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    Home » Recipes

    Best Vegan Egg Substitutes for Baking and Cooking

    Dec 9, 2020 · Modified: Nov 2, 2021 by Rachel · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    Infographic showing how to replace eggs.

    Don’t know how to replace eggs? Here’s the complete guide to Egg Substitutes in Baking and Cooking: when to use which vegan egg substitute and how much to use! The perfect guide for vegans, those with an egg allergy, or if you just ran out of eggs and need a quick replacement.

    stack of pancakes on a blue plate
    Jump to:
    • What do eggs do in baking?
    • Egg Substitutes for Baking
    • Egg Substitutes for Cooking
    • FAQ's
    • 📖 Recipe

    What do eggs do in baking?

    In order to know how best to replace eggs, we must first understand what they do.

    Eggs play several key roles in cooking and baking. They help to bind ingredients, add moisture and stabilize the overall structure of the final baked good. If you're vegan, allergic to eggs, or have just ran out and can't wait to start baking, this is your one-stop shop to replacing eggs.

    With a degree in Bakery Science, I can tell you that the purpose of eggs varies greatly depending on the product. This means that different egg replacements will be better suited for different situations.

    When it comes to vegan baking you need to consider what the eggs purpose is in each situation. Does it act as a binding agent? Does it help to leaven? Keeping those in mind will help you decide which egg substitute is best.

    Luckily for you, with 5 years of vegan baking under my belt, I have tested several egg alternatives that you most likely already have in your pantry. Today I'll share with you which ones work best for different baking needs and extra tips to get the best outcome.

    Ready? Let's start!

    Egg Substitutes for Baking

    The following have been broken down into the best vegan egg substitutes for different types of baked goods. You'll find the full list of suggestions at the end of this post in the recipe card.

    Each baked good requires eggs for a different purpose. In some cases the egg helps leaven, in others it helps to bind. I'll show you which egg substitute is best and whether additional ingredients are needed to achieve results as some egg replacers are good for one action but not the other.

    Each recommendation is equivalent to the replacement of one large egg.

    Cookies

    Egg's role: Contributes moisture and rigidity to the crumb and assists the gluten in holding volume attained.

    Best egg substitutes for cookies:

    • Flax egg—1 tablespoon ground flax meal + 2.5 Tbsps water. Combine and allow to thicken for 10 minutes before adding.
    • Chia egg—1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 2.5 Tbsps water. Combine and allow to thicken for 10 minutes before adding.
    • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree or mashed avocado + ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 3 Tbsps aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) whisked until foamy.

    Notes: fruit purees tend to make the final product denser so they're better for things like cookies, muffins, and pancakes. Adding an extra ½ teaspoon of baking powder can help with the leavening. If you can't find unsweetened applesauce you can decrease the amount of sugar/sweetener slightly in the recipe.

    Try these Cookie Fries which are a fun dippable version of the classic cookie made using flax eggs.

    Layer Cakes

    Egg's role: Binding action, leavening, and moisture.

    Best egg substitutes for cakes:

    • 2 teaspoon baking powder + 2 tablespoon water + 1 tablespoon oil
    • ¼ cup carbonated water (club soda)
    • 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ cup non-dairy yogurt + ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ cup silken tofu + ½ teaspoon baking powder

    Notes: Add these to the batter last, then place the cake in the oven quickly once mixed as the leavening power dissipates quickly with these replacements. For silken tofu, blend until smooth before adding or else you may end up with lumps in the batter.

    Try this healthy Vegan Carrot Cake that uses mashed banana with baking powder instead of eggs.

    Brownies

    Egg's role: Binding ingredients and leavening.

    Best egg substitutes for brownies:

    • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree or mashed avocado + ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ cup silken tofu + ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • Flax egg—1 tablespoon ground flax meal + 2.5 Tbsps water. Combine and allow to thicken for 10 minutes before adding.
    • Chia egg—1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 2.5 Tbsps water. Combine and allow to thicken for 10 minutes before adding.

    Notes: Brownies usually include an additional leavening agent such as baking powder. If you prefer denser brownies you can omit the extra ½ teaspoon baking powder suggestion for the egg substitute. For cake brownies, include the extra ½ teaspoon baking powder.

    Muffins

    Egg's role: Structure, volume, and body.

    Best egg substitutes muffins:

    • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree or mashed avocado + ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder + 2 tablespoon water + 1 tablespoon oil

    Notes: Muffins typically use baking powder for leavening but because fruit purees are denser than eggs, an extra ½ teaspoon baking powder is suggested.

    Quick Breads

    Egg's role: Binding ingredients and moisture. Also acts as an emulsifier to make the batter smoother, contributing to texture and volume.

