In this post, we’ll show you 6 common ingredients that can serve as egg substitutes for baking, ranked with our favorite first. Whether you're missing real eggs, have an egg allergy, are making a vegan recipe, or have another dietary restriction, having an egg replacement option for when a recipe calls for an egg is crucial for keeping a happy kitchen.
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What do eggs do?
Eggs have a variety of impacts on baked goods. Depending on the key purpose of the eggs you're trying the replicate, the type of substitute will be different. Here are a few of eggs' main purposes in baked goods.
- Strength: Sometimes eggs are referred to as a binding agent because as they cook, they expand and harden. This process acts like cement, holding all the other ingredients together, thus binding and strengthening the product.
- Leavening: Egg whites in particular act as a leavening agent. This is because air can be whipped into the egg whites, thus helping baked goods stay light and airy. Full eggs also help to leaven. Eggs expand when cooked, causing air to get trapped in little pockets. This creates space for steam and gas to form during the baking process.
- Moisture: Egg whites are 90% moisture while egg yolks are 50% moisture. That's a lot of liquid, so it makes sense that they add moisture to baked goods!
- Thickening: Egg whites are made up of proteins that coagulate when heated. This creates a tight network of proteins that thicken batters and doughs.
- Emulsifying: Eggs create smooth textures in baked goods by helping to bind oil and water together.
- Flavor: While the egg flavor in most baked goods is pretty subtle, they add a richness that you would definitely notice if it was missing.
- Nutrition: Eggs are high in iron, folate, essential vitamins, and protein.
- Color: In baked goods that are white or tan, pasture-grazed eggs with a vibrant yellow yolk can color the baked good yellow. The yolks have high levels of carotenoids which is the same compounds found in vibrantly colored plants.
How We Tested the Substitutes
To ensure our testing highlighted the ability of the actual egg replacement in baking, we tested them with the most plain Jane recipe. We made a plain muffin recipe with no flavoring (not even vanilla). The muffins are a variation of this recipe by Baked by an Introvert.
This recipe calls for two eggs, so we did a half batch in order to test the substitution of one egg with each option. We chose 6 different substitution options that are readily available and well-known in the vegan world.
A note about egg substitutes: There are no good egg substitutes for egg-forward dishes such as egg bakes, quiches, and scrambled eggs. If you need a substitute for these, a vegan egg replacement like Just Egg is probably your best bet.
Egg Substitute Conversation Calculator
We encourage you to read about each egg substitution in this post to find out which one is best for you. Then, you can use our free substitution tool below. Simply enter the baked goods item you're making and the number of eggs the recipe calls for. The tool will provide the best substitution options and quantities!
6+ Egg Substitutes
The six egg substitutes for baked goods that we’ll review are Greek yogurt, bananas, flax seeds, apple sauce, vinegar and baking soda, and avocado (plus a bonus egg white substitute at the end!).
For this demonstration, we use each of the six egg substitutions to make muffins. However, these substitutes also work for cake mixes, pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, and more! These egg substitutes are ranked from our most favorite to least favorite, but they're all solid substitutes that work!
1. Greek Yogurt
Replace 1 egg with: ¼ cup Greek Yogurt
Best for: brownies, muffins, cakes, bars
Notes: Normal yogurt has too much moisture, it must be Greek-style yogurt.
Greek yogurt makes a great egg replacement in baked goods that require a lot of moisture. It's an exceptionally good egg substitute in a cake mix or homemade cake. In particular, chocolate cake is great because it retains moisture that cocoa powder typically draws out.
Be sure to use plain yogurt, as opposed to a flavored one. Unless, of course, you want the added flavor to your baked good!
2. Avocado
¼ cup avocado = 1 Egg
Best in: muffins, cakes, quick breads, bars
Notes: Due to its vibrant color, avocado will leave your baked goods with a slightly green hue but won't change the flavor at all.
Mashed avocado can replace an egg in almost any baked good but I don't recommend it in brownies. Avocados have a lot of fiber and therefore can act almost as flour, making baked goods that should be gooey and dense (like brownies) light and cake-like.
Make sure to use a ripe avocado! It's best to make sure the avocado is blended or mashed to ensure a smooth texture. We have tested roughly mashed avocado in our muffin test and the muffins turned out fine, but there were some larger chunks.
