Egg Free Baking Guide
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!
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.
What do Eggs do in baking?
Eggs do three things in baking:
- Provide moisture
- Help bind the recipe together
- 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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