Whipping egg whites

Beating egg whites until they form a foam of tiny air bubbles, used to lighten cakes, soufflés, mousses and meringues.

Techniques and preparation methods

Also called: soft peaks, stiff peaks, firm peaks

A clean, grease-free bowl matters, because even a trace of yolk or fat can stop whites from foaming. Room-temperature whites whip to more volume, and a pinch of cream of tartar helps stabilize them.

Soft peaks droop when the whisk is lifted; stiff peaks stand straight. Overbeaten whites look dry and lumpy and are hard to fold in, so stop when they are glossy.

Tools for this

Mauviel M'Passion Copper Egg White BowlCopper helps egg whites whip into a more stable foam.See it on Amazon
KitchenAid Artisan 5-Qt Stand MixerDoes the beating and kneading for you, hands-free.See it on Amazon
OXO Balloon WhiskLump-free batters and silky custards.See it on Amazon

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Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

Whipping egg whites (Q796758), Wikidata