Do you want a quick and easy way to make an egg substitute that will work in nearly any recipe? Whether you want to replace an egg in baking or make a whole quiche, scrambled "eggs," or egg-free omelet, it's easy to do if you know what to use in its place.
I have tested and retested countless vegan recipes to find the best egg substitute for every type of recipe. These are my results for dairy-free egg replacements in nearly every type of recipe.
Jump to:
- 📝 What eggs do in a recipe
- ⭐ The best overall egg substitute
- 👩🏻🍳 Pro tip
- 🥚 Chickpea flour egg
- 🧁 How to replace 1-2 eggs in baking
- 🌾 Flax egg
- 🍎 Applesauce
- 🥤 Carbonated water
- 🥣 Chia seed egg
- 🥄 Baking soda and vinegar
- 💧Baking powder
- 🥫 Aquafaba
- 🍌 Mashed banana
- 🎃 Pumpkin puree
- 🏪 Store-bought egg replacers
- 🥖 Eggless eggwash
- 🥧 How to replace egg whites?
- 🍳 Eggs as the main course
- 📋 Chickpea flour egg recipe
I've been cooking and baking without eggs for over 23 years now and through much trial and error, I have found which egg replacements work best and which ones don't work in each type of recipe.
Whether you want to avoid eggs because you are vegan, or you are doing it because of egg allergies, eggs are one of the trickiest ingredients to swap out. There is not just one egg substitute that works for all recipes. You have to figure out the purpose of the egg and what the egg substitute needs to achieve.
📝 What eggs do in a recipe
Eggs bind ingredients together, help the batter stick to foods, serve as a leavening agent, and add moisture to baked goods. They also thicken and emulsify sauces, provide a shiny finish to baked goods, and make fluffy meringues. Of course, they can simply be the main course like in scrambled eggs or quiche.
When you are replacing an egg in a recipe be sure that the egg substitute that you use serves the same purpose as the egg. For example, apple sauce will work to replace eggs in muffins, but it won't work for an egg wash or in a quiche.
⭐ The best overall egg substitute
The winner! - I've found a chickpea flour egg to be the best and most versatile vegan egg replacement in a variety of recipes. (Chickpea flour is also known as garbanzo bean flour or gram flour and is found in the gluten-free section of most grocery stores.)
Chickpea flour mixed with water with a touch of oil has a similar protein, fat, moisture, and structure to a real egg. The protein binds together when cooked and provides moisture, lift, and structure all like a real egg. I have not yet found a recipe that this substitution does not work. This option will allow you to replace as many whole eggs as a recipe calls for in baking.
A note about chickpea flour - If you have ever baked with chickpea flour, I know what you are thinking. Chickpea flour has a funny aftertaste. I have discovered that if you rehydrate it with water before adding it to baked goods, it takes away the aftertaste. The funny taste only comes from the dry flour, once it has softened, it goes away.
👩🏻🍳 Pro tip
I have found in all of my vegan cooking and baking that replicating the fat, protein, and carbohydrate ratios of the original thing that you are replacing provides the most authentic vegan substitutes. When making things like vegan cheeses, vegan meats, and other homemade vegan staples like butter, sour cream, and mayo the end product needs to have a similar amount of fat and protein to achieve a similar taste, texture, and mouthfeel.
🥚 Chickpea flour egg
Two tablespoons of chickpea flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon of oil, then allowed to sit for at least 5 minutes is equal to 1 egg.
- Pro - Easy to find in most stores, adds protein to baked goods, and works well in nearly every recipe. It is light in color and doesn't change the taste, texture, or appearance of your baked goods. Binds together when heated so it can replace many eggs in a recipe.
- Cons - It needs to be fully cooked before eating. Raw chickpea flour tastes terrible until cooked and will make cookie dough taste awful until you bake it.
- Best Uses - I use chickpea flour eggs when making vegan crepes, vegan French toast, fudgy vegan brownies, vegan pumpkin pie, and vegan chocolate chip cookies. They cook up indistinguishable from those made with eggs. It also works great as a binder in things like fritters and as an egg wash before breading foods.
