17 Vegan Egg Substitutes for Baking Cakes, Cookies, Pancakes, & More
Have you ever looked at a recipe and wondered whether it was possible to use a vegan egg substitute for the eggs? The good news is that yes, most of the time you can! This is your complete guide to using vegan egg substitutes for baking cakes, cookies, pancakes, brownies and even in savory dishes.
Looking for more baking tips? Check out this article on substituting for xanthan gum, this post on how to measure gluten free flour, this post on popular thickening agents and this one on coconut sugar substitutes.
Jump to:
- Vegan Egg Substitutes: Key Take-Aways
- Why Use Vegan Egg Replacements
- Flax Egg & Chia Egg Substitutes
- Fruit-Based Vegan Egg Replacements
- Non-Dairy/Yogurt Egg Substitutes
- Commercially Available Egg Replacements
- Egg Replacement Powder
- Liquid Egg Substitutes
- How Much Vegan Egg Substitute for Baking
- Best Egg Substitutes in Cakes
- Best Egg Replacements for Cookies
- Easy Egg Substitutes for Pancakes
- Best Vegan Substitutes for Eggs in Brownies
- Top Egg Substitutes in Muffins
- Substituting Eggs in Gluten Free Breads
- Egg Substitutes in Savory Dishes
- Vegan Egg Substitute FAQs
- Recipe
Vegan Egg Substitutes: Key Take-Aways
Here are the main vegan egg substitutes to use in cakes, cookies, brownies, pancakes, and more:
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Flax Egg & Chia Egg: Both equally popular egg substitutes, they are made with ground seeds and warm water.
Fruit Based Egg Replacers: Applesauce, banana, pureed fruit and pumpkin are great vegan egg replacements.
Non-Dairy/Yogurt Egg Substitutes: Use yogurt, buttermilk or tofu to replace eggs in baking.
Commercially Available Egg Replacements: JUST egg or Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer are two good options.
Dry Ingredient Egg Replacers: Both cornstarch and agar agar are great options for egg substitutes in baking.
Liquid Egg Substitutes: Vinegar-baking soda, carbonated water, vegetable oil or the homemade egg substitute are all great options for liquid egg substitutes.
Why Use Vegan Egg Replacements
Eggs play an important role in baking. They are responsible for:
Binding - Eggs hold other ingredients together.
Texture - Eggs prevent baked goods from being crumbly and dry.
Moisture - Eggs are a liquid and as such they add moisture to the batter.
Leavening - As eggs heat and expand upon baking, they add a wonderful list to our baked goods.
When looking to bake without eggs, in most cases, something must act as an egg replacement. There are occasions when you can simply omit the eggs, but it's very few times that you can do this. Most of the time, you need something to offer the same properties as eggs. That's where these vegan egg replacements come in handy.
Most vegan egg substitutes are easy to find too: either online, from a grocery store, or from a health food store. Or you can make your own homemade egg substitute (the recipe is at the bottom of this page).
Flax Egg & Chia Egg Substitutes
1. Flaxseed Egg Substitute
After they have been properly ground in a grinder, a flax seed egg substitute can be used in cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and bread. To make a flax egg, blend 1 Tablespoon ground flax with 3 Tablespoons warm water.
2. Chia Seed Egg Substitute
Chia seeds can be made into a chia seed egg replacement by combining 1 Tablespoon chia seeds with 3 Tablespoons warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes and use in cakes, cupcakes, brownies and pancakes.
Fruit-Based Vegan Egg Replacements
3. Applesauce
Applesauce is an excellent egg replacer. Use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce for replacing one egg.
4. Banana
Three Tablespoons of pureed banana is enough to replace one egg in bread, cakes, and brownies.
5. Pureed Fruit
When making cakes and breads, you can always opt to use pureed fruit. This works the same way applesauce and mashed banana work in a recipe. Pureed fruits like dates or avocados work well.
6. Pumpkin
¼ cup of canned pumpkin is equivalent to one egg. It can be used for almost all baked products, due to its ease of use (but is especially good for muffins).
Non-Dairy/Yogurt Egg Substitutes
7. Yogurt
¼ cup of yogurt would be enough to replace one egg when baking muffins, cakes, brownies, and bread.
8. Buttermilk
¼ cup of dairy free buttermilk can replace one egg in bread recipes.
9. Tofu
About ¼ cup is the equivalent of one egg. Process the tofu in a blender, until it becomes completely creamy and smooth. Use this for brownies.
