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? Or what if you have just run out of them? What’s the best way to replace them in your recipe?
Fortunately, there are a lot of options for replacing eggs in a recipe. There are several varieties of egg 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.
Vegan egg replacers are any substance that can be used in place of eggs in a recipe. You can buy different types, such as powdered versions made by brands like Ener-G or Bob’s Red Mill.
You can also use various common foods as egg replacers. A good substitute will be able to bind baked goods together, as well as produce light and fluffy cakes and muffins. Don’t despair if you can’t eat eggs- you can still make delicious egg free desserts.
It 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 substitutes do work with both gluten free flours and regular flours.
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Egg Substitutes for Cake
Baking Powder – A large amount of baking powder (about 1 ½ Tablespoons) is a great way to make batter rise. The only time I use this substitute is when I make pancakes or vegan waffles. 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 chocolate cake or vegan cupcakes.
Egg Substitutes for Cookie Baking
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 eggs 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 eggs. 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.
Other Types of Egg Replacers
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 – 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 ⅓ of a cup to replace one egg. I find that applesauce works really well in most recipes – try it in cookies, cake, or vegan applesauce muffins.
Mashed Banana – Mashed banana is great for cookies, cakes, muffins, or any recipe that actually requires a banana flavor. For example, it is really easy to make vegan banana bread without any eggs – the bananas hold the loaf together and keeps it nice and moist.
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.
Best Choice for Pancakes
A good amount of baking powder – about 1 ½ 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.
More Guides to Cooking and Baking
Erika Meyer
Thank you so much for all you have available on this website, I am new to all this allergies, it really caught me by surprise, so I am so thank you for you and all the work you have put in to make this journey easier.
Rebecca
We are new to allergy-free cooking and baking. This is awesome and very helpful. Thank you!!
JJ
Hi Kelly! I want to make a bagel using fathead dough for my great niece who have a lot of allergy. The recipe call for 1 egg and a Tablespoon baking powder, I will be using Bob’s Red Mill Egg replacer for the first time and not sure what to do. Do I still need to put the tablespoon baking powder since I’m only replacing the egg.
Kelly Roenicke
I would think that you do still need the baking powder!
Eric
What is a good egg replacer for breaded food, like fried eggplant?
Kelly Roenicke
I would just coat the eggplant in milk and then see if the breading will stick. I don’t think flax seed egg would work well.
diane louise anderson
i use greek yogurt with seasonings. this is so delicious! and works wonderful
diane anderson
i dredge in greek yogurt. you can add herbs or other seasonings for more flavor boost.
Geraldine
Hi there love the info on egg replacement. I have been trying to make banana cake with egg replacement and it seems that i am a bit short on rising agent in my recipe. Because i use bananas it seems to be to moist to rise.
Please help
Kelly Roenicke
Banana is a good binder. What leavening agent are you using, and how much?
Geraldine
Hi there the egg replacement i am using comes in a box (Orgran gluten free egg replacer)
I used 3 tbsp to 8 tbsp water and also added a raw apple and 1 tblsp or baking powder
Jesica Crawford
Is there a good binding agent for things like meat loaf or meatballs.
Kelly Roenicke
Mashed potato is what I use!
Barb Downing
After suddenly becoming allergic/intolerant of eggs at age 69, I’ve been trying to find tolerable substitutions in cooking. For most things, I’ve done well with Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer,, have also used Greek Yogurt and Applesauce but but cakes continue to be a disaster.
I made a layer cake tonight, and as it sat cooling both layers got flatter and flatter and finally ended up barely an inch thick!
What can I use to bake light fluffy cakes that will maintain size and texture?
Thanks!
Jackie
I tried flax seed binder for my vegan ricotta in my lasagna but it did not stiffen up very much perhaps I should have used two or is there a better alternative?
Kelly Roenicke
I have never made vegan ricotta, so I’m not sure!
Hima
Hello! I’m making a gluten free cake and I need to substitute two eggs.
I’m thinking the baking soda+vinegar substitute would work the best.
How much of each should I add? Thank you!
Kelly Roenicke
It really depends on the recipe, but usually a teaspoon of each. But every recipe is different!
Nikki Hill
What would be a good egg replacer for cornbread?
Kelly Roenicke
Try this recipe: https://theprettybee.com/vegan-cornbread/
Shirley Potts
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?
Kelly Roenicke
With a boxed mix, you could try applesauce next time.
Bo
We use use bananas or cinnamon applesauce in brownies. It gives that classic chewy consistency. The cinnamon applesauce is nice if you want that spice to it, but the banana leaves almost no flavor, because the chocolate overpowers the banana. We just wait until the bananas are ripe, about the consistency you would use for banana bread. They work great as egg replacement.
Chessie
Great guide! Thank you.
Jenny
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
Kelly Roenicke
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.
Beverly
Hi
How do I replace eggs in brownies?
Kelly Roenicke
Usually applesauce will work in brownies!
Heidi
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!!!
Kelly Roenicke
You’re welcome, I am so happy to help!
Janet Wood
Thank you so much for this well-organized, easy-to-refer-to information!!
Kelly Roenicke
You’re welcome, glad it helps!
Melissa
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
Kelly Roenicke
Hi Melissa,
What brownie mixes have you tried? That information would help me help you.
Meghan
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.
Kelly Roenicke
Sounds delicious!
Astrid W
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
Kelly Roenicke
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!
Ashley
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.
Kelly Roenicke
I don’t like the way Ener-G works in baked goods, I have much better results with these substitutes.