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In this guide
Most baking recipes simply say “2 large eggs” — but what counts as a large egg varies between countries, and the difference in weight can affect the texture of a finished cake or pastry. This guide explains what each egg size means in grams across the UK, US, and Australia, and how to substitute confidently when your eggs don’t match.
Why Egg Size Matters in Baking
Eggs contribute moisture, fat, protein, and structure. A US large egg weighs about 50 grams without shell, while a UK large egg weighs approximately 53 grams without shell — a modest but real difference that compounds across multiple eggs in a recipe. For most everyday baking this rarely matters critically; for precision baking (choux pastry, macarons, tightly calibrated ratios), it’s worth checking.
UK Egg Sizes and Gram Weights
| UK Size | Weight (with shell) | Approx. weight (without shell) |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Under 53g | ~38g |
| Medium | 53–63g | ~44g |
| Large | 63–73g | ~53g |
| Very Large | Over 73g | ~63g+ |
Most UK recipes assume large eggs (63–73g with shell) when they simply say “eggs.”
US Egg Sizes and Gram Weights
| US Size | Min. weight per dozen | Approx. weight per egg (without shell) |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | 680g | ~44g |
| Large | 765g | ~50g |
| Extra Large | 850g | ~56g |
| Jumbo | 1020g | ~63g |
US recipes almost always mean “large” (~50g without shell) — meaningfully lighter than a UK large.
Australian Egg Sizes and Gram Weights
| Australian Size | Approx. weight (with shell) |
|---|---|
| Small | Under 42g |
| Medium | 42–52g |
| Large | 52–62g |
| Extra Large | Over 62g |
How to Substitute Egg Sizes
The most reliable approach is weight, not count. Crack your eggs into a bowl, weigh the total, and compare to the target weight the recipe implies. If the difference is significant, crack an extra egg into a separate bowl, beat it lightly, and add just enough to reach the correct total weight.
Use the egg size converter for quick calculations across UK, US, and Australian sizes.
A Note on Recipe Origins
When following an international recipe, egg size is one of the first things worth checking. For a fuller overview of other measurement differences, see our UK baking measurements guide or the Australian baking measurements guide.