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Jul312014

Egg Substitutes in Cooking and Baking

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Egg Substitutions

Find the recipe card at the end of the post. Make sure to read the content as it contains chef tips, substitution options, answers to FAQs to help you succeed the first time around!

Whether you’re egg-free by choice or by allergy, here’s a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking!

One of the things in creating recipes is to be mindful of food allergies and give options for those that want to make the dish but due to an ingredient that is key, they cannot due to an allergy. 

Now I’m pretty well versed in gluten-free stuff, nut-free and low carb/low cal/ low fat but egg substitution I’m still learning. 

I’ve been fortunate to have the TKW family help me out with this as they either themselves or have someone in their family with egg allergies and they’ve taught me things to use in place of eggs and still have the recipe turn out awesome.

Egg Substitutions

Through them, educating myself and research on the net I’ve comprised a list of Egg Substitutes in Cooking and Baking that hopefully will help you out.

In a typical recipe for baked goods, eggs generally play one of two roles:

– They act as a Binder. Meaning they are used to hold the recipe together. Or;
– They act as a Leavening Agent.  Essentially they are used in a recipe to help the food rise.

However, sometimes eggs play both roles at once. What you need to do with going with an egg substitute is determining which purpose the eggs primarily held in the recipe. Once that is figured out it will help you determine what options for a replacement you might have.

Basic Egg Substitutions

Peanut butter      Whether you're egg-free by choice or by allergy, here's a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking

  1. 3 tablespoon of peanut butter = 1 egg

Ground Flax

Whether you're egg-free by choice or by allergy, here's a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking

  1. 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water. Whisk until gelatinous and creamy.

Chia Seed

Whether you're egg-free by choice or by allergy, here's a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking

  1. 1 tablespoon + 3 tablespoon water. Stir and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Soy Protein

Whether you're egg-free by choice or by allergy, here's a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking

  1. 1 tablespoon soy protein + 3 tablespoon water. Mix and use immediately.

Banana

Whether you're egg-free by choice or by allergy, here's a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking

  1. 1/2 cup mashed banana = 1 egg

Applesauce

Whether you're egg-free by choice or by allergy, here's a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking

  1. 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce = 1 egg

Agar agar

Whether you're egg-free by choice or by allergy, here's a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking

  1. 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon water. Mix and use immediately.

Egg substitutions in Cooking

Tofu

Tofu is great for egg substitutions in recipes that call for a lot of eggs, like quiches or custards. To replace one egg in a recipe, purée 1/4 cup soft tofu. It is important to keep in mind that although tofu doesn’t fluff up like eggs, it does create a texture that is perfect for “eggy” dishes.

Egg substitutions in baking as a binder

For recipes which use eggs primarily as a binder (such as drop cookies), possible substitutions for one egg include:

  1. 1/2 of a medium banana, mashed
  2. 1/4 cup of applesauce (or other pureed fruit)
  3. 3 1/2 tablespoon unflavored gelatin blend: 1 cup boiling water and 2 teaspoon gelatin.  You will have a bit leftover so only use 3 1/2 tablespoon!
  4. 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water
  5. Commercial egg replacement products

Substituting Xanthan Gum for Eggs

Xanthan gum can be added to egg-free cakes and cookies, as well as milk-free ice cream, to bind and add texture. Use about one teaspoon per recipe. Xanthan gum is a white powder derived from the exoskeleton of a bacterium. It is cultivated on corn sugar.

Egg Substitutions As a Leavening Agent

For recipes which use eggs primarily as a leavening agent you can try a commercial egg replacement product (see above) or the following mixture:

  1. 1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon baking powder (not baking soda!) per egg.

