10 Best Egg Substitutes For Vegan Baking
Finding the right vegan egg substitute for baking can be tricky. You need to know which alternative fits what you are baking. So many creative options are available that choosing the right one can be overwhelming. Hang tight; I created a list of my ten favorite vegan egg substitutes.
Why are eggs important in baking?
Eggs serve three functions in baking: binding, leavening, and moisture. They also provide flavor and texture, making your dessert creamy, moist, or light.
Over the years, bakers have created recipes that rely on all of these functions. However, in vegan baking, no single substitute can replicate all these qualities. So it’s crucial to choose the right egg replacement to match your needs when converting a recipe to vegan.
To make it easier, I have created a list of my ten favorite egg substitutes, with details about each substitute to help you decide which is best for your recipe.
Common vegan egg replacements
1. Applesauce
- About:Â Unflavored applesauce is my favorite ingredient when I want a moist texture, like cakes and muffins. It makes everything perfectly moist, more so than eggs ever did!
- Best Use: Applesauce works great with recipes where moisture is critical, such as cakes, brownies, muns, sweet bread, pancakes, and waffles. I recommend using applesauce as a moisture-creating vegan egg substitute for cakes.
- Considerations:Â Always use unsweetened and unflavored applesauce. However, applesauce can leave a slight amount of flavor. Consider the flavor when deciding whether it is the right substitute.
- Where to Find It: With the canned fruits.
Replacement Ratio: 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce = 1 egg
2. Arrowroot Powder
- About: Arrowroot powder is a flavorless powder made from the roots of tropical plants. Because of its stretch-like qualities and similarity to cornstarch, it is sometimes called arrowroot starch.
- Best Use:Â Thickening agent for custard, fruit fillings, jelly, pies, and pudding.
- Considerations:Â When you think of arrowroot, think of cornstarch. It works great when removed from heat. However, the arrowroot will break down over prolonged heat and be less effective. Like cornstarch, arrowroot must be mixed before adding it to your recipe. If not, it will clump and won’t give you the desired result.
- Where to Find It:Â Look for arrowroot where you can find Bob’s Red Mill products at your local grocery store.
Replacement Ratio:Â 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder mixed with 3 tablespoons water = 1 egg. (Always mix separately before adding to the other ingredients.)
3. Aquafaba
- About:Â Aquafaba is the chickpea brine (liquid) in canned chickpeas. French chef Joel Roessel discovered aquafaba in 2014 (source). This simple bean water, usually discarded, has become a game changer in vegan baking. Other legumes also have aquafaba, but not with results as good as chickpeas.
- Best Use:Â Aquafaba is a versatile egg replacer in almost any vegan baking recipe. It’s the best substitute for egg whites in vegan macarons, meringues, and angel food cakes.
- Aquafaba also works as a vegan egg substitute for cookies. I used aquafaba when I made these vegan peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
- Considerations:Â There might be a slight bean flavor. The lighter the food, such as an angel cake, the more noticeable it is. In most cases, the bean flavor is undetectable. Also, one can of chickpeas has about 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) of aquafaba.
- Where to Find It: In the canned bean section of your local grocery store. Open a can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans and use a mesh strainer to separate the liquid from the beans.
Replacement Ratio: 3 tablespoons of aquafaba = 1 egg
4. Banana
- About: Banana works similarly to applesauce; it adds moisture and sweetness to baked goods. Ripe bananas work best, but you can also use just past-ripe bananas.
- Best Use: Cakes, sweet bread, pancakes, and, of course, vegan banana bread.
- Considerations: Bananas have a distinctive and sometimes strong flavor, which can work to your advantage or against it. Consider the overall flavor you are trying to achieve to determine if bananas are the right egg replacer for your recipe.
- Where to Find It: In any produce section at your local grocery store.
Replacement Ratio: 1/4 cup of mashed banana = 1 egg
5. Chia Seeds
- About: Thanks to their gel-like texture, ground chia seeds are an excellent choice for binding or thickening in vegan baking.
- Best Use: Cakes, muffins, and bread
- Considerations:Â Chia seeds are usually sold in dark colors, which can change the color of your baked goods. If you are baking something light in color, consider buying white chia seeds or another replacer. In addition, they have a slightly nutty and earthy flavor, less nutty than flaxseed, but still there.
