been used in restaurants for years to achieve fluffy scrambled eggs. Once you crack the desired number of eggs into a bowl, that's when you add some water. The water is then whisked together with the eggs, along with any salt, pepper, or other seasoning you may desire. As a general rule of thumb, add no more than one tablespoon of water per egg. Be cautious, as adding more than that could result in a soggy mess.

When the egg and water mixture hits the hot pan, the water quickly begins to steam. As it evaporates during the cooking process, this gentle lift results in fluffier scrambled eggs. Cold or tepid water is preferable in this scenario, rather than piping hot or boiling water. You don't want the water to be warm enough to start cooking the eggs as you whisk them in the bowl.

You might think that adding a milk product, like half-and-half or cream, would be the best choice when making eggs, especially since it contains water and has a richer consistency. However, water still reigns supreme. Some taste testers found that dairy options actually suppressed the decadent egg flavor. If you're looking for creamier scrambled eggs, then milk is the way to go. Again, aim for about one tablespoon per egg. But for fluffy, chef-style scrambled eggs, water is best.

Once your eggs and water are cooking in the pan and forming those fluffy curds, that's when you can start considering other mix-ins, like cheese or fresh herbs, to make your scrambled eggs unique and delicious. If you're wondering when to add cheese to scrambled eggs, it depends on the type you're using. Finely grated or crumbled cheese can be added once the eggs are done and removed from the heat. The residual warmth will melt the cheese perfectly into the curds. Shredded cheese can be added just a few minutes before the eggs are fully cooked, allowing it more time to melt in the pan.