Additional Egg Substitution Replacement Tips

  1. If a recipe calls for three or more eggs, it is important to choose a replacer that will perform the same function (i.e., binding or leavening).
  2. Trying to replicate airy baked goods that call for a lot of eggs, such as angel food cake, can be very difficult. Instead, look for a recipe with a similar taste but fewer eggs, which will be easier to replicate.
  3. When adding tofu to a recipe as an egg replacer, be sure to purée it first to avoid chunks in the finished product.
  4. Be sure to use plain tofu, not seasoned or baked, as a replacer.
  5. Powdered egg replacers cannot be used to create egg recipes such as scrambles or omelets. Tofu is the perfect substitute for eggs in these applications.
  6. If you want a lighter texture and you’re using fruit purées as an egg substitute, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Fruit purées tend to make the final product denser than the original recipe.
  7. If you’re looking for an egg replacer that binds, try adding 2 to 3 Tbsp. of any of the following for each egg: tomato paste, potato starch, arrowroot powder, whole wheat flour, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, instant potato flakes, or 1/4 cup tofu puréed with 1 tablespoon flour.

Egg Substitutions

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Egg Substitutes in Cooking and Baking

  • Author: The Kitchen Whisperer

Whether you’re egg-free by choice or by allergy, here’s a trusty Egg Substitution guide for baking and cooking

Egg Substitutions
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★★★★★ 4.9 from 11 reviews
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Ingredients

  • Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 banana
  • Ground Flax
  • Chia Seed
  • Soy Protein
  • Applesauce
  • Agar agar

Instructions

Peanut butter

  1. 3 tablespoon of peanut butter = 1 egg

Ground Flax

  1. 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water. Whisk until gelatinous and creamy.

Chia Seed

  1. 1 tablespoon + 3 tablespoon water. Stir and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Soy Protein

  1. 1 tablespoon soy protein + 3 tablespoon water. Mix and use immediately.

Banana

  1. 1/2 cup mashed banana = 1 egg

Applesauce

  1. 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce = 1 egg

Agar agar

  1. 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon water. Mix and use immediately.

Notes

Tofu

  • Tofu is great for egg substitutions in recipes that call for a lot of eggs, like quiches or custards. To replace one egg in a recipe, purée 1/4 cup soft tofu. It is important to keep in mind that although tofu doesn’t fluff up like eggs, it does create a texture that is perfect for “eggy” dishes.

As a Binder

For recipes which use eggs primarily as a binder (such as drop cookies), possible substitutions for one egg include:

  • 1/2 of a medium banana, mashed
  • 1/4 cup of applesauce (or other pureed fruit)
  • 3 1/2 tablespoon unflavored gelatin blend: 1 cup boiling water and 2 teaspoon gelatin. You will have a bit left over so only use 3 1/2 tablespoon!
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water; let stand 1 minute before using
  • Commercial egg replacement products

Xanthan Gum

  • Xanthan gum can be added to egg-free cakes and cookies, as well as milk-free ice cream, to bind and add texture. Use about one teaspoon per recipe. Xanthan gum is a white powder derived from the exoskeleton of a bacterium. It is cultivated on corn sugar.

As a Leavening Agent

For recipes which use eggs primarily as a leavening agent you can try a commercial egg replacement product (see above) or the following mixture:

1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon baking powder (not baking soda!) per egg.

Additional Egg Replacement Tips

  1. If a recipe calls for three or more eggs, it is important to choose a replacer that will perform the same function (i.e., binding or leavening).
  2. Trying to replicate airy baked goods that call for a lot of eggs, such as angel food cake, can be very difficult. Instead, look for a recipe with a similar taste but fewer eggs, which will be easier to replicate.
  3. When adding tofu to a recipe as an egg replacer, be sure to purée it first to avoid chunks in the finished product.
  4. Be sure to use plain tofu, not seasoned or baked, as a replacer.
  5. Powdered egg replacers cannot be used to create egg recipes such as scrambles or omelets. Tofu is the perfect substitute for eggs in these applications.
  6. If you want a lighter texture and you’re using fruit purées as an egg substitute, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Fruit purées tend to make the final product denser than the original recipe.
  7. If you’re looking for an egg replacer that binds, try adding 2 to 3 Tbsp. of any of the following for each egg: tomato paste, potato starch, arrowroot powder, whole wheat flour, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, instant potato flakes, or 1/4 cup tofu puréed with 1 tablespoon flour.

