In this post we’ll show you 6 common ingredients that can serve as substitutes for a whole egg in baked goods. Whether you are 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 the kitchen stress free.
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What do eggs do?
Baked goods consist of 2 main characteristics - strength and tenderness. Eggs and flour provide the strength while sugar and fat provide the tenderness. Eggs become solid when heated (like cooking eggs for breakfast) and expand when beaten, this change in property is what creates strength, acts as a leavening agent, and is the binding agent in baked goods. The eggs become the mortar that is used to bind ingredients together and the flour is brick. So, in order to replicate this effect without eggs, it is best to reach for ingredients that also harden when heated or for thicker substitutions that can act as the strength without being heated. You likely already have one of these different egg substitutes on hand!
Six Egg Substitutes for Baked Goods:
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. For this demonstration, we used each of the following six egg substitutions to make muffins. However, these substitutes also work for cake mixes, pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, and more! We then compared each substitute muffin to the muffin made with eggs.
Substitution 1: Greek Yogurt
¼ cup Greek Yogurt = 1 Large Egg
Greek yogurt makes a good substitute for an egg when used in baked goods that require a lot of moisture. Examples would be pancakes, quick breads, muffins, and cakes. Really, Greek yogurt can be used in nearly any baked item, but it is exceptionally good in chocolate cake because it retains moisture that cocoa powder typically draws out. Be sure to use plain yogurt, as opposed to a flavored one. This was one of our favorite egg replacements.
Substitution 2: Banana
1 Ripe Banana = 1 Large Egg
Did you know you can make banana bread without eggs and that banana can be a substitute for eggs? Well, now you do! Bananas have a strong, distinct flavor so this would be the best egg substitute in recipes that lend themselves well to that banana flavor. This would be flavors like chocolate, nuts, cinnamon, vanilla, peanut butter, etc. This was our favorite substitute in our muffin recipe due to flavor so it would make a great substitute for anyone who loves bananas, plus this one is a vegan egg substitute. Ripe bananas work better than green bananas. If you need to ripen your bananas quickly try putting them in a paper bag the day before you use them!
Substitution 3: Flax Seeds (or chia seeds)
1 tablespoon ground Flaxseeds + 3 tablespoons water = 1 Large Egg
You can use flaxseeds and chia seeds to make great egg substitutes for any baked goods. Mix the tablespoon ground flax seed with the 3 tablespoon water and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken before using. The flax eggs (or chia eggs) will produce a speckled look, but I like to use chia seeds to mimic poppy seeds in lemon poppy seed muffins or bread. This is probably the most common substitute in vegan baking and for those on a vegan diet.
Substitution 4: Apple Sauce
¼ cup of Applesauce (unsweetened) = 1 Large Egg
You can use applesauce in place of an egg in many baked goods. It is 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.
Substitution 5: Vinegar and Baking Soda
1 tablespoon of Vinegar + 1 teaspoon Baking Soda = 1 Large Egg
Vinegar and baking soda can be used in place of an egg in cakes, muffins, or pancakes. 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 would help offset that. Mix the vinegar and baking soda in a jar first to start the reaction, then add to your baked good mixture. This substitution is somewhat strange because it is not thick and does not 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 rise but once it is done reacting, it ends up setting in place wherever it ends up. Try to use rice vinegar or white vinegar as apple cider vinegar tends to have a stronger flavor. Baking powder should not be used because it is a mix of cream of tartar, corn starch, and baking soda, not just baking soda.
Substitution 6: Avocado
¼ cup avocado = 1 Egg
Mashed avocado can replace an egg in any baked goods. This was our other favorite replacement. The avocado should be well blended or mashed to ensure a smooth texture but in our testing we rough mashed them and had no problems with baking. The avocado will give your baked goods a green hue but maintains a neutral flavor.
There are so many egg substitutes and even more within the store. There are even some commercial egg replacers, like Just Egg for a vegan option. We hope that these substitutions are helpful and help keep things stress free and joyous in the kitchen!
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