How To Easily Substitute Powdered Egg Whites For Fresh

While eggs have a relatively long shelf life compared to other refrigerated kitchen staples, recipes that call for egg whites alone can be a pain. How are you supposed to use those unused egg yolks? They only last for about two days out of the shell, and unless you're making a savory egg custard or spaghetti alla carbonara, they might go bad before you figure out how to use them.

One way to avoid this problem is to use powdered egg whites instead of fresh. Powdered egg whites are made by drying and then pasteurizing fresh egg whites, which makes them both shelf-stable and safer to use in their raw form – ideal for lovers of raw cookie dough not willing to risk a little salmonella. All you need to do to turn powdered egg whites into usable egg whites is rehydrate them with water, and voila! You'll have a perfectly usable substitute.

An approximate substitute for one large egg white can be achieved using one tablespoon of powdered egg whites mixed with three tablespoons of water. You can check the instructions on the specific brand of powdered egg whites you've purchased to allow for any discrepancies, but in general, these measurements can be scaled up to accommodate whatever recipe you need. So, say your cake calls for three egg whites. You'd simply mix three tablespoons of powder with nine tablespoons of water. Just make sure to allow ample time for the egg whites to fully rehydrate, about one hour.

Powdered egg whites are commonly used in recipes for baked goods as a stabilizer or dough strengthener, usually in recipes that involve whipping egg whites, such as meringues. Many claim that they can even produce a fluffier texture than raw egg whites. They aren't used as often for savory dishes, but there are still myriad ways in which you can take advantage of the versatility of powdered egg whites.