Using egg replacers doesn’t have to be confusing! Learn about the different types of vegan egg substitutes and when and how to use them in this guide.
What binds baked goods together? What keeps cakes light and fluffy? The answer? Eggs.
But what if you can’t eat eggs? What’s the best way to replace them in your recipe?
Fortunately there are a lot of options for replacing eggs, so I thought I’d talk using egg replacers today. There are several varieties of egg replacers or substitutes, but they don’t work the same way in each type of recipe. The kind of baked good that you are making will determine what kind of egg substitute you use.
MY LATEST VIDEOSIt can be difficult to figure out which egg replacer will work best for your recipe, so let’s take a closer look at each one and learn about their properties!
All of these egg replacers do work with both gluten free flours and regular flours.
What are vegan egg replacers?
Vegan egg replacers are any substance that can be used in place of eggs in a recipe. You can buy different egg replacers, such as powdered versions like Ener-G Egg Replacer or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.
You can also use various common foods as egg replacers. A good egg substitute will be able to bind baked goods together, as well as produce light and fluffy cakes and muffins.
What can be used instead of eggs?
Baking Powder: A large amount of baking powder (about 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS) is a great way to make batter rise. The only time I use this egg replacer is when I make pancakes. The sodium bicarbonate and the cream of tartar in the baking powder react when combined with liquid and rise instantly.
It’s pretty neat to watch actually – when you add the milk to the dry ingredients, the pancake batter puffs up right away. This works best with spelt (or regular all-purpose flour), but I have used it with a gluten free flour blend as well. The results are not as dramatic with gluten free flour – it does rise, but not as high.
Baking Soda and Vinegar (or citrus juice): Another chemical reaction! If you pour baking soda and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a glass, it rises up into a crazy, bubbly mess, right? The same type of reaction occurs when you use this egg replacer in your baking – it rises up and makes cakes, cupcakes, or muffins light and fluffy. I use this combination in place of eggs when I make cake or cupcakes.
Ground Flax Seeds: A flax egg is the “standard” egg replacer that I first learned about when we went egg free. Just combine one tablespoon of ground flax seed plus three tablespoons of water in a small bowl or mug, and after a few minutes the mixture becomes gelatinous, sort of like an egg. Do this for each egg that the recipe requires.
Flax seed egg replacers work best in denser recipes, like cookies or muffins. Any ground flax seeds will do, but golden ground flax seeds will disappear into the batter, making them undetectable to picky eaters.
Chia Seeds: These work the same way as flax seed egg replacers. One tablespoon of chia seeds plus three tablespoons of water combine and form a gelatinous substance that is similar to an egg. This is not my favorite recipe for egg substitute because you can see the chia seeds in the finished product unless you use ground white chia seeds.
Yogurt: Yogurt binds batter together and adds nice moisture to cakes, cupcakes, or muffins. I use non-dairy yogurt (we prefer SO Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk Yogurt), and you need three tablespoons for each egg in the recipe. I use yogurt in my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe.
Applesauce egg substitute: Applesauce or another pureed fruit (like prunes) are a great replacement for eggs that holds everything together, adds moisture, and is low in fat. I use 1/3 of a cup to replace one egg. I find that applesauce works really well in most recipes – try this egg replacer in cookies, cake, or vegan applesauce muffins.
Aquafaba: The liquid from a can of chickpeas is called aquafaba, and it’s become a popular vegan egg replacement in recent years. It can be used for baking, making mayonnaise, and even for making vegan meringue cookies.
What can be used to bind instead of eggs?
Of the egg replacers I listed above, flax eggs, chia eggs, yogurt, and applesauce are all great at binding and holding baked goods together. Baking soda and baking powder do not have binding properties, and only work to make cakes light and fluffy.
What is the best egg replacer for making pancakes?
A good amount of baking powder – about 1 1/2 Tablespoons is a great egg replacer for making light and fluffy vegan pancakes. You won’t believe how the baking powder allows these pancakes to puff up and stay very fluffy. Make sure you use baking powder, NOT baking soda.
Read more tips and tricks about cooking for food allergies here.
This post was originally published in April 2015. It has been updated with more tips and tricks and a video.
Thanks for the suggestions. I tried flax seed and water in a purchased brownie mix. I was hoping for a chewy product, but ended up with gooey. I even baked it longer. What went wrong?
With a boxed mix, you could try applesauce next time.
Great guide! Thank you.
Hi! I love this recipe but I’m having trouble figuring out the right egg replacement to make it safe for my non-egg-eating friends. Can you help? Thank you in advance!
http://www.josephsgrainery.com/2009/12/wheat-berry-chews-bar-cookie-recipe.html?m=1
That recipe requires a lot of eggs for what looks like a custard-like filling. Using Egg replacers may not work well in this recipe. You could try applesauce or flax eggs, but I don’t know if the result will be similar or not.
Hi
How do I replace eggs in brownies?
Usually applesauce will work in brownies!
Thank you so very much for this detailed explanation about which egg replacers to use for different recipes. I have found this to be the most difficult substitution to compensate for when cooking for my allergic gluten, dairy, soy, corn, egg free family.
Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!!!
You’re welcome, I am so happy to help!
Thank you so much for this well-organized, easy-to-refer-to information!!
You’re welcome, glad it helps!
