Duck Eggs substitute

Best substitute

Large chicken eggs, by weight

Use 4 large chicken eggs for every 3 duck eggs

Best for Cakes

Close match

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.

Other duck eggs substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Chicken eggs plus an extra yolk
Close match
Use 4 large eggs + 1 yolk for every 3 duck eggs
The version that actually matches, and worth the extra egg whenever richness is the reason the recipe specified duck eggs.
What changes
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.
3Jumbo chicken eggs
Close match
Use the same amount roughly
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.
What changes
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.
4Goose eggs
Close match
Use 1 goose egg for every 2 duck eggs
The nearest thing in character, since goose eggs are also rich, yolky waterfowl eggs, just larger again at roughly 5 ounces.
What changes
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.
5Quail eggs
Close match
Use 5 to 6 quail eggs for every duck egg
A workable last resort if you happen to have them.
What changes
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.
6Chicken eggs plus a tablespoon of cream (for savory dishes)
Close match
Use 4 large eggs + 1 tbsp heavy cream for every 3 duck eggs
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.
What changes
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.

What is Duck Eggs?

Duck Eggs is A duck egg is a large, thick-shelled egg with a proportionally bigger, richer yolk and a slightly more viscous white than a chicken egg, weighing roughly 2.5 ounces against a large chicken egg's 2 ounces.

Cooking 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.

Frequently asked questions

How 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.

Related substitutes

More eggs substitutes

Duck Eggs substitute

Other duck eggs substitutes

2Chicken eggs plus an extra yolk

3Jumbo chicken eggs

4Goose eggs

5Quail eggs

6Chicken eggs plus a tablespoon of cream (for savory dishes)