A Baker’s Guide to Egg Substitutes

Need an egg substitute for baking? Whether you forget to buy eggs, they’ve gone bad, or you have an egg allergy, here are the best egg substitutes to use for baked goods.

6 ceramic bowls with different egg substitutes, chia seeds, ripe mashed bananas, aquafaba, ground flax seeds, cornstarch, applesauce.

As an avid baker and not-so-avid grocery shopper, I have often needed a substitute for eggs. I tend to start a baking project without checking to see if I have eggs on hand. I guess I just assume that they will be in the fridge when I need them. However, that is not always the case. I am actually out of eggs quite often.

Luckily, there are a lot of great egg substitutes to use in baking. Many egg replacements are very convenient and lots are perfect vegan egg substitutes. They will help convert recipes to fit your dietary needs.

I tried to find egg substitutes that won’t alter your recipe at all. You will never even notice that you are missing the eggs!

What Is the Role of Eggs in Baking?

Eggs actually play an important role in baking. They can act as a leavening agent, bind ingredients together, and contribute to the overall texture of a baked good. Whether your recipe calls for one large egg, just egg yolks, or all egg whites, they are an important part of your baked goods!

Eggs also add to the taste of foods, making them rich and decadent. They are an important ingredient in everything from cookies and bars to cakes and pastries. Eggs are definitely not an ingredient that you can skip. However, they are an ingredient that you can replace!

Best Egg Substitutes for Baking

Let’s dive right in and find the best things to use in place of eggs. No more frantically running to the grocery stores just so you can bake! A great substitute will make your final product perfect and delicious.

Flax Eggs

Flax eggs are a very popular egg replacement. They are a good vegan egg substitute for baking as well. Flax eggs are also very easy to make. All you need is ground flax seeds and water!

Here is how to make flax eggs:

Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax with 2 ½ tablespoons of water. This will make one flax egg and replace one egg in a recipe.
Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes. The flax eggs will start to look thick and gelled, almost exactly like a real egg.
The flax egg is then ready to use.

Flax eggs do not bind ingredients together or rise when baked. This is important to keep in mind when choosing to use flax eggs as an egg replacement. Use flax eggs to replace three eggs at most in any baked good.

Use as an egg replacement for: Brownies, cookies, quick bread, and muffins.

Do not use for: Souffles, cream pies, or delicate desserts like crepes.

Quick Tip

Use a food processor or blender to grind whole flaxseeds into a fine powder. Flaxseeds will only work as an egg replacement if they are ground well. You may also want to sift your ground flaxseed to make sure there are no large flakes.

Chia Eggs

Chia eggs are very similar to flax eggs. They have the consistency of eggs and are very easy to make. However, chia eggs tend to have a gritty texture. For this reason, I prefer flax eggs over chia eggs.

Yet, chia seed eggs can be a good egg replacer in recipes for quick bread, muffins, or waffles. Chia eggs have little to no taste, so the flavor of your baked goods will not change when using this egg replacer.

Here is a quick look at how to make chia eggs:

Combine 1 tablespoon of whole chia seeds and 2 ½ tablespoons of cold water in a bowl.
Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to thicken.
The chia egg is then ready to use as an egg replacer.

Just like flax eggs, chia eggs will not help baked goods rise. They are great vegan options and perfect for those with egg allergies or sensitivities. Replace a maximum of two eggs with chia eggs for the best results.

Use as an egg replacement for: Brownies, cookies, quick bread, waffles, and muffins.

Do not use for: Souffles, cream pies, or delicate desserts like crepes.

Aquafaba

I love using aquafaba as an egg substitute in baking. Aquafaba is the liquid inside a can of chickpeas. It has a similar consistency to egg whites and can be used straight from the can.

Aquafaba can be whipped into stiff peaks, giving you the same consistency and leavening power of whipped egg whites. It also will act as a binder when baked, holding together your cookies, breads, and brownies.

Aquafaba does have a slight bean-like flavor but the taste is usually overpowered by the sweetness of the baked goods.

