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    HOME » Guides

    Dated: February 17, 2023 Last Modified: February 17, 2023 by Laura This post may contain affiliate links.

    Egg Free Baking Guide

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    Need to replace eggs in your baking recipes? This egg free baking guide is here to help! Get top tips for egg free baking, best homemade and store bought egg replacers, and recipes that all are egg free. 

    No matter if you are allergic to eggs or have simply run out of eggs in the fridge, this guide has got you covered. This egg free baking guide walks you through the most common homemade and store-bought egg replacements so you can know the best ones for you.

    If you have run out of eggs and need a quick fix on how to make pancakes, this list has got you covered! 

    Collage of 4 images of eggs, flaxseeds, chickpeas, and applesauce. In the middle is a white hexagon with text that reads, "egg free baking guide".

    While some recipes do great with replacing the eggs with one of these substitutions, there are other recipes that do not work. You wouldn’t want to make an angel food cake without the egg white.

    That said, there are lots of methods for replacing eggs in everyday recipes and special occasion showstoppers! 

    For some of my favorite recipes that have been formulated to be egg free, make sure you check out my egg free category. 

    Jump to:
    • What do Eggs do in baking? 
    • No Two Replacers Work the Same
    • Gluten free and Egg free
    • Apple Cider Vinegar + Baking Soda 
    • Aquafaba
    • Applesauce / Mashed Banana / Mashed Sweet Potato
    • Cornstarch / Tapioca flour / Arrowroot powder
    • Flaxseeds / Chia seeds
    • Greek Yogurt / Sour Cream 
    • Sparkling Water
    • Tofu
    • Commercial Egg Replacers 
    • Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer
    • Ener-G Egg
    • Just Egg
    • The Neat Egg
    • The Vegan Egg
    • More Egg Free Recipes

    What do Eggs do in baking? 

    Eggs do three things in baking:

    1. Provide moisture
    2. Help bind the recipe together
    3. Provide lift to the final result 

    The Egg Yolk provides color, flavor, texture, and fat to the recipe. That’s why you use so many in custards and cakes, they get a creamy, good mouthfeel texture. 

    The Egg Whites provide volume, structure, stability, and protein to the recipe. They are oftentimes whipped separately to make tall cakes like angel food cakes. 

    No Two Replacers Work the Same

    The same egg substitute won’t work perfectly in all recipes. 

    Baking is a bit like a chemistry experiment, especially when you are exploring the world of allergy friendly baking. 

    That is why I provide my favorite substitutions under each example of what you can use. However, these are just my favorites. You may discover you love a different one or have other allergies that you need to avoid and may find an entirely new approach to making something! 

    If that is the case, please leave a comment because I want to know your discoveries. 

    Gluten free and Egg free

    Baking recipes that are both gluten free and egg free can be a real challenge! 

    Egg free baking can normally rely on the wheat gluten proteins to do double duty as the structure replacement for the eggs. If a recipe has neither the gluten or the egg protein to give structure to the final baked good, that means it's time to put on a baking detective hat and figure out what works best.

    But don't worry, I've already done a lot of the research for you.

    This chocolate raspberry cake is so moist and flavorful no one will ask if there is an egg or not. And my sweet potato flatbread is perfect for making into sandwiches or for soaking up the last of spaghetti sauce on the plate.

    Just keep in mind that if a recipe needs to rise up a whole bunch, it will be more challenging when going both gluten free and egg free. 

    Flatbread: Sweet Potato Flatbread 

    Cake: Chocolate Raspberry Cake

    Cookies: Top 9 Free Chocolate Chip Cookies 

    A plastic bottle of apple cider vinegar next to a stack of red and yellow apples on a white background.

    Apple Cider Vinegar + Baking Soda 

    How to make: Combine 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + 1 teaspoon baking soda = 1 egg 

    Recommended for: Cakes, quick breads, pancakes, one-layer cakes, snack cakes 

    This is science class in your kitchen! Aside from this is how those volcanos from elementary school work, they also make a good quick egg replacement.

