Egg Substitutes

Out of eggs, or need to avoid them for health reasons? Here are egg substitutes to satisfy all of your baking and cooking needs.

Since most recipes in the U.S. call for large eggs, these substitutes are designed to replace large eggs. You can replace up to three eggs in a recipe with good results.

Best Egg Substitutes for Cakes

Eggs act as a leavening agent in cakes, so you need an egg substitute that’ll help your cake rise. Here are some options to consider:

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Measure all the ingredients for your cake into a mixing bowl. Then, add one Tablespoon of vinegar (white or apple cider) and one teaspoon of baking soda per egg. Stir, until a batter forms. Then, get your cake in the oven quickly. The leavening power of vinegar and baking soda is short lived.

Yogurt or Sour Cream

Add 1/4 cup of yogurt or sour cream per egg. This will leaven the cake, while contributing some moisture to the finished product. Plain or vanilla yogurt can be used in this substitute. If you only have Greek yogurt on hand, thin it to the consistency of regular yogurt by using three Tablespoons yogurt and one Tablespoon milk or water per egg.

Baking Powder, Oil and Water

Mix together two teaspoons baking powder, one Tablespoon oil and two Tablespoons of water per egg. Add this mixture, after all other ingredients have been added to the cake.

Carbonated Water

Own a Soda Stream, or have a bottle of club soda in the fridge? Use 1/4 cup carbonated water as a replacement for one egg. For the best results, add the water after everything else has been added. Then, get your cake in the oven quickly.

Best Egg Substitutes for Muffins, Cookies and Pancakes

Eggs act as both a binding agent and a source of moisture in muffin, cookie and pancake recipes. Here are some egg substitutes that are capable of performing both duties:

Fruit Puree

Use 1/4 cup of applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree or mashed avocado for each egg called for. This will change the flavor and color of the recipe a bit, so pick whichever fruit you think will work best. Since fruit puree is a lot denser than egg, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each egg you replaced.

You may also find it necessary to extend the bake time to compensate for the extra moisture.

Mashed Potatoes

For recipes where a sweet substitute just won’t do, use mashed potatoes. Pull out the leftover mashed potatoes from last night’s dinner, or whip up a quick batch from instant potato flakes. 1/4 cup per egg will get the job done. Add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for every egg you replace. This will keep your baked goods from getting too dense.

Yogurt or Sour Cream

Use 1/4 cup yogurt or sour cream per egg. Stick to plain yogurt in savory breads. If you only have Greek yogurt, use three Tablespoons yogurt and one Tablespoon milk or water per egg.

Soy Flour

Combine one heaping Tablespoon of soy flour and two Tablespoons of water, for each egg that you’re replacing.

Ground Flaxseed or Chia Seeds

Combine one heaping Tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seeds and three Tablespoons of cold water to replace one egg. Wait for the mixture to gel; then, add it to your recipe.

Use a coffee grinder to grind the seeds yourself, or start with seed meal (that’s what food manufacturers’ call the ground seeds). This substitute will add a nutty flavor to whatever you’re making.

Buttermilk

Replace each egg called for with 1/4 cup buttermilk. This will help to bind the ingredients together, while contributing moisture and flavor to your finished baked goods.

Aquafaba

Don’t let the fancy name fool you. It’s just the liquid that’s found in a can of beans. You’re probably used to pouring it down the drain. But, you may want to rethink that because it happens to be a great egg substitute. Use three Tablespoons aquafaba to replace each egg. Chickpeas and white beans produce the best aquafaba.

Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch

Combine two Tablespoons of arrowroot or cornstarch and three Tablespoons of water to replace one egg.

Gelatin or Agar Agar

Create a gelatin “egg” by combining one Tablespoon of unflavored gelatin (or agar agar) and three Tablespoons of warm water for each egg that you’re replacing.

Mayonnaise

Use three Tablespoons of mayo to replace each egg that’s called for. Since egg is one of the ingredients in mayonnaise, this will actually get some of the intended egg back into your recipe. This substitute will add extra oil, so expect your baked goods to come out a bit more dense than usual.

Best Egg Substitute for Mayonnaise, Salad Dressings and Other Emulsions

Aquafaba for the win again! Use three Tablespoons of aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas or white beans) per egg to emulsify mayonnaise and other sauces that are typically made with egg.

Best Egg Substitutes for Meatloaf, Burgers and Fried Chicken

Making meatloaf, burgers or another savory dish that uses egg to bind the ingredients together? Use bread crumbs or oatmeal instead. Two to three Tablespoons per egg should be sufficient. Three tablespoons of aquafaba per egg will also work.

Making fried chicken? Use milk or aquafaba in place of the egg, when dredging your chicken. Just dip the chicken into your egg substitute. Then, dip it into your breading mixture. Easy!

Tip: Whisk aquafaba, until it’s foamy. It’ll work much better as a binder, if you do.

Best Egg Substitute in Egg Dishes (scramble, omelets, quiche, custard, egg salad)

If you’re working on a recipe where you need to fake the texture of eggs, tofu is your best bet. Use 1/4 cup of firm or extra-firm tofu per egg, when making scrambled eggs, omeletes or egg salad. Use 1/4 cup of soft or silken tofu per egg, when making quiche or custard.

Best Substitute for Egg Whites

To make meringue, macaroons and other light and airy desserts that typically rely on egg whites, aquafaba is the answer. Just measure out two Tablespoons of chickpea or white bean liquid for every egg white that you’re replacing. Then, whip the aquafaba at high speed, until it reaches the consistency of whipped egg whites. This should take 10 to 15 minutes. Unlike egg whites, aquafaba doesn’t require a stabilizer to hold its shape, so you can skip the cream of tartar, if your recipe calls for it.

This substitute will not work in an angel food cake.

Best Substitutes for Egg Yolks

If you’re making mousee, custard or another recipe that relies on egg yolks for structure and thickening, use a Tablespoon of silken tofu or coconut milk per egg. If you’re making pudding or another recipe that relies on egg yolks for thickening, use one teaspoon of soy flour or corn starch combined with two teaspoons of water, or one Tablespoon of mashed avocado, nut butter or coconut milk. If you’re making cookies, a cake or another recipe that relies on egg yolks for leavening, use one Tablespoon of silken tofu, or two Tablespoons of vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar), plus half a teaspoon of baking powder (this is in addition to any baking powder called for in the recipe).

Mix and Match Egg Substitutes

Eggs often serve more than one purpose in a recipe – acting as a leavening agent, adding moisture, binding ingredients together and lending structure and stability to the finished product. If you’re making a recipe where you know the eggs are doing more than one job, consider combining a couple of these egg substitutes to create a substitute that will do everything you need it to. This is easy to do in recipes that call for multiple eggs. Just use one substitute for half of the eggs, and another substitute for the other half.

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