Commercially Available Egg Replacements
10. JUST Egg
This bottled egg substitute is easy and convenient. It seems to do well in cakes, cookies, and these gluten free blondies.
11. Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
Bob's Red Mill makes a powdered egg replacement that works very well in baking. Just add water to the powder, the amount varies as to how much egg you need.
Egg Replacement Powder
12. Cornstarch
Since it's a thickener (more on that in this article on gluten free thickeners), cornstarch works well as an egg in cookies. Two Tablespoons cornstarch and three Tablespoons cold water mixed together make the equivalent of 1 egg.
13. Agar Agar
Agar agar is the vegan alternative to gelatin and can also function as an egg alternative. It can be very thick so it may not be the best substitute for everything. Find agar agar here. Use 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon of hot water to replace an egg.
Liquid Egg Substitutes
14. Vinegar-Baking Soda
One Tablespoon of vinegar mixed with one teaspoon of baking soda can replace one egg in recipes.
15. Carbonated Water
You can sometimes opt for carbonated water when baking bread. Use ¼ cup of carbonated water for one egg. Keep in mind, this does not work for every recipe.
16. Vegetable Oil
This can be a good egg replacement in bread. Three Tablespoons of vegetable oil and one Tablespoon of water can replace 1 egg.
17. Homemade Egg Substitute
This homemade egg substitute works really well, especially in this flourless vanilla cake. Recipe for it is at the bottom of the post.
How Much Vegan Egg Substitute for Baking
The amount of vegan egg substitute to use for baking depends on how many eggs you're replacing in the recipe. Typically, one egg measures ¼ cup in volume, so you'll need to replace that amount in your recipe.
Best Egg Substitutes in Cakes
When compared to brownies and cookies, finding a good egg substitute for preparing cakes is quite tricky. This is because they have to rise well. Careful consideration has to be made when you choose an egg substitution. To get the desired result, use one of these:
- Pureed fruit
- Silken tofu
- Yogurt
- Flax eggs
- Chia eggs
- JUST egg
- Vinegar-baking soda
- Homemade egg substitute (recipe below)
Other substitutes can work, but these are recommended for volume and consistency.
Looking for cake recipes? Check out this gluten free birthday cake, this gluten free spice cake and this gluten free strawberry cake.
Best Egg Replacements for Cookies
There are several egg replacements for cookies. They need a moist binder that will incorporate into the dough the same way eggs do. Use one of these in your cookie recipes:
- Flax egg/chia egg
- Applesauce
- Pumpkin
- Cornstarch
- JUST egg
Here are some tempting cookie recipes: gluten free monster cookies, gluten free chocolate chip cookies and almond flour peanut butter cookies.
Easy Egg Substitutes for Pancakes
Pancakes need a binder that will provide moisture and fluffiness. Eggs typically fit the bill for this, but it's always good to have a few substitutes on hand. These options will help you achieve the ideal pancake texture and structure:
- Flax egg/chia egg
- Applesauce
- Banana
- Yogurt
- Homemade egg substitute
Try these pancake recipes next: gluten free blueberry pancakes, teff pancakes, and oat flour pancakes.
Best Vegan Substitutes for Eggs in Brownies
The best brownies are fudgy and perfectly moist. So the right egg substitute should be something that provides moisture to the brownie batter while still giving it a good structure. Choose one of the following when you're fulfilling a brownie craving:
- Silken tofu
- Applesauce
- Yogurt
- Flax seed egg/chia seed egg
- Bananas
- JUST egg
- Homemade egg substitute
These brownie recipes are tasty options to check out: flourless brownies, gluten free peanut butter brownies, and these oat flour brownies.
Top Egg Substitutes in Muffins
Muffins are another kind of baked good that especially need moisture. No one wants a dry, crumbly muffin! So this is where canned pumpkin really shines. It's most often used to replace eggs in muffins since the moisture content and flavor work especially well in these lovely little treats. For the best results, choose one of these options:
- Pureed fruit
- Canned pumpkin
- Yogurt
- Flax/chia egg
- Homemade egg substitute
Love muffin recipes? Check out these gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins, these gluten free banana muffins and these flaxseed muffins.
Substituting Eggs in Gluten Free Breads
Think homemade bread is not possible without eggs? It IS possible and it can be delicious. In fact, we have several gluten free bread recipes without eggs on the website, like this gluten free beer bread and this gluten free vegen bread.
