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    You are here: Home / Guides / A Baker's Guide to Vegan Egg Substitutes (with Cheat Sheet!)

    LAST UPDATED: July 8, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: May 1, 2019

    A Baker's Guide to Vegan Egg Substitutes (with Cheat Sheet!)

    A Baker's Guide to Vegan Egg Substitutes

    New to vegan baking? This guide will help you navigate the world of egg substitutes, and comes complete with a handy cheat sheet! Follow these tips and you'll be baking without eggs like a pro in no time.

    A Baker's Guide to Vegan Egg Substitutes

    Spoiler alert: the graphic right beneath this text has all the answers. Well, sort of.

    Infographic Listing Common Vegan Egg Substitutes and Best Uses

    Did I just ruin the whole post with that little graphic? No. There's more to it. This is worth reading, I promise. That's just your cheat sheet. Like in physics class when you ditched all semester but thought you'd be okay because the test was open book...but you weren't. It's kind of like that. (Fine. That was me, not you.)

    Anyhow, vegan baking can be pretty intimidating, and it took me a long time to start experimenting with it. While I'd heard that certain things like bananas worked as egg substitutes, I didn't really buy it. Seriously, I thought people who said that might be deluding themselves — eating cakes that fall apart into a pile of sad dry crumbs and claiming that it was just as good as any non-vegan version.

    I know better now. In fact I've veganized a number of old favorite baked-goods recipes that turned out better than the originals.

    There are lots of options available as far as egg substitutes are concerned, and the key is knowing which choice to make in what circumstance. It's a learning experience. After a while you develop a feel for things, but there are certainly some guidelines that can be of help.

    Disclaimer: Not all of these suggestions will work all of the time. Vegan baking from a non-vegan recipe is for the adventurous, not the perfectionist.

    90% of the time I'm able to get a recipe to work using these guidelines, but sometimes I'm not. That chocolate jelly roll style cake that called for 5 eggs and no flour? Yeah, despite three attempts, the vegan version never happened. I knew that would be a challenge though.

    If you're up for some fun and experimentation, go to it, and start simple. Muffins are a great beginner's intro to vegan baking.

    Bananas

    This one is easy. Substitute one mashed up, overripe ripe banana for one egg. This egg replacement works best in dense baked goods, such as quick breads and muffins. Obviously, it will add some banana flavor, which may not be too detectable if you're just subbing for one egg, but you'll certainly taste it if you use any more than one banana.

    The other thing to keep in mind is that bananas add a bit of sweetness, so don't use them in recipes that aren't meant to be sweet. And in recipes that are sweet, cut back on the sugar just a tad.

    Recipes to Try:

    Vegan Zucchini Bread

    Slice of Vegan Zucchini Bread on a Plate with Coffee Cup in the Background

    Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

    Connoisseurus Veg Best of 2015: Chocolate Chip Banana Walnut Muffins

    Banana Gingerbread Muffins

    Banana Gingerbread Muffins

    Silken Tofu

    Silken tofu can be a bit tricky, but when it works out I absolutely love the results. Silken tofu often results in a denser and moister baked good, so it works in many of the same recipes as bananas, but without adding any flavor.

    It also adds a bit of protein, which is a nice bonus. Substitute ¼ cup of silken tofu per egg. Silken tofu is available at most supermarkets these days and pretty much all health food stores.

    Recipe to Try:

    Rosemary Lemon Vegan Pound Cake

    Slice of Rosemary Lemon Vegan Pound Cake on a Plate with Fork, Coffee Cup, Rosemary and Lemon Wedges in the Background

    Vegan Yogurt

    This one has it's good and not so good aspects. The pros: unflavored vegan yogurt won't alter the taste of your baked goods, it's simple, and relatively easy to find these days. The cons: its binding abilities aren't that much better than plain old non-dairy milk.

    With that said, use vegan yogurt as an egg substitute where the dry ingredients have some natural binding capabilities (like oat flour and wheat flour).

    You'll need ¼ cup of yogurt per egg.

    Recipe to Try:

    Cinnamon Swirl Vegan Coffee Cake

    Two Slices of Vegan Coffee Cake on a Table with Coffee and Strawberries

    Flax or Chia Seeds

    Flax eggs are my go-to egg substitute. They work in a wide variety of recipes, and ground flax seeds are easy to keep on hand.

