Duck eggs substitutes
Duck eggs substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Large chicken eggs, by weight
4 large chicken eggs for every 3 duck eggs
Go by weight, not by count. Three duck eggs weigh about the same as four large chicken eggs, so that is the working ratio for baking. But duck eggs are not just bigger, they are yolkier, which is why recipes ask for them: a duck egg is roughly 45 percent yolk against a chicken egg's 33 percent. To match that richness, use 4 large chicken eggs plus 1 extra yolk in place of 3 duck eggs. For custards, ice cream and rich pastry, adding the extra yolk is the difference between a good result and the right one.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- Cakes
Updated 26 Jul 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of duck eggs | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Large chicken eggs, by weightCakes | 4 large chicken eggs per 3 duck eggsWorks | Works |
| 2 | Chicken eggs plus an extra yolkCustards | 4 large eggs + 1 yolk per 3 duck eggsWorks | Works |
| 3 | Jumbo chicken eggsFried and scrambled eggs | Same amountWorks | Works |
| 4 | Goose eggsCustards | 1 goose egg per 2 duck eggsWorks | Works |
| 5 | Quail eggsSmall custards | 5 to 6 quail eggs per duck eggWorks | Works |
| 6 | Chicken eggs plus a tablespoon of cream (for savory dishes)Scrambled eggs | 4 large eggs + 1 tbsp heavy cream per 3 duck eggsWorks | Works |
Large chicken eggs, by weight
similar taste and texture
The everyday swap and it works for most baking. Cakes and quickbreads come out almost identical, though very slightly less golden and a shade less tender, because you have replaced some yolk fat with white. Nothing fails; it just reads a little lighter and less custardy than the duck version.
- Best for
- Cakes, Muffins, Pancakes, Cookies, Scrambled eggs, Frittata
If you want to be exact, weigh: a duck egg out of the shell is about 70 g, a large chicken egg about 50 g. Use 210 g of beaten chicken egg for 3 duck eggs.
Chicken eggs plus an extra yolk
similar taste and texture
The version that actually matches, and worth the extra egg whenever richness is the reason the recipe specified duck eggs. The extra yolk restores the fat and lecithin, so the custard sets creamier, the pastry cream is glossier, and the crumb of a sponge or brioche is more tender and more yellow. This is the swap to use for anything set with egg.
- Best for
- Custards, Creme brulee, Ice cream base, Pastry cream, Brioche, Pound cake, Lemon curd
Freeze or save the leftover white for meringue or an omelette. If a recipe uses many duck eggs, add one extra yolk for every three duck eggs called for.
Jumbo chicken eggs
similar taste and texture
The simplest count-for-count option, since a jumbo chicken egg is about 63 g against a duck egg's 70 g, close enough for most cooking. It is still a chicken egg proportionally, so it is less yolky and the result is a little less rich, but for scrambling, frying or a family cake nobody will notice the difference.
- Best for
- Fried and scrambled eggs, Everyday baking, Quiche, Egg wash
Do not use jumbo eggs 1:1 in a delicate recipe written for large eggs; the extra liquid can loosen a batter. This ratio applies only when replacing duck eggs.
Goose eggs
similar taste and texture
The nearest thing in character, since goose eggs are also rich, yolky waterfowl eggs, just larger again at roughly 5 ounces. They behave like duck eggs in every way and taste a fraction stronger and more distinctly eggy, which is a bonus in a savory tart and a distraction in a mild vanilla custard. Availability is the only real problem.
- Best for
- Custards, Savory tarts, Rich pasta dough, Sponge cakes
Crack and weigh, since goose eggs vary a great deal. Whites take longer to set than chicken egg whites, so a fried goose egg needs a lid and a lower heat.
Quail eggs
similar taste and texture
A workable last resort if you happen to have them. Quail eggs are also proportionally yolk-heavy, so the richness lands close, but at about 12 g each you need a lot of them and they are fiddly to crack. Flavor is slightly more delicate. This makes sense for a small custard, not for a cake.