3. Flax seeds or Chia seeds
1 tablespoon ground Flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water = 1 Large Egg
Best in: brownies, cookies, quick bread
Notes: Flax eggs work because the flaxseed coagulates with water. Be sure to let the flax egg sit long enough for this reaction to occur!
To make a flax egg substitute, simply mix one tablespoon of ground flax seed with three tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to thicken before using. The flax seeds will absorb the water and the mixture will become thick.
Chia seeds can be used in place of flax seeds. The flax egg (or chia egg) will produce a speckled look in your baked good. I like to use chia seeds to mimic poppy seeds in lemon poppy seed muffins or bread.
Flax egg is probably the most common vegan egg substitute and makes a great egg substitute in cornbread. This may be because it's super easy to work with and doesn't have much impact on the flavor or texture of the baked good.
4. Banana
¼ Ripe Banana = 1 Large Egg
Best in: quick bread, muffins, cakes
Notes: Bananas work great in baked goods but will require slightly more baking time and will add banana flavor.
Did you know you can make banana bread without eggs? And that banana can be a substitute for eggs? Well, now you do!
Mashed banana has a strong, distinct flavor so this is the best egg substitute in recipes that lend themselves well to banana flavor. This includes other flavors like chocolate, nuts, cinnamon, vanilla, peanut butter, etc.
Banana is our favorite substitute in our muffin recipe due to the flavor. It makes a great substitute for anyone who loves bananas, plus it's a vegan egg substitute!
Ripe bananas work better than green bananas. This is because they're softer and much easier to incorporate into the batter. If you need to ripen your bananas quickly try putting them in a paper bag the day before you use them!
5. Apple Sauce
¼ cup of Applesauce (unsweetened) = 1 Large Egg
Best in: muffins, brownies, cakes, bars
Notes: Unsweetened and pureed apple sauce is a prime option for apple bread or cinnamon streusel muffins.
You can use unsweetened applesauce in place of an egg in many baked goods. It's a good egg substitute due to its mild flavor and is another one of the common egg substitutes.
Pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree could also be used in place of applesauce but may not be a good option for certain baked goods since these have a stronger flavor than applesauce. However, they're a great option if you want those flavors!
6. Vinegar and Baking Soda
1 tablespoon of Vinegar + 1 teaspoon Baking Soda = 1 Large Egg
Best in: pancakes, muffins, brownies, and quick bread
Notes: This method is lots of fun, but it can create too much air which leads to over rising of the baked goods.
Vinegar and baking soda are best as an egg substitute in pancakes, muffins, and quick bread. This is not a great egg substitute for cookies. It can dry out the baked goods, so an additional 1-3 tablespoons of wet ingredients help to offset that. We feel this is the best egg substitute for bread-like textures!
To make this egg substitute, mix the vinegar and baking soda in a jar to start the reaction, then add to your baked goods mixture. This substitution is somewhat strange because it isn't thick and doesn't harden when cooked.
So how does it work? The reaction between baking soda and vinegar creates numerous bubbles that fill with flour. When the baking soda mixture is cooked, it will continue to react and therefore rise. Once it's done reacting, it ends up setting in place wherever it ends up.
If you're wondering what type of vinegar to use, we've found that rice vinegar or white vinegar is best. Apple cider vinegar tends to have a stronger, overpowering flavor. Baking powder should not be used because it is a mix of cream of tartar, cornstarch, and baking soda, not just baking soda.
Bonus! Aquafaba Liquid
3 tablespoons of aquafaba liquid (unsalted) = 1 egg white
Best in: meringues, soufflés, custard, mousse, angel food cake, sauces that are thickened with egg whites.
Notes: It is super important for this to get unsalted chickpeas otherwise the flavor is very savory.
Aquafaba liquid is the best egg white substitute. I've tested it in chocolate sponge cake, swiss meringue buttercream, and meringue. It's a great option, but it's critical that you use the liquid from an unsalted can of chickpeas to keep it from getting weirdly savory.
If making any kind of meringue-based item with this, I've found that you should use ¼ teaspoon of almond extract to counteract the nutty flavor of the aquafaba.
This substitute was tested at a different time so there are no current photos.
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