How to safely freeze your chicken eggs for later use.

Author: Esther Donohue

Eggs are the main topic of every conversation lately due to the skyrocketing egg prices in stores across the United States. With the bird flu causing an egg shortage, some places have even restricted purchases to two dozen per customer to prevent panic buying!

Crazy, right? So what happens when your fridge freezes those precious chicken eggs that cost so much, or when temperatures dip below freezing and you find frozen eggs in your chicken coop?

And what about those chicken eggs getting close to their expiration date, or the ones you know won’t last another month? Do you throw them out, or find a way to use them?

Here on our homestead, we rarely ever throw food out. If something does get tossed, it either goes into the compost pile to nourish the soil or gets fed right back to the chickens.

It’s all about being sustainable and minimizing waste. We even save the eggshells to use in the garden and feedback to our chickens.

I watched my grandparents practice this when I was younger—they kept all their eggshells and coffee grounds in an ice cream pail for the compost pile, and the table scraps always went to our pigs, Porky & Petunia.

Everything has a purpose on our homestead. So, when chicken eggs freeze in the fridge or the chicken coop, we never throw them away. Instead, we use them.

I’ll share how we safely freeze and use frozen chicken eggs, whether they’ve been frozen in the coop, the fridge, or if you’re freezing fresh eggs for later use.

In future posts, I’ll cover other ways to preserve eggs for long-term storage, but for now, let’s dive into freezing chicken eggs! I’ve listed some simple steps below for egg freezing.

Why Freeze Chicken Eggs?

There are many reasons you might freeze chicken eggs, and yours might be different from mine.

Personally, I freeze them because they sometimes get cracked in the egg basket (my son gets a bit excited!), or I find myself with a carton of eggs that will go bad before I can use them all, so I freeze them for future use.

In these cases, I crack them one at a time, whip them up, add a teaspoon of salt, and freeze them.

Here are some common reasons people freeze chicken eggs:

• To preserve eggs during a surplus (like when an egg-laying hen lays more than usual).
• Limited fridge space.
• You stockpiled eggs from the grocery store when they were on sale but didn’t get around to using them for baking.
• They accidentally froze in the fridge, and you’re not ready to use them yet, so into the freezer they go.
• For long-term storage, especially during the winter months when egg production may decrease.
• To reduce food waste by using eggs before they reach their expiration date.
• Prepping: Some homesteaders freeze eggs as part of their long-term food storage plan in case of an emergency or supply chain disruption.
• Baking Ahead: If you’re planning for a big baking day or event, freezing eggs in advance helps avoid last-minute runs to the store.
• You accidentally cracked too many eggs for a recipe, we have all been there. Quickly scramble them and freeze them for later use. 

How to Freeze Chicken Eggs

I’ve frozen both whole eggs and scrambled eggs with salt and pepper mixed in. To my surprise, my kids couldn’t tell the difference between frozen scrambled eggs and fresh ones—they had the same texture! The same goes for whole eggs that I pan-fried (fried hard)—no noticeable texture difference.

That said, to be safe, I recommend freezing one egg each way to test which method works best for you. Some people don’t enjoy the texture of eggs after they’ve been frozen and cooked, so it’s a good idea to try before freezing an entire dozen chicken eggs.

Freezing Whole Eggs

Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat until the yolks and whites are well mixed, and pour into your standard ice cube tray or silicone mold. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or another freezer-safe container. I prefer freezing mine in muffin tins lined with parchment paper (cupcake liner may work?)—it makes it easy to pop them out later. 

Freezing Egg Whites

Separate the whites from the yolks and freeze the whites in a ice cube tray or muffin tin for easy portioning. Egg whites freeze better than yolks (higher water content), so this method works well for longer storage. Once Frozen remove and place into freezer containers or freezer-safe bags and label with the number of egg whites.

 Freezing Egg Yolks 

Yolks can be frozen, for every four yolks, whisk in a 1/2 teaspoon salt. The salt prevents them from becoming a gelatinous blob. Make sure to break the yolk and mix it well before freezing, as unbroken yolks can develop a weird texture when frozen. I have even seen people use corn syrup mixed in with egg yolks if they are to be used in baked goods, such as cookie dough.

Storage Tips for Freezing Chicken Eggs

Frozen eggs can be stored for 3-6 months. While they can last up to a year, their quality starts to decline the longer they’re stored, so it’s best to use them within a few months for optimal freshness.

Important Note: Do not thaw and refreeze eggs, this will further degrade them.

• To keep track of your frozen eggs, label freezer-safe container (or plastic bags) with the number of eggs and the date they were frozen. I use painter’s tape and a Sharpie to mark mine—it’s quick and easy! Make sure to label if they were large eggs or small eggs.
• For long-term storage, make sure the eggs are tightly sealed in bags or containers to prevent freezer burn. A vacuum sealer works wonders for this, ensuring the eggs are securely stored.
• For quicker thawing, freeze liquid eggs in plastic bags so you can lay them flat. This not only helps with faster thawing but also saves space in your freezer.

Thawing the Frozen Chicken Eggs

I usually pull my eggs out a day or two before I need them. If you forget to thaw them overnight, you can place them under cold water if they’re in a sealed container. Avoid using warm water, as it can start to cook the eggs. 

The best way to thaw frozen eggs is overnight in the fridge. Never thaw eggs at room temperature due to food safety concerns.

Use thawed eggs within a day or two for the best results. They work great for scrambled eggs, baking, or any cooking recipes where they’ll be fully cooked.

