What You Can Use Instead Of Eggs When Baking

If you love to bake, then you know eggs are usually an integral part of many delicious baked goods. Not only do they add flavor, but they help cakes rise, and help make foods fluffy rather than hard. If you have an egg allergy, are vegan, or are sick of paying the high price of eggs these days, then you may wonder what you can use instead of eggs when baking.

Some great egg alternatives when baking include popular pantry items like apple sauce, nut butter, and a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. You can use pumpkin puree, mashed ripe bananas, or silken tofu instead of eggs if you are vegan. For the healthiest alternatives to eggs, use ground chia or flax seeds and water. You can also try unique alternatives like aquafaba.

Eggs might be a commonplace ingredient in baked goods, but it’s possible to make delicious and perfectly textured baked goods without them. Whether you have an allergy, are vegan, or don’t have eggs in your house, there are many egg substitutes listed below you can use instead of fresh eggs that will yield surprisingly delicious results.

Foods You Can Use In Place Of Fresh Eggs For Baking

1. Apple Sauce

Apple sauce has been used as a healthy egg substitute in baking for many years. It is much lower in cholesterol and fat, and it is also animal-free. Apple sauce has pectin and lots of sugar, which help to bind ingredients and add flavor. 

Keep in mind, however, that apple sauce won’t leaven your baked items, so they will come out more dense. 

Apple sauce is a great substitute for eggs in pancakes and quick breads like banana bread. If you are making a sweet baked good, especially one with apple or cinnamon flavors, then you may want to use apple sauce instead of eggs.

How To Substitute Apple Sauce For Eggs: Use one ¼ cup of apple sauce for each egg.

2. A Vinegar And Baking Soda Mixture

One great egg substitute that most people have in their kitchen pantry is a combination of vinegar and baking soda. When these two common household items are mixed, they make carbon dioxide.

The carbon dioxide forms bubbles, which help make your baked goods light and fluffy, just like eggs would. This substitute works great in anything from cakes to quick breads. White and apple cider are the best types of vinegar to use, as their flavors help rather than hinder flavors in sweet baked items.

How To Substitute Vinegar And Baking Soda For Eggs: Mix one teaspoon of baking soda and one tablespoon of vinegar for each egg in a recipe.

3. Aquafaba

One lesser-known but easy-to-find egg substitute is aquafaba. Aquafaba is the residual liquid leftover when you cook beans. The best aquafaba to use for baking is the aquafaba from chickpeas. 

This magical liquid has gelatinizing, leavening, and binding properties, which make it a perfect substitute for eggs in most recipes. It is also plant-based, which makes it great for health-conscious individuals and vegans alike.

How To Substitute Aquafaba For Eggs: Use two tablespoons of aquafaba for each whole egg, and two tablespoons for each egg white.

4. Powdered Or Liquid Egg Replacement 

For those who are allergic to eggs or require shelf-stable egg alternatives, there are many egg replacements available. Egg Beaters is a popular brand of non-egg liquid that cooks, looks, and tastes like real eggs.

There are also powdered egg alternatives. While the consistency and ingredients of these egg replacements may differ, the concept is the same.

How To Substitute Egg Replacements For Real Eggs: There are many egg replacements, so exact substitutions may vary. For most liquid egg replacements, it’s usually one ¼ cup for each egg.

5. Ground Chia Seeds

One of the most nutritious ingredients you can use instead of eggs when baking is chia seeds. If you have ever tasted chia seed pudding, you’ll know these seeds take on a jelly-like texture when exposed to water. 

Ground chia seeds combined with water is a great binding agent and has a jelly texture similar to eggs. Chia seeds also don’t have a strong flavor, so they can be used in sweet and savory baked items. They are also loaded with protein and other nutrients. 

How To Substitute Chia Seeds For Eggs: Use 1.5 tablespoons of ground chia seeds (mixed with 2.5 tablespoons of water) for one whole egg.

6. Yogurt

Yogurt is another popular food item that many people have in the fridge at home. You can use plain yogurt, or vanilla yogurt in sweet recipes, instead of eggs. Greek yogurt, with its silky texture and high protein content, works best. All yogurt is a good binding ingredient and can help keep all other ingredients held together.

Unlike eggs, however, it won’t leaven your food when cooked, so it works best in more dense recipes. It is a particularly good substitution for brownies and banana bread.

How To Substitute Yogurt For Eggs: Use ¼ cup of yogurt for every egg when baking.

7. Mashed Bananas

If you have overly ripe bananas, instead of throwing them away, consider mashing them and using them instead of eggs when you bake sweet bread or make pancakes. Mashed bananas are a commonly used egg substitute for vegans and health-conscious individuals.

Bananas are a good egg replacement because they bind ingredients together well, and they are moist, especially when ripe. Keep in mind the more ripe the banana, the stronger its flavor will be in the baked good. Also, bananas won’t leaven your bread, so use them in pancakes and dense breads for best results.

How To Substitute Bananas For Eggs: Use ¼ cup ripe mashed banana for each egg in any recipe.

8. Soft Tofu

Soft or “silken” tofu is another healthy, vegan substitute for eggs that works well when baking. Silken tofu has a velvety texture and lots of moisture, which helps to improve the mouthfeel of baked goods while adding moisture.

It is a great binding agent but has almost no flavor, so it can be used in just about any dense baked good. It is also a great egg substitute in puddings and custards. While vegan, tofu does contain soy gluten, so keep that in mind before substituting it in a gluten-free recipe.

How To Substitute Soft Tofu For Eggs: Use one mashed ¼ of silken tofu for every egg when baking.

9. Pumpkin Puree

If you are looking for a healthy egg substitute, especially when preparing a holiday feast, consider using pumpkin puree. While pumpkin puree won’t make your baked goods fluffy, it will help keep them moist.

Pumpkin puree is a great binding agent and a great substitution for eggs in holiday quick breads like pumpkin loaf. You can use it instead of eggs in pancakes to give your breakfast a pumpkin spice kick. 

Pumpkin puree is also considered healthier than eggs, and it’s a great way to add additional fiber to your baked goods.

How To Substitute Pumpkin Puree For Eggs:  Use ¼ cup pumpkin puree for each egg in a recipe.

10. Ground Flax Seed

Perhaps the healthiest substitute for eggs when baking is ground flax seed. Flax seeds are loaded with fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower cholesterol. Like chia seeds, flax seeds are a great binding agent when combined with water. 

This is a heart-healthy substitution you can use in dense sweet breads, muffins, and pancakes or waffles.

How To Substitute Ground Flax Seeds For Eggs: Combine one tablespoon of ground flax seeds with three tablespoons of filtered water for each egg when baking.

11. Buttermilk

There are many ways to use up leftover buttermilk in your fridge, including using it instead of eggs in several recipes. Buttermilk has a tangy flavor and packs lots of moisture. This makes it a great substitute in dense baked goods like banana bread and brownies. It also goes well in pancakes. 

How To Substitute Buttermilk For Eggs: Use ¼ cup of buttermilk for each egg when baking.

Summing Up What You Can Use Instead Of Eggs When Baking

Eggs are found in most baking recipes, but that doesn’t mean you have to use them. There are many common ingredients you can use instead of eggs. Fruits like bananas, applesauce, and even pumpkin puree can replace eggs in dense breads and pancakes. If you want to make your baked items healthier, use ground chia or flax seeds, or silken tofu. You can even use aquafaba, the liquid leftover from cooking chickpeas, instead of eggs in just about any recipe.

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