    Best egg substitutes for quick breads:

    • 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • Flax egg—1 tablespoon ground flax meal + 2.5 Tbsps water. Combine and allow to thicken for 5-10 minutes before adding.
    • Chia egg—1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 2.5 Tbsps water. Combine and allow to thicken for 5-10 minutes before adding.
    • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree or mashed avocado + ½ teaspoon baking powder

    Notes: Quick breads are very forgiving so many egg substitutes can achieve great results.

    This Strawberry Banana Bread uses a couple flax eggs. It is made into bars but there is a variation for baking it into a loaf as well.

    Meringue

    Egg's role: egg whites are the main ingredient, allows for aeration to increase volume and provide structure (stiff peaks).

    Best egg substitute for meringue:

    • 3 Tbsps aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) whipped with an electric mixer until peaks form + ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar. Use as you would whipped egg whites.

    Notes: adding cream of tartar can act as a stabilizer once the aquafaba is whipped and prevent it from breaking down just as you would with whipped egg whites. Add about ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar for the amount of aquafaba in one 15-ounce can of chickpeas (about ½ cup). If you don't have cream of tartar, you can use ¼ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white.

    Egg Substitutes for Cooking

    Eggs in cooking are mostly used for binding or moisture. It is a bit simpler to replace eggs in cooking than it is for baking but there are still of course some replacements that work better than others in different situations.

    Breading

    Egg's role: Acts as a glue to hold breading.

    Best egg substitute for breading:

    Use any unsweetened non-dairy milk. Dip the food first into the milk just as you would an egg, then dip into the breading.

    Check out these baked Zucchini Chips which use unsweetened almond milk instead of eggs.

    Pancakes

    Egg's role: Acts as a binder to hold the batter together, provides moisture and stabilizes the air bubbles.

    Best egg substitute for pancakes:

    • ¼ cup applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree or mashed avocado

    Notes: Pancakes typically call for a leavening agent along with the eggs such as baking powder so no other ingredient is needed except for the egg substitute to achieve results.

    Try these incredible Easy Vegan Pancakes that use applesauce to replace eggs!

    Chickpea flour scramble topped with tomatoes and cilantro with a side of toast.

    Egg Scrambles

    Egg's role: main ingredient.

    Best egg substitutes for scrambles:

    • firm tofu crumbled with spices and seasonings (also referred to as tofu scrambles)
    • chickpea flour—made into a batter with spices and seasonings and scrambled in a skillet

    Notes: Adding kala namak (also known as black salt) gives it an incredibly eggy flavor!

    Try these Vegan Scrambled Eggs made with chickpea flour.

    Frittatas and Quiches

    Egg's role: main ingredient.

    Best egg substitutes for frittatas and quiches:

    • firm tofu blended with seasonings
    • chickpea flour with seasonings

    Notes: Once again, adding kala namak (black salt) can provide a great egg-like flavor to the dish!

    Try this Baked Chickpea Flour Frittata that is so convincing it could fool omnivores!

    Burgers/Meatballs/Meatloaf

    Egg's role: serves as a binder to hold the ingredients together.

    Best egg substitutes for burgers, meatballs and meatloaf:

    • Flax egg—1 tablespoon ground flax meal + 2.5 Tbsps water. Combine and allow to thicken for 10 minutes before adding.
    • Chia egg—1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 2.5 Tbsps water. Combine and allow to thicken for 10 minutes before adding.
    • 2 Tbsps arrowroot powder or cornstarch + 3 Tbsps water
    • 3 Tbsps aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) whisked until foamy.

    Notes: Starchy ingredients like bread crumbs can also aid in holding veggie burgers together.

    Check out this crowd-pleasing Vegan Lentil Loaf which uses flax and bread crumbs instead of eggs.

    Want an easy reference guide? Pin the below image to save for later!

    Don’t know how to replace eggs? Here’s a guide to Egg Substitutes in Baking and Cooking: when to use what egg substitute and how much to use! The perfect guide for vegans, those with an egg allergy, or if you just ran out of eggs and need a quick replacement. How to replace eggs in baking | vegan egg substitutes | egg replacements | flax egg substitute | applesauce egg replacer | how to cook without eggs #eggsubstitutions

    FAQ's

    Can you leave out eggs in baking?

    If you choose to leave eggs or egg replacements out completely you may be disappointed with the final result. Although eggs don't affect flavor much in baking, the texture and structure of the baked good will appear different. It may spread too much resulting in flat cookies, or not have enough structure to rise properly in cakes and quick breads.

    What if you don't have enough eggs or enough of one egg substitute?

    If you run out of eggs or one egg substitute, you can use multiple together. It's completely ok to use several egg replacement options in one recipe such as one chia egg and one flax egg if the recipe calls for two eggs.

    How to make vegan egg substitutes taste like eggs?

    If you're trying to impart an eggy flavor to a dish all you need is kala namak (also known as black salt). Its high sulfur content provides that egg-like flavor that is often missing from vegan egg substitutes. Replace some of the salt in a recipe with Kala Namak.