 Best Uses for Frozen  Chicken Eggs

Frozen chicken eggs are best used in baked items that call for whole eggs or are used for making egg dishes. Frozen egg whites will not whip up like fresh egg whites so keep that in mind when freezing them.

• Baking: Frozen eggs work great for recipes like cakes, cookies, and casseroles.
• Scrambled Eggs: Thawed eggs are perfect for making scrambled eggs or omelets, as the texture holds up well after freezing.

Precautions When Freezing Chicken Eggs

• Avoid freezing raw eggs in their shells as they may crack and become a mess ( I have done this! They didn’t crack until they were fully frozen, but be careful when thawing you will need to peel the shell off while they are still frozen solid)
• The texture will change– be aware of this and test out frozen eggs to see if you are ok with the texture.
• The egg yolk changes texture when frozen, it becomes almost gelatin-like. So make sure to freeze eggs that are mixed or make sure to cook them scrambled or fried after being frozen.
• Frozen eggs will not make an easy over or over medium eggs, they are best scrambled or fried hard. 

Other Ways To Preserve Chicken Eggs

There are many different ways to preserve your chicken eggs for later use. You can use a combination of these methods if you find yourself with an overabundant supply of chicken eggs.

1. Water Glassing Eggs (Sodium Silicate Method)

• This method involves preserving fresh eggs by submerging them in a solution of water and food-grade sodium silicate (water glass) in a container. The eggs remain uncracked and can last up to a year or more. This is a great way to store eggs when you have an abundance during the laying season.

2. Pickling Eggs

• Pickling eggs is another method of preservation. After boiling eggs, they are placed in a brine solution (often vinegar-based), which can give them a tangy flavor. This method can extend shelf life and is a popular choice for people who enjoy pickled foods. My favorite way of pickling eggs is reusing the liquid from my pickled beets, this creates a beautiful purple pickled egg that has amazing flavor.

3. Canning (for Hard-Boiled Eggs)

• While not ideal for raw eggs, hard-boiled eggs can be pressure canned in a mason jar. This allows for long-term storage at room temperature, but the texture of the eggs may change upon canning. It’s a great method for prepping eggs for quick meals in advance.

4. Refrigerating with Mineral Oil

• Mineral oil can be applied to the shells of fresh eggs to create a protective layer that prevents air and bacteria from entering. This helps extend the shelf life of chicken eggs for several weeks in the fridge, some people have even kept them for like a year this way! It would be a good experiment to try.  

5. Drying Eggs (dehydrator)

• Eggs can be dehydrated into powder, which is a great way to store them long-term. The powdered eggs can be used later in baking or scrambled after rehydrating them with water. Special dehydrators or ovens with low-temperature settings are used for this method.

6. Freeze Dried Eggs (with a freeze-dryer)

• Putting liquid eggs into a freeze dryer and drying them, they will come out in dried sheets, which then can be pulsed in a food processor to create egg powder. Add some water and you have liquid eggs! This is one of the best methods to store eggs for long-term storage. 

7. Freezing Egg Yolks and Whites Separately

• For more specific storage, people often freeze a number of yolks and whites separately in ice cube trays or small freezer-safe containers. This way, they can be used for specific recipes later, and it avoids thawing a whole egg when only part of it is needed. 

8. Salt Preservation

• Similar to the water glassing method, chicken eggs can be packed in salt or a salt-based mixture to preserve them for long periods. This technique works similarly to curing, and the chicken eggs can be kept in a cool, dry space for months. I have not done any research on this method….

So to make things easy to understand, yes eggs can be frozen and they can be eaten if they are frozen, just not raw. You can also freeze cooked eggs for later use. More on that topic later! 

Commonly asked questions about freezing chicken eggs

My Chicken Eggs Froze in the Fridge! What Do I Do?

I think most people have experienced this at some point—either the fridge was set too cold, or the eggs were shoved too far back near the cooling source. If your eggs freeze in the fridge, don’t worry! Here’s what you can do:

First, I’d partially thaw the eggs. If you’re using store-bought eggs (which have been sanitized), you can peel off the eggshell while they’re still frozen. I know the FDA doesn’t recommend this, but honestly, I don’t always follow every guideline—sometimes rules are meant to be broken, right?!

If you’re in a hurry it’s best to let them thaw completely in the fridge before cracking them open.

Once they’re thawed, scramble them or use them in baking within 3 days. Just be sure to use them quickly, as the texture might change slightly after freezing.

I Collected Eggs from My Chicken Coop and They Are Frozen, Do I Throw Them Away?

Well, that depends—do you have a lot of eggs already, or are your farm-fresh eggs in low supply? How desperate are you for eggs?

Here at our homestead, we never throw frozen eggs away (but to be fair, we rarely have frozen chicken eggs since we heat the coop). If the chicken eggs are extremely dirty, I’ll crack the shells and cook them up in a sauté pan for our hens—they love them! Plus, they’re packed with protein and calcium, making the perfect winter snack for our chickens.

If the eggs are clean, I remove the shells and either freeze them following the steps above or use them right away. Just make sure to cook them to at least 160°F to kill any potential bacteria that may have been on the shell.

How to Thaw Frozen Eggs quickly

If you forgot to pull the frozen eggs out of the freeze the day before, you can thaw them quickly by placing them in a container and running cold water over them.

Just make sure the frozen eggs are in a waterproof container. This is the fastest way to thaw frozen eggs. Do not use warm water, as this will start to cook the eggs.

Can You Freeze Cooked Chicken Eggs?

Yes, you can! I am working on getting another post to gather that covers my adventures with freezing-cooked egg products to help cut down on store-bought foods and make sure my kids have quick breakfast options on school days.