Substitutes for eggs

For one egg in cookies, muffins or quick breads, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 to 10 minutes. For moist cakes, 1/4 cup applesauce works.

7 options, scored for what you are making · Checked

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  1. Aquafaba (chickpea liquid)

    Great fit

    ¼ cup aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)

    For this dish: Mild and neutral, and it can be whipped for some lift in light cakes.

    How: Use 1/4 cup (about 57 g) per whole egg, from a can of chickpeas.

    What changes: Adds almost no flavor or color and can be whipped. It gives little structure.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  2. Unsweetened applesauce

    Works

    ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

    For this dish: Adds moisture, but the crumb comes out denser than with eggs.

    How: Use 1/4 cup (about 64 g) per egg. Bob's Red Mill suggests adding 1 teaspoon baking powder per 1/4 cup of applesauce to keep the crumb lighter.

    What changes: Keeps the bake moist. Cookies turn cakey, and cakes and muffins get denser. Too much can make them gummy.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  3. Silken tofu

    Works

    ¼ cup silken tofu, blended smooth

    For this dish: Moist and neutral, but a bit heavy for light cakes.

    How: Blend until completely smooth, then use 1/4 cup (about 57 g) per egg.

    What changes: Adds moisture with neutral flavor and color. It can make baked goods dense.

    Contains soy.

  4. Plain Greek yogurt

    Works

    ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

    For this dish: Tender and moist, but heavier than egg-leavened cake.

    How: Use 1/4 cup (about 57 g) per egg. Full-fat gives a richer result.

    What changes: Adds moisture and tenderness. Large amounts can weigh down the bake and make it gummy.

    Contains milk.

  5. Sparkling water or seltzer

    Works

    ¼ cup plain sparkling water or seltzer

    For this dish: Can lift a light cake, but it adds no binding or richness.

    How: Use 1/4 cup (about 57 g) per egg and fold it in gently at the end.

    What changes: Adds lift to light batters but no binding. Results are hit-or-miss, and it does not blend well into eggs creamed with butter.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  6. Ground flaxseed + water

    Avoid

    1 tbsp ground flaxseed (flax meal) and 3 tbsp water

    For this dish: Flax binds but does not trap air, so light, fluffy cakes turn dense.

    How: Stir the flax and water together and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes until thick. Whole flaxseed must be ground first.

    What changes: Adds body and binds, but gives no lift or structure. The flavor is slightly nutty.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  7. Mashed banana or pumpkin puree

    Avoid

    ¼ cup mashed ripe banana or pumpkin puree

    For this dish: The flavor and color show, and the crumb gets dense.

    How: Use 1/4 cup (about 57 g) per egg.

    What changes: Adds moisture, plus banana or pumpkin flavor and color. Cookies turn cakey and muffins get denser.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

Scores are our editorial judgement from the sources below, not lab tests.

What eggs does in a recipe

Eggs do several jobs in baking. They bind ingredients, add moisture, and trap air so batters rise and set. The proteins also firm up as they cook, which gives structure to cakes and custards. A substitute only covers some of these jobs, so pick one that matches what the egg is doing in your recipe.

Swap it in your recipe with Sous Chef

A substitution is more than one ingredient line. The steps that use it change too. Sous Chef edits both on a working copy of your recipe, so the original is always one tap away.

You ask Sous Chef

"I don't have eggs."

Sous Chef edits the recipe

1 large egg
1 tbsp ground flaxseed (flax meal) and 3 tbsp water
Added to the steps: Stir the flax and water together and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes until thick. Whole flaxseed must be ground first.
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When not to substitute

Skip substitutes when the recipe is built on eggs: quiche, custard pies, soufflés, and sponge, chiffon or angel food cakes. The more eggs you replace, the more the result changes.

Common questions

What can I use instead of an egg in a cake mix or cake recipe?

Aquafaba (1/4 cup per egg) or applesauce (1/4 cup per egg) are the easiest. Sponge, chiffon and angel food cakes depend on eggs for structure, so they are poor candidates.

How do you make a flax egg?

Mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water. Let it rest 5 to 10 minutes until thick. It binds but does not add lift.

Can I replace more than one egg?

You can, but the more eggs you replace, the more the result changes. You can also replace only some of the eggs and keep the rest.

Related

Sources

Cook with what you have.

Import any recipe into Sous Chef and ask for the swap. It rewrites the ingredient list and the steps, and never loses the original. Free on iPhone.

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