    What is a good egg wash substitute?

    Water, milk (almond or soy milk), or oil or vegan butter can all be used as a replacement for an egg wash. An egg wash helps with browning and giving a sheen to pastries and rolls but can also add flavor. Use one of these suggestions instead when a recipe calls of an egg wash.

    So there you have it— the best at home replacements for eggs that you probably already have on hand!

    However, I should note that there are commercial egg replacers you can buy as well. I have not personally tested any so I cannot comment on which ones work best in cooking and baking.

    If you are new to cooking and baking without eggs and want to get on the fast track to enjoying vegan food, head over to our Meal Planner where we have all your favorites veganized!

    No need to calculate egg replacements, the recipes are already tried and tested without eggs, or any other animal products. Just delicious, simple recipes to make a plant-based diet ridiculously easy. Check out the Health My Lifestyle Meal Planner!

    📖 Recipe

    chickpeas strained over a measuring cup to capture the liquid aka aquafaba.

    Best Vegan Egg Substitutes for Baking and Cooking

    Don’t know how to replace eggs? Here’s a guide to Egg Substitutes in Baking and Cooking: when to use which vegan egg substitute and how much to use! The perfect guide for vegans, those with an egg allergy, or if you just ran out of eggs and need a quick replacement.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    course: Ingredient
    cuisine: American
    servings: 1
    prep time: 5 mins
    total time: 5 mins
    Author: Rachel

    Ingredients

    For baking:

    • ground flax seeds
    • ground chia seeds
    • unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree or mashed avocado
    • silken tofu or non-dairy yogurt + baking powder
    • vinegar + baking soda, white or apple cider vinegar
    • aquafaba, liquid from canned chickpeas
    • carbonated water
    • baking powder + water + oil

    For cooking:

    • firm tofu
    • chickpea flour
    • arrowroot powder or cornstarch
    • unsweetened non-dairy milk

    Instructions

    Ground Flax (Flax Egg)

    • 1 tablespoon ground flax meal + 2.5 Tbsps water = 1 egg. Combine and allow to thicken for 10 minutes before adding.
    • Best used in cookies, brownies, quick breads or as a binder in veggie burgers/meatloaf.

    Ground Chia Seeds (Chia Egg)

    • 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 2.5 Tbsps water = 1 egg. Combine and allow to thicken for 10 minutes before adding.
    • Best used in cookies, brownies, quick breads or as a binder in veggie burgers/meatloaf.

    Applesauce, Mashed Banana, Pumpkin Puree or Mashed Avocado

    • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree or mashed avocado + ½ teaspoon baking powder = 1 egg
    • Best used in cookies, brownies, muffins, pancakes, and quick breads.

    Silken tofu or Non-Dairy Yogurt + Baking Powder

    • ¼ cup silken tofu blended until smooth or non-dairy yogurt + ½ teaspoon baking powder = 1 egg
    • Best used in cakes and brownies.

    Vinegar + Baking Soda

    • 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 teaspoon baking soda = 1 egg
    • Best used in cakes and quick breads.

    Aquafaba

    • 3 Tbsps aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) whisked until foamy = 1 egg
    • Best used in cookies, burgers/meatballs/meatloaf
    • 2 Tbsps aquafaba whipped with an electric mixer until peaks form = 1 whipped egg white Add ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar per ½ cup aquafaba to stabilize the foam. See above post for more details.
    • Best used in meringues.

    Carbonated Water

    • ¼ cup carbonated water (club soda) = 1 egg
    • Best used in layer cakes.

    Baking Powder + Water + Oil

    • 2 teaspoon baking powder + 2 tablespoon water + 1 tablespoon oil = 1 egg
    • Best used in cakes and muffins.

    Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk

    • 3 Tbsps non-dairy milk = 1 egg
    • Best used for breadings.

    Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch

    • 2 Tbsps arrowroot powder or cornstarch + 3 Tbsps water = 1 egg
    • Best used in burgers/meatballs/meatloaf.

    Firm Tofu

    • Crumbled, seasoned, and scrambled in a skillet.
    • Best used for vegan egg scrambles, frittatas, quiches.

    Chickpea Flour

    • Mixed into a batter with seasonings.
    • Best used for vegan egg scrambles, frittatas, and quiches.

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Sodium: 2mg Calcium: 18mg Vitamin C: 1mg Sugar: 1g Fiber: 2g Potassium: 57mg Calories: 37kcal Saturated Fat: 1g Fat: 3g Protein: 1g Carbohydrates: 2g Iron: 1mg
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    I'm Rachel and I'm here to help you transition to a healthy plant-based diet in the easiest way possible. I share simple recipes and tips you can implement today to make it practical and approachable. Read more about my plant-based journey

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