There are several options when you need to replace eggs in a bread recipe. Whichever one you choose, just make sure you check on the amount of water being used in the dough. If you are not careful, it might be too watery.
There are those situations where you need to use more than one egg. If that is the case, using something like JUST egg will work very well or try a combination of vinegar and baking powder. You can sometimes opt for carbonated water to substitute three eggs during baking (although, this doesn't work for every recipe).
- Applesauce
- Bananas
- Yogurt
- Vegetable oil
- Water
- JUST egg / Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
- Ground flax
- Buttermilk
- Agar agar
- Vinegar-baking soda
These yeast breads are calling your name: gluten free white bread, this gluten free sandwich bread, and these gluten free breadsticks.
Egg Substitutes in Savory Dishes
When eggs are needed to coat or bind breadings or toppings, you have a few options. All of these will produce a similar ‘sticking’ quality, but you may have to experiment with which results in your preferred taste. Try one of these:
- Buttermilk
- Yogurt
- Italian dressing
- Vegan butter (or dairy butter)
- Margarine
- Olive oil
Vegan Egg Substitute FAQs
Unfortunately, there is not a vegan egg substitute that will hands down work with every recipe. Although flax eggs, chia eggs, and JUST egg work very well.
For more information on egg substitutes, reference our guide to substitutions for substitution help.
This homemade egg substitute works in some yeast bread recipes, but not all. Use it to replace no more than 3 eggs in a recipe.
The best vegan substitute for egg whites is aquafaba. It can be purchased online in a powder or, if you have some cans of chickpeas, you already have it. Aquafaba is the juice surrounding the canned chickpeas and can be drained off and used as egg whites.
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Recipe
Homemade Egg Substitute
Ingredients
Method
- In a small bowl, add all ingredients and whisk until fully combined.
- Use to replace 1 egg.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Recipe replaces 1 egg, make another batch for another egg.
- Use no more than 3 of these homemade eggs in a recipe.
- Mixture does not store well. Mix just before using.
Hi Christine,
So if you were to make Bob's Red Mill egg replacer yourself what ratio would you use with the ingredients? Thank you
Hi Alina,
I'm not sure actually - I've never attempted to make Bob's egg replacer so I'm not sure about the ratio of ingredients. Sorry that's not much help.
Christine
That's a lot of water for a chia egg! I've almost always seen - and used - 3T water per 1T chia seeds. I've seen as low as 2T, but I've never seen ⅓ cup! Have you tried it, and did it work?
Hi Melody,
So good question. I agree that stating 1/3 cup as a rule is a bit much. However, there have been times when I do use closer to 1/3 cup of water with my chia eggs. In some muffin recipes for example, they need closer to the 1/3 cup otherwise they are super dense.
But as a firm rule, no, I don't always. It really just depends on the recipe.
Hope that helps!
Christine
Hi love,
while using betty crocker's gluten free cake mix, could yogurt still work well enough versus the homemade egg replacement?
Thanks,
Jas
Hi Jas,
So I haven't tested yogurt out in that one - but the JUST egg brand I have tested and it works wonderfully.
Let me know if you do try the yogurt as I'd be curious.
Christine
Hello,
Thank you for this, I have been struggling. Your homemade egg recipe requires a gluten free flour mix, can I use any flour or the one im already baking with?
MJ
Hi MJ,
Thanks for asking - use a flour mix like cup for cup for best results. I haven't tested it with a single type of flour, but it may work too. I just can't say for certain.
Hope that helps!
Christine
and Hello, I love all this information. I tried replacing eggs in my gluten-free brownies mix with apple sauce, or flax seed eggs, and yogart. Each time the brownies just seem to be soupy and oily. I can never get them right. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Dan,
So it could be a few things, without knowing the recipe, I'd be guessing. Are you measuring the flours by weigh? Are they baking long enough? I'd suggest using a recipe that specifically has egg replacers in it, that might give you better results 🙂
Hope that helps.
Christine
This is so helpful. I have to be egg free and daily free. I also do better with out soy. Would a coconut base yogurt work in place of the soy yogurt?
Thanks you for your help
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for asking - yes, absolutely. Coconut based yogurt would work equally well 🙂
~Christine
When using baking soda and apple cider vinegar to replace 3 eggs how many mls of water is required ?
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for asking - that's a misprint. It's just to mix the vinegar and baking soda in a glass (not with water). I'll correct it and use the word 'bowl' instead!
Thanks for bringing it up!
~Christine