Creamy scrambled eggs make a lovely brunch or a quick but indulgent weeknight dinner. Though they seem straightforward, how to cook the eggs so they’re perfectly creamy is much debated.
Milk is a commonly added ingredient as it’s believed to make the eggs creamier. Not so, according to one egg expert. Henry O’Connor, founder of the brand Better eggs, goes as far as to say that adding milk when scrambling eggs is “one of the biggest missteps” in British kitchens. He elaborated: “Milk doesn’t make eggs creamier — often it waters them down. Adding milk just dilutes the flavour and makes your delicious eggs suddenly taste rubbery.”
It’s generally believed that adding milk’s fat content will lend creaminess to the eggs. The food experts at Tasting Table tested cooking scrambled eggs with milk and water.
They reported that adding just milk leads to a “dreaded rubbery egg” when the protein in milk and eggs when cooked together.
“When overheated, these bonds tighten and can squeeze out moisture from the eggs, leading to a dry, rubbery product. That’s why so many modern chefs recommend that you should think twice about putting milk in your scrambled eggs. The protein-rich mixture becomes easier to overcook, leading to the dreaded rubbery egg.”
As Henry put it: “As the eggs cook, that water turns into steam which can make the texture spongy instead of silky, plus the extra liquid can cause the eggs to overcook while you’re waiting for the moisture to evaporate.”
The egg exec shared his go-to way of making creamy scrambled eggs.
“First — start with fresh, high-quality eggs and cook them low and slow over gentle heat. To add real creaminess, just drop in a drop of crème fraîche.”