The Best Plant-Based Egg Replacers for Baking

Eggs play a crucial role in many of our favorite baked goods, giving structure to cakes, color to cookies, and thickness to sauces and custards. But like other forms of intensive livestock farming, egg production also takes a toll on the health of the environment, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, ozone depletion, and contamination of soil and water.

Plant-based egg replacers are designed to give us all that we love about eggs without the environmental baggage.

But, please remember that every plant-based egg alternative won’t work in every application, so look for plant-based baking recipes or do some experimenting and find out what works for you — and then share the love and post it on social with #MeatlessMonday!

Aquafaba

Aquafaba is a fancy term for chickpea juice. Drain a can of chickpeas into a bowl and whip up the liquid as you would egg whites. Replace one egg with a quarter-cup of aquafaba to make plant-based meringues and mousses. Check out this guide to aquafaba from Minimalist Baker.

Bananas

The substitution for this one is easy: Use ¼ cup ripe banana in place of one whole egg. This swap works best in denser baked goods like muffins and pound cake, but be prepared for a subtle banana flavor. You can use apple sauce for a milder flavor.

Chia Seeds

Chia eggs are made by combing 1-tablespoon chia seed (or ground chia) and 3-tablespoons water (equals one “egg”), and letting the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Chia seeds will darken baked goods, making them ideal for brownies, muffins, and cookies.

Flaxseed

Minimal effort is required to make a flaxseed egg. Simply use the same ratio as chia seeds — 1-tablespoon flaxseed to 3-tablespoons water to make one “flax egg”— and let sit for around 5 minutes. A flaxseed eggs can be used to replace traditional eggs in pancakes, quick breads, brownies, and muffins.

Silken Tofu

Want moister baked goods with a bit of extra protein? Swap out an egg for a quarter-cup of silken tofu when making muffins, cakes, and quick breads. Best for baking with recipes that already have a leavening agent, like baking powder or baking soda.

Vegan Egg Replacements

Many supermarkets and online stores now offer a variety plant-based products developed specifically to function as vegan egg replacers. Some popular brands are Follow Your Heart, Bob’s Red Mill, and JUST. Check out your local grocery store, online store, or natural foods market to see what options they offer that meet your baking needs.

Share your plant-based “egg” baking successes and let us know your tips. Tag @MeatlessMonday and #MeatlessMonday. Need some #inspo? Check out this Blackberry Bran Muffin recipe from the Meatless Monday recipe gallery.