The choice of what egg substitute to use depends on what it is for in a recipe! Is it used as a binder, for leavening or to enrich the flavor? It may take some time to figure out what works best in your baked goods. Following you find a list of vegan egg substitutes for baking and cooking, and how they are best used.
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If you can, I always recommend already-tried and tested eggless recipes for the best results. However, you may want to give your favorite family recipes a shot, by playing around with egg substitution. Sometimes it’s also good to combine a few of these egg substitutions to get the best results!
1. Homemade Egg substitute
One of my favorite vegan egg substitutes in baking that calls for just a few eggs is a homemade one. This one is great as it binds, and leavens at the same time!
Homemade egg substitute equals 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoon water
Mix the flour with the baking powder. Now add the oil and water and whisk vigorously. The egg substitute is particularly suitable for cake doughs and muffins. During baking, the baking powder taste, which may occur in the "raw state", dissipates.
Works up to three eggs, increase ingredients accordingly - I would not substitute more than three eggs as too much baking powder can cause the batter to be tasting bitter and/or the batter to rise too rapidly and collapse.
2. Store-bought egg substitutes
Another option is buying a ready-to-go egg substitute at the grocery store. There are powdered egg replacers, and liquids (such as JustEgg), as well as savory egg flavor seasonings. I generally had a good experience with these products in both baking and cooking. Follow the how-to instructions on the packaging for the best results.
3. Carbonated Water
This is one of those egg substitutes that surprised me the most. Carbonated, sparking, and seltzer water all work in this case. This substitute is especially great in pancakes and waffles, as well as in lighter cupcakes, cakes, brownies, and quickbread recipes.
- ¼ cup carbonated water equals 1 egg
Works best when replacing up to three eggs, I would not recommend substituting more with carbonated water.
4. Fruit and vegetable purées
Many mashed-up or puréed fruit and vegetables can work as fabulous egg replacements. Some popular options include mashed ripe banana, applesauce, avocado, and pumpkin purée.
Using this kind of egg replacer mostly works as a binder, so make sure to add a tiny bit more leavening (eg more ¼ up to 1 teaspoon of baking powder or soda with ½ to 1 teaspoon of vinegar).
- ¼ cup fruit or vegetable purée replaces 1 egg
- Ca. ½ of a ripe banana replaces 1 egg
It is worth noting that using fruit or vegetables to replace eggs can change the flavor of a recipe or dish.
5. Flax or Chia seed
Another option is making a so-called „flax egg“ or „chia seed“ by mixing the seeds with water. I like using this egg substitute as it adds healthy nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids to your baked goods.
- To make one flax egg: 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoon filtered water
- To make one chia egg: 1 tablespoon chia seeds + 2 ½ tablespoon filtered water
Mix well, then let sit for 5-15 minutes to thicken before using.
Use these as a 1:1 substitute. Use a golden flaxseed meal for a lighter-colored flax egg. Both chia and flax egg work in most baked goods that have a lot of flour.
I also like to use flax eggs for yeast doughs and in many breakfast bread and cakes. It also works for salad dressings that need an emulsifier.
6. Nut or Seed Butter
Nut and seed butter such as peanut, cashew, almond butter, or tahini can be used to substitute eggs. They add healthy fats, protein, and a great richness and flavor profile. This is an especially great substitution for cookies, brownies, bliss balls, raw sweets and snacks, and granola bars.
- 3 tablespoons (60 grams) of nut or seed butter replaces 1 egg
Make sure to use the creamy, smooth varieties when substituting eggs with this option. Depending on what you are making, you may need to add a few teaspoons of water and/or leaving agent.
7. Silken Tofu
Silken tofu is another great nutrient-dense egg substitute as it adds protein, all essential amino acids, and other vitamins and minerals. It is especially but not exclusively great to make cheesecakes, mousse, dips, muffins, and bread with.
- ¼ cup of silken tofu equals 1 egg
Pulse it in a blender or food processor until smooth before using.
You may want to mix it with an additional leaving agent (around ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking powder).
8. Aquafaba
Aquafaba is one of those newer vegan miracle ingredients! It sounds fancy, but it’s just the brine from a can of beans and legumes. The most commonly used is the brine of a can of chickpeas, as it is light in color like eggs and has a reliable starch and protein content. Aquafaba is a relatively new ingredient used as a vegan egg replacer, so people are still „figuring it out“.
- 3 tablespoons Aquafaba equals 1 egg (may vary with the recipe and what you are making)
This egg substitute is best used in icings like royal icing, frostings, and buttercreams, for vegan meringues or pavlova, whipped desserts, or mousse. Aquafaba is also often used to make vegan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, or aioli.
9. Plant-based yogurt
Plant-based yogurt is about as effective as traditional dairy yogurt as an egg replacement in baking. It can add great moisture and fats. However, it is not a good binding agent. I recommend using it where the dry ingredients have some natural binding capabilities (such as oat flour and wheat flour). You may also want to add some leaving agent eg: extra baking powder and/or soda.
- ¼ cup vegan yogurt equals 1 egg
10. Starch
Starch such as corn, potato, arrowroot or tapioca starch are a great option to used instead of eggs when you need to thicken or bind and strengthen. Making it ideal for puddings, custards, and many breads, cookies and cakes.
- 2 tablespoon of starch with 3 tablespoon of water equals one egg
We recommend experimenting with different kinds of starch until you find the ones that work best as substitutions in your desired recipes.
Conclusion
As you can tell, there is no one singular plant-based egg substitution but a variety for different usages. We recommend experimenting with all kinds of vegan egg substitutes and even combining them to find the ones you like and best fit your needs!
When making our vegan recipes, you find tried and tested recipes with the right egg substitutions, but if wished feel free to experiment.
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