Quick Help! Can I use a whole egg instead of 2 whites?

[newbabygirl#2]

My DD is helping me bake Butterscotch Bars (CL) and she just dropped a dozen eggs on the floor. A single egg survived the catastrophe but the recipe calls for 2 egg whites. Will it change the texture if I just use a whole egg instead? Do I need to add something else to make sure it rises okay?

Thanks.......Jodi

[Capucine]

Definately will change the end product. The egg yolk and the egg whites produce totally different things in baked good. I wouldn't do it myself.

[Clover]

I almost always use a whole egg instead of two egg whites in CL recipes. It comes out fine.

Editing to add: So there you have it. Two opposite opinions. Helpful, huh? (But I don't think it will make much difference in something like butterscotch bars. They'll be good either way.)

[blazedog]

Won't make a difference if the eggs are added whole -- just adds a little more fat. Beaten egg whites when the eggs are separated is a whole other thing. :)

[newcook]

I almost always sub one egg for 2 egg whites, partially because I was taught that the nutrition is in the yolk, and partly because I hate to waste the extra egg. I actually think it makes it better that way, with the exception of course that Blazedog pointed out concerning separately beaten egg whites.

[HealthyinMN]

I make this change often in baking, switching whole eggs for egg whites or egg whites for whole eggs as needed. That is of course as long as it is just simply adding them and not whipping the whites or specifically calling for just yolks.

[newbabygirl#2]

Thanks for the replies. After scrubbing my floor, I decided to bake tomorrow instead! The Butterscotch Bars are for my DD's pre-school teacher and I wasn't sure how the finished product would be affected by the difference in eggs. I've made these before and they're really good. Here's the recipe if anyone is interested...

Butterscotch Bars


1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/2 cup butterscotch morsels

Preheat oven to 350°.
Beat sugars and butter at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add egg whites and vanilla; beat well. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until blended.

Spread batter evenly into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with morsels. Bake at 350° for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 bar)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 142(27% from fat); FAT 4.3g (sat 2.6g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.6g; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 24mg; SODIUM 95mg; FIBER 0.3g; IRON 0.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2000

[Linda in MO]

We love those bars and I'm quite certain I've used a whole egg in this recipe and it worked fine.