    The baking soda combines with the vinegar to start a chemical reaction that creates carbon dioxide. This gives baked goods a lot of air and volume.

    That means this works best for light and airy baked goods.

    Up close look at a wood bowl filled with dried chickpeas.

    Aquafaba

    How to Make: ¼ cup of aquafaba = 1 egg

    Recommended for: Breads, light cakes with whipped egg whites (exception for angel food cakes), meringues, snack cakes, one-layer cakes 

    Aquafaba is the liquid leftover in a can of chickpeas. 

    It is a super versatile liquid that can do everything from cakes to meringues. 

    To make, simply whisk the aquafaba in a small separate bowl until light and fluffy. I like to use a hand mixer or stand mixer for best results. Then add to your recipe and bake as directed. 

    For best results, use unsalted chickpeas. The salt can sometimes inhibit the rise of the aquafaba as well as leave a lingering bean taste in your baked goods. 

    As magical as this liquid is, it can’t do everything. For example, you can’t make an angel food cake with aquafaba in place of eggs. 

    Up close look at a bowl of applesauce with apples surrounding.

    Applesauce / Mashed Banana / Mashed Sweet Potato

    How to Make: ¼ cup of mashed banana/applesauce/etc = 1 egg

    Recommended for: Cakes, quick breads, brownies, muffins, pancakes, snacking cakes, pound cakes 

    Best Recipe: Gluten Free Sweet Potato Flatbread or Vegan Brownies with Applesauce 

    These are fantastic for adding moisture to baked goods. However, this can turn them gummy if too much is used. 

    The applesauce is a really neutral flavor that does double duty as being a lower fat option for replacing oil in a recipe. 

    The banana can bring a really strong flavor to any baked good so don’t use it in things you don’t want to taste like a banana. 

    A wood bowl is filled with cornstarch. A wood spoon next to the bowl is filled with corn kernels.

    Cornstarch / Tapioca flour / Arrowroot powder

    How to Make: 2 tablespoons of the starch + 3 tablespoons hot water = 1 egg 

    Recommended for: Cookies, single layer cakes, muffins, quickbreads 

    Starch makes for a great way to bind ingredients together and when mixed with baking powder and the heat of the oven, can even get a little lift. 

    Sometimes, this egg replacer can be drying so it’s best to only use it in recipes that are already moist, like pumpkin muffins or banana breads. 

    For a lot of my gluten free and egg free baking, even if I am using another egg replacer, I like to add between 1 teaspoon and 3 teaspoons of cornstarch because it does work so well at binding things together. Plus, it makes for a more tender crumb. 

    A glass jar is filled with flaxseeds. A wood scoop is in the flaxseeds.

    Flaxseeds / Chia seeds

    How to Make: 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds (or chia seeds) + 3 tablespoons boiling water = 1 egg 

    Recommended for: Cakes, brownies, cookies, quick breads, muffins, cupcakes, yeast breads

    Best recipe: Flaxseed Brownies, Chocolate Raspberry Cake, Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies 

    This is hands down my favorite, go-to egg replacer. I love flaxseeds. They are fantastic at binding recipes together and making them soft and chewy. 

    Why use boiling water? I find that this hot water activates the gelling properties of the seeds better than using cold or lukewarm water. In my years of baking, once I used hot water I never looked back. 

    What makes flax seeds fantastic is that you can even use them in yeasted breads. Sandwich bread, dinner rolls, etc all are great with flaxseeds. The only yeasted bread I wouldn't use is something like brioche as it relies on the eggs for color and flavor. 

    The only downside to flaxseeds is that you can see the little flecks if you are baking things that are lighter in color. But if you don’t mind that, flaxseeds are always my first recommendation. 

    A wood bowl is filled with white yogurt. A wood spoon is in the bowl. A red and white towel is next to the bowl.

    Greek Yogurt / Sour Cream 

    How to Make: ¼ cup yogurt = 1 egg 

    Recommended for: Quick breads, muffins, pancakes, single layer cakes, pound cakes

    Works really similarly to the fruit suggestions in that using greek yogurt or sour cream makes for a soft, moist, and tender texture. 

