Try these delicious desserts with quail eggs from Kelly Bohling.
When I first started raising quail, I quickly found myself flooded with eggs during the warm months. My fridge was stocked with bowls full of quail eggs, and I soon ran out of variations for spinning omelets and quiches. I needed to find new ways to consume the abundance of quail eggs. That’s when I started using them as a substitute in recipes I already knew and trusted in place of chicken eggs. Many of these recipes were for desserts or other baked goods. I discovered that quail eggs are well-suited to dessert recipes, as they impart a wonderfully rich and rich flavour.
Quail eggs instead of chicken eggs
Quail eggs can be used in place of chicken eggs in any recipe! You only need an estimate of five quail eggs for every chicken egg, and all of our tried-and-true recipes are made for a new flavour. While I enjoy many of my recipes as a quail egg replenisher, I’ve made a few of my own that are constant staples in my household.
I will offer one caveat for baking with quail eggs: While it is possible to separate the yolks from the whites in recipes that call for it, some desserts are better suited to this than others. When the quail eggs are separated, there will be some contamination of the eggs with the yolk. I’ve noticed that the white of a quail egg seems a bit thicker than a chicken’s egg and is less willing to release the yolk, so there will always be a small trace of yolk in the white. Separation at room temperature appears to be beneficial. In my own experience, this rare contamination makes quail eggs unsuitable for something as tough as meringue or angel food cake, which depend on the purity of egg whites for structure and stability. However, recipes that either use whole eggs or use seperated eggs with only the eggs beaten to the point of soft peaks will work great.
Vanilla pudding recipe
In terms of desserts made with whole eggs, the homemade dessert is one of my favorites, and the flavor is deliciously enhanced with the use of quail eggs. You can scale down this recipe for a smaller batch using two or three quail eggs, which can be a convenient way to use oddball eggs here and there as quails start breeding more regularly in the spring or disappear in the fall.

Yield: 4 servings.
ingredients
5 quail eggs
Half a cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 cups milk (whole is best)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon salted butter (this is a great place to showcase good quality butter)
directions
For the chocolate version, add 1/2 cup of softened cocoa (whisk with other dry ingredients), and mix in a handful of chocolate chips, with butter and vanilla at the end.
Crack the quail eggs into a small bowl and whisk well. If you notice bits of rind, pour it into another bowl, leaving those bits behind. In another bowl, whisk the sugar and cornstarch together. Heat the milk over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly, until it starts to boil. If you leave the heating unattended, the milk can burn on the bottom and a skin can form on top.
Turn off the stove and whisk the eggs with ½ cup of hot milk. (To temper the eggs, whisk the eggs constantly, adding the milk slowly and in a steady stream. You don’t want to dump it all at once or stop beating, or there will still be bits of cooked egg in the pudding.) Once the eggs are set, add them to the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Return this to the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking well. Turn the burner back on to medium heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens (only 2 minutes).
Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter, and stir to combine. This dessert is delicious warm or chilled, and can be topped with cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh fruit, or jam. To avoid skin forming on top while cooling, cover it with a piece of plastic wrap once it has cooled slightly, and press it into the surface, smoothing from the center outward to avoid air bubbles.
You can also use this pudding recipe and its variations to make pudding pies. It’s best to let the pudding thicken on the stove for a little longer than if you were going to have it on its own, as this will help keep the pudding’s shape when you cut it.
rice pudding
Another pudding that I find myself making often is rice pudding. It’s a great way to use up leftover rice from dinner, and any rice will do as long as it doesn’t contain any herbs or spices (salt is fine). Calrose rice gives the pudding a delightfully chewy texture and is my favorite kind to use in this pudding.

Yield: 4-5 servings.
ingredients
- 5 quail eggs
- 1/4 cup sugar (or 1/3 cup if you prefer a less sweet pudding)
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups of milk
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted if the rice already contains salt)
directions
Open the quail eggs in a separate bowl and beat well. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch in a separate bowl, then set aside. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Turn off the stove and soften the eggs. (See the vanilla pudding recipe above for instructions.) Once it’s cooled, add the sugar and cornstarch to the bowl, mixing well. Return this mixture to the pot with the remaining milk and add the cooked rice, mixing well. Cook over medium heat until it thickens (it will thicken more as it cools). Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter until well combined. This pudding is best enjoyed warm, but it can also be chilled, as detailed in this vanilla pudding recipe. Try sprinkling ground cinnamon or cloves and honey drizzle on top.
Pudding pie

ingredients
- Pre-baked 9-inch pie crust
- Vanilla or chocolate pudding from previous recipe, still hot
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Half a cup of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
directions
Pour the pudding into the previously baked pie crust, smooth the top, and cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap to avoid the pudding filling forming a “crust”, from the center outward to avoid air bubbles and to cool.
When completely cooled (after a few hours), mix heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix with the hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until very thick and holds its shape when the mixer is removed from the bowl. Gently remove the plastic wrap from the pie, and spoon the whipped cream on top. Cover the edge of the crust.
You can achieve the “meringue” effect by spooning the whipped cream into the pieces of dough and scraping each one with the back of the spoon to get a little peak. For a chocolate pie, top with chocolate chips or chocolate chips, or drizzle with chocolate sauce. Fresh raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or candied shredded coconut would be a great addition to the top of this vanilla buttermilk pie.
Quail egg brownies
I also want to share a recipe that shows the decadence of quail eggs. Although quail are small birds, their eggs impart a deep richness, and what better than chocolate to pair that flavor. I wanted a thick, fudge brownie, with a distinct chewiness, even in the middle cut, and a fluffy chip layer on top. Offer this recipe.

Yield: 9 brownies. (Recipe can be doubled for a 9-by-13-inch pan.)
ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into coarse tablespoon-sized pieces
1 cup chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semisweet)
10 quail eggs
Half a cup of white sugar
Half a cup of brown sugar
½ cup flour
Half a cup of cocoa powder
Half a teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
directions
Preheat oven to 325 F and grease an 8″ x 8″ baking pan. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter together, stirring often. To melt in the microwave, place the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, then microwave for 30 seconds, stirring in between, until melted.
Once melted, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Open the quail eggs in their own separate bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together. Add the melted butter/chocolate to the dry ingredients, mixing well. Add quail eggs and vanilla. Mix the mixture well, but do not over mix.
Spread evenly across pan, using a rubber spatula to encourage batter into corners and smooth surface. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Towards the end of baking, you’ll see the muffin “poof” in the center and then settle again, indicating it’s time to test for doneness.
Remove from the oven (you can sprinkle the top with additional chocolate chips for an added indulgence) and let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, or enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
While many people are most familiar with quail eggs in savory delights, whether at the dinner table or at breakfast time, quail eggs are also the frontier dessert champions. Its richness and buttery flavor perfectly complement the sweetness of the chocolate, vanilla and fruit. Try these recipes for yourself and find a new favorite treat, or rediscover an old favorite, handed down and loved for generations, in a new way, with quail eggs!
Kelly Boehling Born in Lawrence, Kansas. She works as a classical violinist, but between gigs and lessons, she goes out in the garden or spends time with her animals, including quail and French Angora rabbits. Kelly also spins angora fiber from her rabbits into knitting yarn. She enjoys finding ways her animals and her garden can benefit each other for a more sustainable urban farm.