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Please feel free to leave a comment on other egg substitutes you use for eggs in baking and cooking!

Pairs Perfectly With:

Chunky Portabella Italian Parmesan Veggie Burgers
The Best Damn Veggie Burger! Chunky Portabella Mushroom Veggie Burgers
Ultimate Meatloaf with Tangy Sauce Ultimate Meatloaf with Tangy Sauce

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Recipe Reviews & Comments

  1. Ethan Lashlee says

    February 11, 2023 at 10:51 am

    What about zuchinni?

    Reply
    • TKWAdmin says

      February 13, 2023 at 8:46 am

      As an egg replacement???

      Reply
  2. Manajemen says

    January 9, 2023 at 3:52 am

    If you don’t use eggs, will the results be the same as using eggs?

    Reply
    • TKWAdmin says

      January 9, 2023 at 12:20 pm

      That’s a rather broad question that you can really answer specifically. Depending on the recipe and application use, it’ll depend.

      A good example is to look at say vegan recipes and compare it against non-vegan that uses eggs.

      Best Kitchen Wishes!

      Reply
  3. Sarah says

    November 5, 2021 at 4:28 am

    Hi! Can I replace egg white the same way I’d replace a whole egg? For example, if a recipes called for 3 egg whites, can I just use 3/4 cup of applesauce?? Thanks so much!!

    Reply
    • TKWAdmin says

      November 6, 2021 at 2:46 pm

      Hi Sarah!

      So it depends on the type of recipe you’re making. Like you couldn’t use applesauce in place of egg whites to make say meringue. For that, I would suggest using Aquafaba. But for a regular cookie recipe yes, it should work. At most I would perhaps add a bit more leavening agent (baking soda or powder) to give the cookies a lighter texture.

      Best Kitchen Wishes!

      Reply
  4. Shaundra says

    October 25, 2021 at 11:03 am

    This is such a helpful post! I can’t eat eggs but love to cook and bake! Thank you so much for sharing!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • TKWAdmin says

      October 25, 2021 at 11:03 am

      So happy to help!

      Best Kitchen Wishes!

      Reply
  5. Home Shopper says

    May 6, 2021 at 2:48 am

    nice looking sites and great work. Pretty nice information. it has a better understanding. thanks for spending time on it.

    Reply
  6. Tahira Akhtar says

    March 26, 2021 at 4:28 am

    Can you use a chickpea egg using chickpea flour and water and use it similar to A flax/chia egg?

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • TKWAdmin says

      March 26, 2021 at 8:09 am

      Hi Tahira,

      I know you can sub 3 Tbl of aquafaba liquid for one whole egg. I believe for chickpea flour it’s 3 Tbl of flour mixed with 3 Tbl water until thick and creamy for a large egg. XL egg is 4Tbl of each.

      Best Kitchen Wishes!

      Reply
  7. Gail says

    December 7, 2020 at 8:31 am

    Hi Lori,

    As a new vegan, this has helped me immensely. Thank you so much for sharing.

    Now, I’m about to make two batches of chocolate chip cookies 1 with a banana and 1 with applesauce to see which I prefer.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Mrs Sandra Oluich says

    October 30, 2020 at 12:18 am

    Hello What a great topic, and thank you for the information it contains. My granddaughter has a serious problem with eggs. I have recently discovered two Orgran products. What I want to know is which replacer do I use to replace 5 eggs in a large tray of Greek Spanakopita?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • TKWAdmin says

      October 30, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      Hi Sandra,

      I’m not familiar with their products. For the eggs perhaps look at ground nuts like soaked raw cashews or silken tofu.

      Best Kitchen Wishes!

      Reply
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