Have you ever wondered what can you use to replace eggs in a recipe? Well, keep reading and find out my favorite egg substitutes after six years of experimenting with eggless cooking and baking.
My Favorite Egg Substitutes
What can I use in place of eggs in a recipe?? I have been asked this question so many times, but the answer is not simple!
The truth is that eggs play different roles: they act as a binder and leavener, and also add moisture, flavor, and color.
There are a number of things that can be used to replace eggs, but you have to take into consideration the purpose that the eggs serve in the recipe. So my favorite egg replacement changes depending on what I am making.
Here is a list of my favorite Pantry Essentials for Eggless Cooking and Baking. I use all these ingredients frequently to replace eggs in my recipes.
Pantry Essentials for Eggless Cooking and Baking
Flour
I use all-purpose flour for most of my baked goods. Since I have to compensate for the lack of eggs, I usually add a bit more flour to improve the structure. Check out how I use flour for eggless baking in these recipes: Eggless Vanilla Cake and Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes.
Baking Soda
This is a chemical leavaner that works great and produces fluffy baked goods when mixed with an acid, such as vinegar, buttermilk, or lemon.
Baking Powder
I use this dry chemical leavening agent that helps to make your baked goods fluffy. To avoid a chemical aftertaste, make sure your baking powder is labeled aluminum free. I usually use the Clabber Girl brand, and though the ingredients state aluminum, I’ve never noticed an aluminum aftertaste.
to make “fake eggs” mostly for cookie recipes. Check out how I use and make fake eggs in these recipes: Eggless Snickerdoodle and Eggless Chocolate Crinkles.
Unsweetened natural cocoa powder
I like to use unsweetened natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed because it’s more acidic and reacts with baking soda, allowing your baked goods to rise; this is especially important in egg-free baking. The acidity in natural cocoa powder activates the baking soda in the recipe and causes the batter to rise in the oven. Dutch-process cocoa powder has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity and is therefore not acidic enough to activate the baking soda.
Flaxseed Meal
Mix 1 tablespoon of golden flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons of water to replace 1 egg in recipes for bread, meatballs, meatloaf, and eggless cauliflower pizza crust. I don’t like using “flax eggs” for baked goods, like cake and cupcakes, because they add a rubbery texture.
Chia Seeds
Mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds + 2.5 tablespoons of water to make one “chia egg”. I like to use chia eggs only when baking with oats. Check out how I use chia seeds for eggless baking in these recipes: Eggless Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies and Eggless Baked Apple Oatmeal Muffins.
Starches
These work well as binders and thickeners. I always have handy cornstarch, tapioca starch, and potato starch. Mix 2 tablespoons starch + 3 tablespoons water to replace 1 regular egg. This mix is good to replace up to 2 eggs, in my opinion. Check out how I use starches for eggless baking in these recipes: Eggless Pumpkin Pie and Eggless Dulce de Leche Cheesecake.
Black Salt
Black salt or Kala namak is a type of rock salt, a salty and pungent-smelling condiment used in South Asia. Although it is called black salt, its color is not black, it has a purple-ish to pink-ish color. Due to its sulfur content, it tastes and smells like hard-boiled egg yolks. This salt is used in many vegan/eggless recipes to mimic the flavor of the eggs. I use it in recipes where eggs are the main ingredient, such as French Toast and Pastry Cream.
Aquafaba
Aquafaba is the liquid leftover from cooked chickpeas. It can be whipped to make mayo, meringues, mousse, pavlovas, marshmallow cream, macaroons, and more. Or you can use the liquid “as is” as an egg binder to make croquettes, meatballs, meatloaf, and potato cakes. 3 tablespoons of aquafaba equal 1 egg. Learn how to make the most amazing mayonnaise with aquafaba or How to Make Eggless Meringue.
Vinegar
Keep it handy to add when making cakes and cupcakes. Apple cider vinegar is my fave, but regular white vinegar will work fine too.
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Condensed milk can also be used as an egg replacement in cakes, muffins, and sweet bread. ¼ cup condensed milk can be used in place of 1 egg. If you are using sweetened condensed milk, reduce the quantity of sugar called in the recipe by half.
Evaporated Milk
I use Evaporated Milk in many of my custard-y eggless desserts, such as Easy Eggless Pastry Cream or Easy Eggless Flan, to add creaminess and richness, which sometimes is missing due to the lack of egg yolks. You don’t have evaporated milk? No problem!! Check out my post about How to Make Evaporated Milk at home.
Pumpkin Pure
Pumpkin puree has a strong flavor and color, so it’s better to use when making pumpkin bread, muffins or Quick & Easy Eggless Pumpkin Waffles. ¼ cup pumpkin puree will replace 1 egg.
Unflavored Gelatin
I use unflavored gelatin in no-bake desserts, such as no-bake cheesecake, panna cotta, and others.
Applesauce
Use ¼ cup of applesauce to replace 1 egg. This works best for muffins, sweet bread, and some brownie recipes, such as my Eggless Red Velvet Brownies. I use and recommend unsweetened applesauce.
Bananas
Bananas add moisture and act as a binder. Use ½ ripe banana to replace 1 egg. Best for muffins and sweet bread.
Fridge Essentials for Eggless Cooking and Baking
Buttermilk
I use buttermilk in most of my eggless recipes. It’s great to make pancakes, waffles, cakes, cupcakes, and much more.
You don’t have Buttermilk? NO problem!!
To make 1 cup of buttermilk, combine 1 cup of whole milk and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or lemon juice. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 8 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened, and you will see small curdled bits.