    Cakes, cookies, quick breads, muffins, pancakes...I've gotten them all to work with flax eggs, and I can recall very few flax egg failures. Even though I don't use chia eggs quite as often, they're pretty much interchangeable with flax eggs.

    For each egg you need to replace, just mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax or chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and like magic, you'll have a slimy and surprisingly egg-like mixture that you can throw right in to you mixing bowl.

    You should be able to pick up chia and flax seeds at most supermarkets, and just about all health food stores.

    Recipes to Try:

    Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms

    Stack of Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms with Baking Sheet and Coffee Cup in the Background

    Vegan Carrot Cake

    Vegan Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting on a Plate with a Cup of Coffee in the Background

    Vegan Coconut Lemon Doughnuts

    Stack of Three Lemon Coconut Doughnuts with Lemon Slices and Tea Cup in the Background

    Vegetable or Fruit Puree

    Pumpkin puree is the egg substitute I use most often from this category, but I've also had success with sweet potatoes and applesauce. Generally speaking, you don't want your baked goods to taste like, say, broccoli, which is why I haven't branched out too much here.

    In recipes where a little sweet potato or pumpkin flavor is welcome, these ingredients work great. Pumpkin is easy, since it's available in cans. If I'm using a sweet potato I'll usually bake or microwave, and then mash it. ¼ cup of puree works in place of 1 egg.

    Recipes to Try:

    Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Close Up of Hands Holding a Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie

    Vegan Pumpkin Muffins with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting

    Vegan Pumpkin Muffins with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting with a Striped Napkin

    Vegan Apple Crumble Doughnuts

    Vegan Apple Crumble Doughnuts

    Cornstarch

    Cornstarch works as an egg replacer in dry baked goods in a pinch. Occasionally I am out of everything else on this list, and when that happens, I can generally manage to dig up some cornstarch from the back of the pantry. But it really shines as an egg replacer in creamy and custardy baked goods like puddings and pies!

    Cornstarch, being a thickener, yields a viscous, eggy substance when mixed with water in the right proportion. Use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons of liquid for every egg you need to replace.

    Recipes to Try:

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie

    Overhead View of a Sliced Vegan Pumpkin Pie

    Mango Lime Vegan Cheesecake

    Overhead View of a Slice of Vegan Cheesecake with Mango Lime Topping on a Plate with Teacup

    Chickpea Brine

    Also known as aquafaba! Chickpea brine can be whipped up like egg whites to make meringue. It's amazing! And it's also fussy, which is why I've yet to post a vegan meringue recipe on this site. Sometimes it works great, other times, not so great. But aquafaba also works as an egg substitute in regular old baked goods too, and much more reliably. Just replace each egg with ¼ cup of aquafaba.

    Recipe to try:

    Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Nothing!

    Seriously. I do this quite often and it works! The how-to is easy: follow a recipe and skip the eggs. More likely, skip the egg.

    That's the catch. It really only works in recipes that call for very few (i.e., one or two) eggs and use some other type of leavening agent and/or binder.

    If anything, add a few tablespoons extra of whatever type of liquid the recipe calls for. Once you've been experimenting with vegan baking for a while, you'll get a feel for when you can get away with this. If you make something with a flax egg and find yourself asking if that was really necessary, it probably wasn't.

    Recipes to try:

    Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

    Vegan Cinnamon Roll on a Plate with Fork and Coffee Cup in the Background

    Vegan Crepes

    Plate of Vegan Crepes with strawberries and whipped cream on top, tea cup in the background.

    Like this post? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try any of the recipes!

    « Easy Lentil Tacos with Cashew Queso
    Vegan Barbecue "Beef" Sandwiches »

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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jenna says

      March 20, 2015 at 4:13 pm

      So useful! Thanks :)

      Reply
    2. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

      March 21, 2015 at 12:51 pm

      As you know I'm not a vegan but this will definitely be my go-to post every time someone asks me how to veganise something! So useful, and it's great to know that all the options are tried and tested!

      Reply
    3. Shreyashi says

      March 12, 2016 at 11:50 pm

      I am not a vegan but I find this post so useful and I always refer people to this post when someone asks me about ways to convert a classic recipe to a plantbased one either for ethical or health reasons. :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 20, 2016 at 8:33 pm

        Thank you so much and I'm so glad you find it helpful!!