Hi Kelly! I have recently had to give up gluten, eggs, dairy and soy. I am an accomplished baker (with “regular” ingredients), but I am having a very difficult time with gluten free flour and egg replacers. I have tried three different kinds of GF brownie mixes and several different egg replacers, and NOTHING works for me. I have tried baking soda, ground flax seed “eggs,” yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, and combinations of those. None of the brownies would get done. They just stayed liquid, no matter how long I baked them. Please help! What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions would be welcomed. My kids are getting really frustrated and want some yummy treats! Lol
Hi Melissa,
What brownie mixes have you tried? That information would help me help you.
I make a great egg-free gluten-free muffin recipe. The secret is banana. Actually bananas. About 4-5 of them. So, it becomes a banana muffin, but I often add blueberries or strawberries too. From Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre’s The Elimination Diet book.
Sounds delicious!
What Chia and Flax seeds brand do you buy (Safe for peanut free,tree nut)?
Can I use 2 different types of egg replacements in the same recipe? Thanks
A lot of seeds and dried fruits can be found at http://www.mygerbs.com. There is also a brand called Flax USA/Stober Farms that I believe is nut free, but you would need to check for current information. I’m not sure how two different types of egg replacers would work in the same recipe, it would depend on the recipe I suppose!
Do you find that when you use these substitutes in baked goods, they don’t hold together as well? I’ve used Ener-G egg replacer in cakes/cupcakes and while it tastes normal and is super fluffy, it doesn’t hold together when cut/bitten into. They just become a crumbly mess.
I don’t like the way Ener-G works in baked goods, I have much better results with these substitutes.
thank you for this. i am having such a hard time with recipes. i have an egg allergy and making substitutions has left me with baked goods that i hate and have to toss. i think i will try the applesauce.
You’re welcome! I hope you find it helpful. If you have questions, let me know!
Not sure if you got an earlier email that I was trying to cancel. So to be brief I really enjoyed reading some of your very delicious receipes and would like to get more ideas. Is everything on line or do you have a book with the same information?
How would I become a member?
Thanking you in advance
Margaret O’Neill Knowles
There is no charge at all, you would simply subscribe to my emails. I will be sending recipes and tips your way after you sign up! :)
Thanks so much for sharing! I recently found out I have an intolerance to eggs and I’ve had a hard time coming up with replacements so this really helps!
Oh good! I’m glad this was helpful.
Hi, which is best if your recipe calls for egg whites? Thank you
Not sure, maybe applesauce? it would depend on the recipe. WHat are you making?
Would you mind tell me how much baking soda and vinegar per egg? Also, would apple cider vinegar work?
Usually I use that substitute for cake, and I only use about 1 teaspoon of vinegar (apple cider is fine), plus whatever amount of baking soda is called for in the recipe. Usually about 1 teaspoon or less.
Great, thanks!
This may be a silly question but, if using the baking soda/vinegar option. Do you mix them together first or just put them both in? Also, if you do pre mix, when would you add it? With the liquid I ingredients? Thanks!!
Great question! I whisk the baking soda in with dry ingredients, and add the vinegar with the wet ingredients. That way you don’t have a bubbly mess.
how much yogurt would you use for each egg and what would be best for bread that you still want to be chewy and rise with gluten free flour?
3 Tablespoons, but I am not sure about adding it to a yeast bread, I have not tried that.
This is a great resource! I can’t have eggs and use all of these. Bananas are great too depending on the recipe.
Thank you! Yes, bananas do work if you don’t mind adding some banana flavor to your recipe!
You can use mashed bananas too. 1 medium mashed banana equals one egg.
I use applesauce to replace oil in cakes and breads. Usually equal amounts work well.
I would like to make some of the gf bread recipes I see floating around on the internet, but they usually call for eggs. Which of these substitutes do you think would work in a sandwich bread recipe?
I honestly don’t know…I’ve never made gluten free sandwich bread. If I was going to try, I would probably use one of these recipes:
http://www.forkandbeans.com/2014/01/01/gluten-free-vegan-bread/
http://www.veganricha.com/2015/02/lentil-bread-gluten-free-vegan-sandwich-bread-recipe.html
I love this roundup of egg replacers! Since I can’t eat eggs this will definitely come in handy!
I love these tips! I’m going to have to play around with some of these. I’ve also only tried the flaxseed egg replacer but it seems like there are plenty of other options. Thanks!!!
Thanks, Brielle! I hope this helps!
Thanks for pulling this info together! I’ll definitely pin this for myself. :)
Thanks, Nori!
This is such a great post! There are so many people (mainly kids) that suffer from egg allergies. Baking can be challenging when you’re not sure what to use instead of an egg. Pinned and I will be sharing!
Thank you so much, Laura!
Thanks for sharing this useful info! Need to save this somewhere :)
This is a great post, Kelly! If I run out of eggs, I’m always googling what I need to replace it with. Definitely pinning this!
I love this post, Kelly! I’m definitely bookmarking this one and referring back to it the next time I run out of eggs! Love all the different options!
I LOVE this guide, Kelly! Like Julia, I only know about the flax + water route, but I’ll need to play with all these other options soon!
Thanks, Lisa! There are lots of options!
This is so helpful!! I can eat eggs to my hearts delight, but I do like to tap into vegan baking periodically. I’ve always gone the flax + water route, but now will have to try all of your fancy tricks! Many thanks, dear!
I’m glad it is helpful!