What Are The Best Substitutes For Eggs? Here Are 9 Easy Egg Replacements (With Ratios!)

Looking to substitute eggs? This post will give you a detailed guide on egg substitutions for baking and cooking and will take the guesswork out for you! 

If you've been following me for a while you would know that I've been creating content around substituting some pantry staples for healthier alternatives for the past few months. Read about replacing your all-purpose flour with protein powder, white sugar with maple syrup, and vegetable oil with coconut oil.

Honestly, there are many hundreds, even thousands of alternatives in the market. You just have to look hard enough. And read the right sources! (ahem, The Sweet Pea Chef!).

So, read on for the 8 best egg substitutes for baking and cooking and try it out on one of the many tasty recipes on my blog! Whether it be on my homemade bagel recipe or the healthy banana chocolate chip muffins.....

First things first!

Why Use Egg-Free Alternatives?

There are various reasons why people need egg substitutes.  Allergies and vegan preferences are two of the most common ones.

• Egg Allergy: Did you know that egg is the most common food allergy among kids? So instead of worrying about whether or not the next thing you bake will cause an allergic reaction, best to replace it altogether.  After all, a lot of children's favorites such as cookies, cake, muffins, and waffles have eggs in the recipe.
• Vegan Diet: You might also be looking for egg-free alternatives due to ethical reasons.  I noticed that a lot of my vegan friends struggle with their new lifestyle because they can't seem to recreate vegan versions of either their go-to comfort foods or their favorite desserts.
• Out Of Eggs: And for some of us sometimes it could be that you just forgot to add eggs to your grocery haul this week (which I am sometimes guilty of on very very rare occasions, mind you!).

Nonetheless, eggs are a baking essential; so for whatever reason, you would like to go egg-free there are plenty of ways to still whip up your favorites in the kitchen.

What Is The Role Of Eggs in Recipes?

Eggs serve various purposes in baking and cooking. To better understand why not all egg- substitutes are created equally here are reasons why eggs are an important ingredient.

1. It acts as a binder. Eggs help combine the ingredients and contribute to the structure of the baked goods. If you ever wonder why that yay-high yellowcake of yours isn't falling apart it's because of the eggs.
2. It's a leavening agent.  Basically, eggs are added to help the food rise. That fluffiness in your soufflés and meringues won't be possible without eggs.
3.  It provides moisture. I've heard some horror stories about people forgetting to eggs in their cake batter. And the results are looking quite dry.  So even if you have butter, oil, and water in your cake mixture, if you forget to put an egg in it, then expect it to lack moisture.

Hands down, eggs have many uses especially when it comes to baking.

Top Egg-Free Alternatives

1. Water +  Oil + Baking Powder
   • How to substitute: 2 tablespoons water + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil = 1 egg
   • Good for: muffins, brownies
   • Recipes you can try: Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, 9-Ingredient Healthy Dark Chocolate Brownies
   • You must be thinking "That's it??". Yes! I am just as surprised as you are that these ingredients that you can easily find at home are actually an egg substitute.
   • This easy to whip up combination can leaven your baked goods like paleo cookies and a healthy carrot cake. However keep in mind, that if your recipe requires more than three eggs, this substitute just won't do as it will result in a very oil cake.
2. Silken Tofu
   • How to substitute: pureed ¼ cup of silken tofu = 1 egg
   • Good for: cakes, cupcakes, brownies, quiche, custard
   • Recipes you can try: Easy Coffee Cake Recipe
   • Yes, that stir-fry tofu from your favorite Chinese restaurant can actually be an egg-free alternative ( Of course minus the spices). Tofu is a condensed soy milk that has been processed and pressed into solid blocks.
   • 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 ¼ 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 
3. Mashed Banana
   • How to substitute: ½ cup mashed banana = 1 egg
   • Good for: cakes, cupcakes, pancakes, muffins, 
   • Recipes you can try: Healthy Banana Nut Bread, Banana Oat Blender Pancakes
   • If you like the taste of banana bread then using this egg substitute you will love it as much as I do! Mashed banana is another popular replacement for eggs since it gives you a little bit of moisture in place of an egg.
   • The only downside is that your recipe might have a mild banana taste. So if you don't mind it, then this fruit is should definitely be your go-to!
4. Pureed Fruit
   • How to substitute: ½ cup fruit puree = 1 egg
   • Good for: cakes, cupcakes, brownies, muffins, loafs
   • Recipes you can try: The Best Pumpkin Pie From Scratch,Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe
   • Fruits are the perfect ingredient to use in any recipe that needs some extra moisture since they are naturally juicy. They can also act as a binder, especially if you are using pumpkin or squash puree as an alternative.
5. Yogurt
   • How to substitute: ¼ cup yogurt = 1 egg
   • Good for: cakes, cupcakes, brownies, muffins
   • Recipes to try: The Best Healthy Blueberry Muffins, 
   • When you've run out of eggs mid-recipe, greek or plain yogurt are good substitutes for eggs. Can you use flavored or sweetened yogurt? I highly suggest that you don't since it can change the taste of your recipe.
6. Applesauce
   • How to substitute: ¼ cup of applesauce = 1 egg
   • Good for: cakes, brownies, bread
   • Recipes to try: Chocolate Zucchini Bread, One Bowl Healthy Pumpkin Bread
   • The struggle with replacing eggs in a recipe is finding one that has the same amount of moisture and binding benefits. Fruit purees such as applesauce are a great and easy substitute for eggs.
   • Not only does it give you added sweetness but it also gives you that much-needed binding ability that an egg has. Here's a tip! If you want a little bit extra leavening power when using applesauce, add ½  teaspoon of baking powder.
7. Ground Flax Seed
   • How to substitute: 1 tablespoon of flaxseed + 3 tbsps of water = 1 egg
   • Good for: pancakes, cookies, brownies, muffins
   • Recipes you can try: Flaxseed Apricot Bars,
   • I love flax seeds, I literally put them on everything, especially on my salads! (You can even ask Dustin and the kids). So, of course, I'm going to add it to this list! They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.
   • Contrary to what people may think, flax seeds aren't just for salad and smoothies.  When you grind them and whisk them together with water, the mixture thickens and gives you almost the same texture as using an egg.
8. Aquafaba
   • How to substitute: 3 tbps= 1 egg
   • Good for: meringues, marshmallows, macarons, nougat
   • Aqua-what? If you've never heard of aquafaba you're not alone, I've had dozens of people message me about it.
   • You know that extra thick liquid you get from a can of beans that's aquafaba. If you're cooking something up that only needs egg white, aquafaba will get the job done.
   • If you're worried about getting that residual bean taste, don't. I assure you that once it's cooked you won't even realize you've used bean liquid!
9. Vegan Egg Replacer
   • How to substitute: 1.5 teaspoon of egg replacer + 2-3 tablespoon of water = 1 egg
   • Good for: All baked goods
   • Recipes you can try: Healthy Ginger Molasses Cookies, Homemade Sweet Potato Soft Pretzel Bites
   • It's okay if you aren't adventurous enough to try out these other egg substitutes. If all else fails you can always get a vegan egg replacer, and yes they exist!
   • They are usually made of potato starch, tapioca starch, and leavening agents. And you can easily find them are your local supermarkets.

Eggs play a major role in adding structure, color, flavor, and consistency to your recipes.

So before you choose one of these alternatives remember that some are better for heavy and dense goods while others for light and fluffy ones.

To find which one fits your needs best you may need to experiment once or twice to get the texture and flavor you want.