Here is how to use aquafaba to replace eggs:

Use one tablespoon of aquafaba to replace one egg yolk.
Two tablespoons of aquafaba can replace one egg white.
Use three tablespoons of aquafaba to substitute one whole egg.
Whip the aquafaba as needed to replace whipped eggs in a recipe.
Simply mix the measured aquafaba into your cookie dough or batter just as you would mix in an egg.

This fantastic vegan egg substitute may be my favorite egg replacer for baking. It is so easy to use and keeps the taste and texture of the baked goods.

Use as an egg replacement for: Meringues, buttercreams, ice cream, muffins, brownies, cupcakes, and cakes

Quick Tip

Next time you open a can of chickpeas, do not throw away the liquid! Pour it into an ice cube tray, and freeze the liquid into tablespoon-sized cubes. Pop the frozen cubes out of the tray, and store them in a zippered freezer bag. Anytime you need a quick egg substitute, simply thaw a cube of frozen aquafaba, and you have a perfect egg substitute, ready to use!

Applesauce

Applesauce is great for replacing eggs in heavy, moist baked goods like quick breads and brownies. It will keep the liquid content of the recipe high and also help bind the dry ingredients together. Applesauce won’t replace the protein in the eggs, but it will add some healthy fiber and antioxidants to your baking.

Using applesauce will add a slight apple taste to your baked goods. It can be quite delicious in lots of recipes! Here is how to use applesauce to replace eggs:

Use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce to replace 1 egg.
Mix the applesauce into the batter just as you would add eggs.

Do not replace more than three eggs with applesauce or your baked goods may turn out very dense or mushy.

Use as an egg replacement for: Brownies, chocolate cake, quick bread, and muffins.

Do not use for: Souffles, cream pies, meringues, or recipes that require whipped eggs.

Ripe Banana

I often have overripe bananas at home which means I always have this easy egg substitute on hand. A ripe banana is perfect for replacing eggs in heavy baked goods. Bananas add moisture to a recipe as well as a subtle banana flavor. They are a great vegan egg substitute and quite healthy.

Bananas are very easy to use as an egg substitute. Here is what you need to do:

Use very ripe bananas to replace eggs in baking. Just like with banana bread, the browner the peel, the better!
Peel the banana, and place it in a small bowl.
Mash the banana with a fork until it is smooth and runny.
Use one small, mashed banana to replace 1 egg.

Do not replace more than 3 eggs with mashed banana for the best baking results.

Use as an egg replacement for: Quick breads, muffins, dense cookies

Do not use for: Meringues, souffles, and whipped desserts like mousse

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is a perfect egg substitute when you need an ingredient that will really bind everything together. It is great for use in thick custards or cheesecakes. It is also a very convenient substitute, as most of us have a jar of cornstarch hidden somewhere in our pantry.

Here is how to use cornstarch to replace eggs in baking:

Whisk two tablespoons of cornstarch and three tablespoons of cold water together in a small bowl.
Stir in the cornstarch egg as if you were using regular eggs in your recipe.

Try not to replace more than three eggs with cornstarch. It does give baked goods a starchy taste that can be overpowering when used in excess.

Use as an egg replacement for: Puddings, cheesecakes, and pies

Do not use for: Cakes, cookies, or meringues

Nut Butters

Use your favorite nut butter to replace eggs and give your baked goods a nutty flavor. Peanut butter, cashew butter, or almond butter can be used in most recipes rather than eggs. Make sure you use creamy nut butter so you don’t add any unwanted texture to your recipes.

Here is how to use nut butter to replace eggs:

Replace one egg with three tablespoons of smooth nut butter.
Whisk the nut butter into your batter just as you would mix in the whole eggs. Make sure the nut butter is blended in completely and there are no large lumps in the batter.

Use as an egg replacement for: Brownies, pancakes, cakes, and cookies

Do not use for: Meringues, souffles or whipped desserts

Egg Replacers for Baking

Next time you are out of eggs in the middle of a baking project, give one of these egg substitutes a try. They are also great egg replacers for those with egg sensitivities or allergies.

Rather than look for egg-free recipes, you can use your favorite, tried, and true recipes with these easy egg replacers. Let me know which is your favorite!