Two simple methods for how to separate egg whites and yolks at home: one with a slotted spoon/spatula, and one with a plastic bottle. You’ll never struggle to separate eggs again!

If you’re someone who enjoys baking (or wants to begin to enjoy it), then it’s inevitable that you’ll come across recipes that require separated eggs. Whether the recipe calls for just the whites for meringues and macarons or the yolks for custard-based desserts and ice cream, there are tons of reasons for needing them separated. 

More importantly, though, while having a little egg white in with your yolks usually doesn’t make too much of a difference to your baked good, having even a speck of yolk in with your whites can throw off an entire bake and lead to disaster. 

Having used practically every egg separating trick in the book, I finally came across this one and haven’t looked back since. There’s no need for using your hands as the separating tool for raw eggs – which my germ-hating self loves. There’s no need to tip eggshells around carefully. And, there’s also no need for plastic bottles or other gadgets. All you need are some eggs, two small bowls, and a slotted spoon or spatula – which almost every kitchen has. 

How To Separate Egg Yolk From Egg White

Using a slotted spoon or slotted spatula (as pictured). The egg whites easily sieve into a bowl while the yolk remains in (on top of) the spoon/spatula.

A slotted spoon is definitely the best option as it gathers the egg easily with no risk of sliding away. Unfortunately with the house move, I’ve packed mine all away so I thought I’d show you how simple it is even when using a spatula.

Note* You can also use a spaghetti spoon. A skimmer may work but it would take longer for the white to drop through, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

Depending on what type of slotted tool you’re using, you may be able to rest it over the bowl. Then you can use both hands to crack the egg open.

Alternatively, hold the tool over a bowl and use one hand to crack the egg open against the side of the bowl. Hold the egg over the spatula/spoon and drop it onto/in it.

Shake the spoon/spatula gently sie to side. The egg white drips into the bowl, meanwhile the yolk stays above. You can then easily transfer the yolk to a separate bowl.

Bonus Method 2: The Bottle

If you ARE looking for a possible second method, then I must admit that the water bottle method is definitely my second favorite option. In fact, the only reason why it isn’t first is that I try to avoid plastic. For that reason, I don’t always have a plastic bottle ready to use.

For this method, you can simply crack all of the eggs you need to separate into a wide bowl/dish. Then using a clean small bottle (like a water bottle), gently squeeze the bottle, hold it over a yolk, and release your grip on the bottle.

The pressure will suck the yolk up into the bottle, leaving the white behind on the dish. You can repeat this step with the remaining eggs. Then simply squeeze all the yolks out into a separate dish – voila!

If you get a bit of broken yolk in with your whites

Sometimes you might get a little bit of yolk in with the whites. This is one reason it can be great to deal with each egg individually – so you don’t run the risk of ruining an entire batch of whites.

However, there are also ways you can get rid of a little bit of yolk if needed. For example, you can use a bit of wet kitchen towel/cloth and the yolk should cling to it. Alternatively, using something like a pipette/baster/syringe, you may be able to simply suck the bit of yolk up.

Note that if even the tiniest bit of yolk gets into your whites when whipping up a meringue, it can affect the way they whip due to the fat content.

How To Use Them

Egg Yolks

• The Ultimate Homemade Vanilla Custard
• Simple Chocolate Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere)
• Caramel Ice Cream
• Rainbow Vegetarian Bibimbap

Egg Whites

• Pavlova Cake With Coconut Cream and Berries (Meringue Cake)
• You could also make an egg-white Vegetable Omelette

If you use one of these methods on how to separate egg whites and yolks, let me know what you thought in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations @AlphaFoodie!