- Best for
- Small custards, Enriched pasta dough, Garnishes
Their shells are tough and their membranes strong, so cut the top off with a small serrated knife rather than tapping them.
Chicken eggs plus a tablespoon of cream (for savory dishes)
similar taste and texture
A cheat that works well specifically for scrambles, omelettes, quiche and custardy savory bakes, where the goal is a rich, soft set rather than exact protein structure. The cream restores the fat and the silky mouthfeel that duck yolk provided. It will not work for meringue, sponge or anything where the egg is doing the lifting, because added liquid fat weakens the foam.
- Best for
- Scrambled eggs, Quiche, Savory custards, Omelettes
Do not use this in a recipe where the eggs are whipped for volume. In those, add a yolk instead of cream.
Questions
5 questionsHow many chicken eggs equal one duck egg?
About one and a third, so the practical ratio is 4 large chicken eggs for 3 duck eggs, or 3 chicken eggs for 2 duck eggs if you are cooking small. For anything rich, like custard, ice cream or brioche, add one extra yolk per 3 duck eggs to match the higher yolk proportion, which is the actual reason the recipe asked for duck eggs.
Do duck eggs taste different from chicken eggs?
Slightly. The yolk is richer, creamier and more intensely eggy, which some people describe as a fuller flavor and others find a bit strong in a plain dish. Diet matters more than species; ducks with access to bugs and greens lay deeper orange, more strongly flavored yolks. In baked goods the difference is mainly texture and color rather than taste.
Can I substitute duck eggs in any recipe that calls for chicken eggs?
Almost always, going the other direction: use 3 duck eggs for 4 large chicken eggs. The two exceptions are meringue and angel food cake, where duck whites make a less stable foam, and anything where absolute precision matters, like macarons. In those, weigh the whites rather than counting eggs.
Can I just leave the duck eggs out?
Not in a baked recipe, because the eggs are supplying structure, moisture and binding all at once. If you need to avoid eggs entirely for allergy reasons, use a dedicated egg replacer or a flax egg, one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water per egg, and accept a denser result. That works for muffins and cookies and does not work for custard, which is essentially set eggs.
Are duck eggs better for baking?
For rich baking, yes, and measurably so: the extra yolk fat and lecithin give sponges more lift, pastry a more tender crumb, and custards a smoother set. For lean baking that depends on whipped whites, they are slightly worse. If you have them, use them where richness is the goal, and use chicken eggs for meringues.
Tips for substituting duck eggs
5 tips- The reason bakers seek out duck eggs is the yolk-to-white ratio, not the size. A duck egg is roughly 45 percent yolk while a chicken egg is about 33 percent, which means more fat, more lecithin and more emulsifying power. That is why duck-egg sponges rise higher and duck-egg custards set silkier, and why the single most useful adjustment when substituting is adding a yolk.
- Duck egg whites contain slightly more protein and set firmer and more rubbery than chicken whites, so a fried duck egg needs gentler heat and a lid, and a hard-boiled duck egg goes bouncy if overcooked. When you swap in chicken eggs the opposite applies: your fried eggs will be more tender and your boiled eggs less springy, and you can cook them a touch faster.
- For meringue, duck eggs are actually the harder ingredient, because the extra protein and any trace of yolk fat from their thicker membranes make the foam less stable. If a recipe calls for duck eggs and you only have chicken eggs, meringues and angel food cake are the one place the substitution is a straight improvement.
- Weigh whenever the recipe has more than three eggs in it. Duck eggs vary far more in size than graded chicken eggs, from about 60 to 90 g, so a recipe written by count is imprecise to begin with. Crack them into a bowl, beat, and measure out 70 g per duck egg the recipe wanted.
- Duck eggs are common with people who keep backyard birds, and unwashed farm eggs of any species should be refrigerated if they have been washed and can be kept cool and dry if they have not. Cook them fully for anyone pregnant, elderly or immune-compromised, as with any egg.