        Reply
    4. Health Diva says

      April 09, 2018 at 11:33 am

      Hi Alissa
      Your blog and this article got featured in our Vegan article. Keep up the good work. Check it out here
      http://www.healthyly.in/go-green/becoming-vegan-check-out-this-ultimate-vegan-lifestyle-guide-food-facts/

      Reply
    5. christine dugdale says

      May 02, 2019 at 4:20 am

      A very useful precis for those not accustomed to vegan baking. I love the way you've explained each one as well as the crib sheet:) I often use common or garden baking powder too, especially in waffles and puddings which are going to be eaten immediately

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 05, 2019 at 2:10 pm

        Thanks Christine! I'm glad you find it helpful!

        Reply
    6. Nicola says

      September 24, 2019 at 5:12 pm

      Which of the options, in your opinion, is the *best* one for using a cake mix to make a cake? I remember you could always tell which cupcakes were my son’s at the twice-a-year Cupcake Sales. I baked them with Egg Replacer (because of his egg allergy) and they always seemed to kind of “fall” — which seems even more strange, after I recently read that it’s particularly good at the the leavening part of egg substitution. Since becoming plant-based myself, I usually use flax eggs for my pancakes & waffles, but haven’t done a lot of experimentation with baking.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 29, 2019 at 3:15 pm

        I usually have the best luck with flax eggs or chickpea brine in cakes. There are a few other things you could try or consider too. Adding an extra tablespoon or two of flour might do the trick - that little bit of extra gluten should help bind your batter and trap air the way eggs do. Also make sure you're not overbeating the batter or overheating the oven (check with an oven thermometer), which can cause the baking powder or soda to fizzle out. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    7. Lee says

      February 12, 2020 at 10:50 am

      Just what I was looking for! Thank you!!

      Reply
    8. Lauren says

      October 14, 2020 at 6:46 pm

      Hi! Can you tell me what is being replaced so to speak, or why 1/4 cup of milk would be used so often in Vegan baking, assuming it's dairy free? I was just wondering!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 15, 2020 at 10:52 am

        1/4 cup of milk would normally be used to replace an egg.

        Reply
    9. Kate McMurry says

      February 05, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      I have successfully used arrowroot powder and tapioca starch/flour as an egg substitute in baking, in the same proportions you've listed for cornstarch. I personally would never use flax as a substitute in desserts. It produces a gelatinous result and it spoils the sweet-treat flavor I'm going for.

      Reply
    10. Debbie Thompson says

      June 03, 2021 at 4:38 am

      Very in-depth and I learned a lot! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    11. Ifreeman says

      September 22, 2021 at 6:14 am

      Thanks for the information and the free book. I hope everything work for the best.

      Reply
    12. Elicia Nolan says

      December 14, 2021 at 9:06 pm

      I don't know if you will get this in time but I have a family recipe for chrisciki that calls for 8 eggs. Its a dough that gets kneaded and rolled out thin, cut, twisted and then fried. So I would call it more of a pastry.

      Is it possible do you think? It also calls for a pint of sour cream but that is easily substituted.

      Another family recipe is a cheese pierogi which is more of a sweet-ish dumpling. Uses pot cheese and egg yolks among other things. This one is more intimidating. Any hints?

      anything you offer by way of ideas is welcome.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 20, 2021 at 4:03 pm

        Sorry for the late reply - hopefully I'm not too late! I'd actually be more cautious with the chrisciki recipe, just because 8 eggs is a lot to replace! I've never made chrisciki myself, but I just did a google search and it looks like there's a lot of variation in the amount of eggs used. It might be easier to adapt one that uses fewer eggs, if you'd be up for it. This one only uses 3 egg yolks: https://www.jennycancook.com/recipes/polish-chrusciki-angel-wings/ If I were to try it myself I'd simply use some extra vegan sour cream (maybe about 1/2 cup), plus about a tablespoon of cornstarch. I can't promise it will work, but that's what my first attempt would be!

        I actually have a vegan pierogi recipe: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-pierogies/ You could try adapting this to use fillings similar to those used in your family recipe.

        I hope that helps! Good luck and I'd love to hear how it goes!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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