- Where to Find Them:Â Most grocery stores stock chia seeds. Because of their versatility, they can be a bit of a hunt. Look in the rice, natural foods, baking, and vitamin sections.
Replacement Ratio: 1 teaspoon of chia seeds + 3 teaspoons of water = 1 egg.
Instructions: Mix the seeds and water and wait until a gelatinous texture forms.
6. Flaxseed
- About:Â Flaxseed and flax meal come from the same source. Flaxseed is the whole seed, while flax meal is ground flaxseed. When mixed with water, flaxseed forms a gel with a consistency similar to chia seeds.
- Best Use: Muffins, bread, and cookies
- Considerations:Â Flaxseed has a mild, nutty flavor that could complement or detract from your overall result. Consider this when determining if it is the best egg substitute for your recipe.
- Where to Find It:Â Look for ground flaxseed in the grain section of your store, where you would typically find Bob’s Red Mill products.
Replacement Ratio: 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed + 3 teaspoons water.
Instructions: Mix the seeds and water, then wait for a gel-like substance to form, similar to a flax egg.
7. Packaged Egg Replacer
- About: Packaged egg replacers are made from potato starch, tapioca starch, leavening, and other ingredients. Pros: They are designed to be an egg substitute; cons: Some contain processed ingredients.
- Best Use:Â Of all the replacements on the list, this is the most versatile and works with every type of vegan baking.
- Considerations: None; this option is excellent due to its versatility and neutral flavor.
Where to Find It: Look for it in the baking aisle of your local store. Several brands are available, but I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill. - Adjustment: Follow the package instructions.
8. Silken Tofu
- About:Â Silken tofu creates a soft, creamy texture that blends into a smooth puree.
- Best Use: Cheesecakes, custards, pies, and puddings.
- Considerations:Â Tofu comes in many different levels of firmness. For vegan baking, specifically, use silken tofu. Firm tofu is very different and will ruin your recipe. Also, the tofu flavor/scent can be noticeable. Everyone says tofu has no flavor, but that has been my experience.
- Where to Find It: In the vegan refrigerated section at your local grocery store.
Replacement Ratio: One-quarter cup silken tofu = one egg.
9. Vegan Yogurt
- About:Â Vegan yogurt is an excellent choice for adding moisture and a bit of tanginess to vegan baking.
- Best Use: Cakes, muffins, bread.
- Considerations: Use only unflavored, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt. The most common bases for vegan yogurt are cashew or coconut. Both can add or detract from the overall flavor, so select the one you think will work best. Where to Find It: Look in the yogurt section at your grocery store for “dairy-free yogurt.”
- Where to Find It: In the yogurt section at your grocery store.
Adjustment: 1/4 cup of dairy-free yogurt =one egg
10. Vinegar and Baking Powder
- About:Â Use white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar for this replacement. A chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide gas, which helps baked goods rise.
- The carbon dioxide creates air, which is a good egg alternative when you want light, airy baked goods.
- Best Use: Cakes, cupcakes, and pancakes.
- Considerations:Â The vinegar-and-baking-powder mixture can help baked goods rise and become fluffy, but it may not work well in recipes that require a lot of structure, such as bread.
- Where to Find It: In the baking section of your grocery store.
Replacement Ratio:Â Mix 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar with 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 egg.
At A Glance Reference Table
| Egg Substitute | Quantity (the equivalent of 1 egg) | Best for Baked Goods |
|---|---|---|
| Applesauce | 1/4 cup | Cakes, muffins, quick breads |
| Aquafaba | One tablespoon + three tablespoons water | Meringues, macarons, cakes, cookies |
| Arrowroot powder | One tablespoon + three tablespoons water | Cakes, cookies, pancakes |
| Chia seeds | One tablespoon + 3 tablespoons water | Cakes, muffins, breads |
| Commercial egg replacer | Follow package instructions | Cakes, cookies, breads |
| Flaxseed meal | One tablespoon vinegar + one teaspoon baking powder | Breads, muffins, cookies |
| Mashed banana | 1/4 cup | Cakes, muffins, quick breads |
| Silken tofu | 1/4 cup | Cakes, custards, pies |
| Vegan yogurt | 1/4 cup | Cakes, muffins, breads |
| Vinegar and baking powder | One tablespoon vinegar + one teaspoon baking powder | Three tablespoons |