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese can be a great substitute for cookies. Use 3 oz of cream cheese to replace 1 egg. Check out my Sugar Cookies and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Yogurt
Use ¼ cup to replace 1 egg. I like to use full-fat plain regular yogurt to replace eggs in cake and brownie mix boxes. I do not recommend using Greek yogurt because the consistency is too thick. You can replace plain regular yogurt with sour cream.
Sour Cream
I recommend using the full-fat versions. If sour cream is difficult to find in your country, learn How to Make Sour Cream at Home.
It took me years to figure out this eggless cooking and baking thing, and I’m still learning and testing, but I hope that this list and my recipes help you make all kinds of yummy recipes for your loved ones.
I would LOVE to hear your feedback!! What are your favorite egg substitutes?
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Rubbermaid. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
LOVE this blog! I’ve always loved baking and when we found out my son has an anaphylactic egg allergy I was crushed that he wouldn’t get to experience so many baked goodies. I was so excited to find your blog just before his first birthday so he could actually have the full experience! Since then we’ve enjoyed all the cakes, cupcakes and muffins! THANK YOU for giving us straight forward recipes to try with lots of tips!
Hello Amy! You just made my day =) Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
Hi !! You are my life/ kitchen saviour. 😃 My son has an allergy on egg with combination of histamine intollerance. Your recipes are super! They already helped me a lot. 🙂 Sometimes I make some changes cause of histamine, but I am saying HUUUGE THANK YOU. 🤗
Hello Kati! I am glad to hear that my recipe are helpful for you and your family =) Thanks so much for trying my recipes and taking the time to come back and let me know. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help! xo
Hi Oriana ! i’ve been using your recipes for my granddaughter who has egg and tree nut allergies. I was wondering what you would suggest to use for egg replacement in stuffing? I tried last Thanksgiving the Vegan egg and the consistency was way off. Recipe calls for 3 eggs… so many of our family recipes include eggs and I’m trying to figure things out…. Thanks for any suggestions…..Thank you for your time and all the research you so happily share.
Hello Laura! I am glad you are here =) Unfortunately, one egg replacement won’t work well for all recipes. I haven’t tried to replace eggs in a stuffing recipe but I would certainly add it to my to-do list. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
There is definitely a need for this website! I’m literally a pastry chef, and had my world crash around me with an egg intolerance diagnosis 3 months ago. The French do amazing things with eggs, and I’m going to miss them all like crazy, but I’m looking at this as a challenge. So far, I’ve found aquafaba to be the best egg substitute. Keep it up, Oriana! You’re a God-send.
Hello Kate! You are so sweet. Your message means the world to me. It has been a long journey trying to learn how to bake without eggs, I am still learning. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out of you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help! 🙂 Stay safe and take care of yourself and your loved ones. xo
My 3-year-old grandson is allergic to eggs. We read labels and look for ways to expand his food choices. Last week I made your eggless sugar cookies for my grandson’s birthday celebration. They were a hit! In fact, my son liked them better than my sugar cookies with eggs. Thanks so much..
Sherrell
Hello Sherrell! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
Hi there – I’ve always lived to cook and bake but recently developed an egg intolerance. Thank you so much for your site and especially the baking information! I’m doing really well changing my diet but it’s still hard when things that have been available to me my entire life are suddenly off the table.
Hello Devon! I am sorry to hear about your egg intolerance. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
My 1 yr old grandson has an egg allergy so I am so glad to have found you! I made your Eggless Vanilla Cake for his birthday and it was delicious. I also made your chocolate chip cookies and my daughter couldn’t believe they didn’t have egg. My daughter has a peanut allergy so I am use to reading labels and such but really don’t want to make two different types of foods for him and his sister. I am going to try your cinnamon rolls this weekend!
Hello Jeri! I’m delighted to hear that you and your family enjoyed it so much. You are going to LOVE the cinnamon rolls. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Hi Oriana…SO happy to come across your blog! Just found out I have an egg allergy…in my 60’s.
You have a treasure-house of recipes and I can’t wait to start working my way through them! I esp love how you’ve organized which sub to use for different recipes.
There is 1 additional egg substitute I found on Kitchn and their article about their 8 fav egg sub. It’s a quarter cup of carbonated water. I haven’t tried it yet but wanted to share since you’d asked.
Looking forward to eating my fav “egg” recipes once again. Think I’ll start with your French toast recipe!
Thank you,
Brenda
Hello Brenda! So glad you found my eggless recipes. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out of you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help! ?
I haven’t tried any of your recipes yet but I’ve just discovered your page and it’s exactly what I’m looking for. I think my 2 year old daughter has egg allergies and it is difficult when she wants but can’t have everything her siblings are eating. If I can make delicious eggless food then they can all enjoy it without her feeling left out as she’s too young to understand yet. thankyou so much orianna.
Hello Zeenat! I am so happy you found my recipes. I know exactly what you going through. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue cooking and baking. Please make sure to reach out of you have any questions. I am happy to help! ?
The link was supposed to be for a page about the pantry essentials for eggless cooking. There was a lot of other text — it appears to be your introductory page — with your picture and links to lots of recipes. So, where can i find out what those pantry essentials are?
Hello Rsp! So sorry about that, it must have been a glitch. This is the direct link: https://mommyshomecooking.com/pantry-essential-for-eggless-cooking-and-baking/
Love your recipe a game changer for my son with egg allergies.
Hello Patricia! Awww…thanks so much! Comments like yours warm my heart. xo
Hi there, where do you get the labels for the containers you have pictured here in your pantry? I could really use those! Thanks
Hello Darcie! I bought them at Michaels and Amazon (https://amzn.to/2MIaXHb). Hope this help! =)