    Use plain or unflavored yogurt so you don’t have competing flavors! Even vanilla can clash with the vanilla extract you have in your pantry. 

    If you use this in large quantities it can weigh down baked goods, leaving things gummy. 

    Can you use regular yogurt in place of greek yogurt? Yes, you can but as greek yogurt is thicker, you may need to use less regular yogurt. 

    If you are avoiding dairy in addition to avoiding eggs, there are many dairy free alternatives available. I’ve seen the best result with coconut greek yogurt in my baked goods. 

    Sparkling Water

    How to Make: ¼ cup sparkling water = 1 egg 

    Recommended for: Cakes, cupcakes, muffins, pancakes, other light and fluffy baked goods 

    This is an alternative that can work in a pinch in some baked goods like cupcakes or pancakes, however I generally don’t reach for it when I’m doing egg free baking as it can be really hit or miss for the final results. 

    It will not work in recipes that call for the eggs to be creamed with the butter. 

    A wood bowl is filled with large cubes of raw tofu.

    Tofu

    How to Make: ¼ cup pureed silken tofu = 1 egg 

    Recommended for: Quick breads, hearty muffins, dense cakes and cookies like pound cakes 

    Tofu acts in a lot of ways similar to how pureed fruits work in egg free baking. It adds a lot of moisture (and protein!) but can quickly turn gummy if used to replace a lot of eggs. However, it has one of the most neutral flavors and textures and is almost undetectable in terms of flavor. 

    Make sure that you use the silken tofu as it will blend into a smooth puree. 

    Commercial Egg Replacers 

    Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer

    Bob’s is a consistently good company for free from baking. They have an egg replacer that is made of 4 simple ingredients and made in a dedicated gluten free facility. Love that. This works great in almost all recipes that you make from scratch. It’s easy to use and dependable. 

    Ener-G Egg

    The first egg replacer I used so it has a special place in my heart. This is a powder that works similar to the baking soda + bubbly water. Ener-G Egg works great in baking from scratch recipes, especially simple cakes and cookies. It can work in baking mixes, but results vary. Again, I’d stick with simple cakes and cookies. 

    Just Egg

    Made from mung beans, this is a great egg replacement to use in savory dishes. Things like scrambled eggs, frittatas, and even french toast are great with this. However, this is not to be used in baking! It does not emulsify with other ingredients making it not suitable for egg free baking. 

    The Neat Egg

    This is a newer one on the market. It’s a combination of flax seeds and chickpea flour (aka garbanzo bean flour). Works great in baked goods from scratch like cakes, cookies, muffins, and brownies. 

    The Vegan Egg

    Note: This contains soy. 

    These vegan eggs come in a familiar egg carton which is pretty cute. Inside is a small sheet with instructions as well as a bag of the “egg” powder. The directions are simple, just mix in a blender with water and you have an egg replacer! This is a perfect egg replacer if you are looking for scrambled “eggs”. I also think it would make for a great french toast. However! This is not to be used for baking. 

    More Egg Free Recipes

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      Best Egg Substitutes for Brownies - With Photos!
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      Easy Egg Free Donuts (vegan)
    • up close stack of egg free pancakes on white round plates with a pat of butter on top of the pancakes.
      Egg Free Pancakes
    • collage of 4 egg free cookies like snickerdoodle and ginger cookies. a white hexagon in the middle of the image reads, "egg free cookie recipes".
      The Best Egg Free Cookies

    If you try these out, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, dietary friendly recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

    This site contains affiliate links which means I may receive commissions for purchases made though those links. However, please know that I only provide links to products that I actually use and totally recommend! Your purchases help support this blog. Thank you!

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    Hi, I’m Laura! Welcome to Living Beyond Allergies, a mix of healthy + indulgent allergy free recipes, plus a sprinkle of health resources. All eaters welcome! To learn more about me, click here!

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