🧁 How to replace 1-2 eggs in baking
If you are baking muffins, cakes, or cookies that call for 1-2 eggs, you have many choices of ingredients that will work to replace an egg. The following choices provide the proper moisture needs and most bind and lift a little when baked.
🌾 Flax egg
One tablespoon of flax meal (ground flax seeds) mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water and allowed to sit for 5 minutes to jell up. I like to use this method when I want a little whole-grain texture to my baked goods. It leaves little brown flecks and is a little grainy, but sometimes that's a good thing.
- Pro - Easy to find in most stores, adds fiber and nutrients to baked goods, and works well.
- Cons - Has a grainy texture, leaves brown flex in your baking.
- Best Uses - Healthy vegan muffins, vegan zucchini bread, vegan pumpkin bread, vegan chocolate cookies, and vegan sausage rolls.
🍎 Applesauce
Use 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce to replace 1 egg in baking.
Tip - the individual applesauce snack cups are 1/2 cup and equivalate to 2 eggs in baking.
- Pro - Easy to find in most stores, adds fiber and nutrients to baked goods, and works well.
- Cons - Add sweetness, so it's best in sweet baked goods.
- Best Uses - I like to use apple sauce in the best vegan banana bread, cranberry orange muffins, vegan strawberry muffins, and lemon poppy seed muffins.
🥤 Carbonated water
Any seltzer water, club soda, or any carbonated beverage. 1/4 cup of carbonated water is equivalent to 1 egg in baking. This works great for replacing eggs in muffins and cakes by adding moisture and the carbonation helps them rise.
- Pro - Easy to find in most stores, adds lift to baked goods, and works well in many recipes.
- Cons - It only works to replace the moister of eggs and to give baked goods lift. It doesn't add protein or work as a binder.
- Best Uses - I use this in my easy vegan soda cake recipe and in combination with baking soda and vinegar for a light and airy vegan sponge cake.
🥣 Chia seed egg
Two teaspoons of chia seeds mixed with 4 tablespoons of water and allowed to sit for 15 minutes to jell up. (You can grind up the chia seeds in your blender first for a smoother texture and allow them to soak up the water faster.)
- Pro - Has strong binding power and adds nutrients to baked goods.
- Cons - It's gritty and adds a texture similar to poppy seeds to your recipes.
- Best Uses - Chia seeds are best used in muffins or sweetbreads and other vegan baking where you don't mind a seedy texture.
🥄 Baking soda and vinegar
One teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of vinegar is equal to 1 egg in baking. You can use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and even lemon juice for this.
- Pro - Easy to find, you probably already have it in your pantry, and it works well.
- Cons - It doesn't add any nutrients, it just provides lift, and a little structure.
- Best Uses - It's a great choice for cakes and cupcakes and I always use it in my vegan vanilla cake and vegan chocolate cake recipes.
💧Baking powder
One teaspoon of baking powder mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoon oil and 1 1/2 teaspoon water is equal to 1 egg in baking. You must use baking powder, not baking soda.
- Pro - Easy to find, you probably already have it in your pantry, and it works well.
- Cons - It doesn't add any nutrients, it just provides lift, and a little structure.
- Best Uses - It works well for muffins, cakes, and cupcakes, but I usually prefer the baking soda and vinegar method instead.
🥫 Aquafaba
This is the liquid from a can of white beans or chickpeas. Three tablespoons of the aquafaba liquid (stirred with a whisk or fork for about 1 minute until it's a little foamy) are equal to 1 egg.
- Pro - Easy to find and uses something you may otherwise through away.
- Cons - Doesn't provide as much lift and structure as many other choices.
- Best Uses - Aquafaba is okay in muffins and cookies, but really the best use is for egg washes and meringues. Learn more about this below.
🍌 Mashed banana
Use 1/4 cup of mashed banana to equal 1 egg in baking. It works well but will give your baked goods a banana flavor. (You can also use mashed avocado.)
- Pro - Easy to find, adds nutrients to baked goods, and it works well.
- Cons - Add sweetness and a strong banana flavor, so it's best in sweet baked goods where a banana taste works well.
- Best Uses - It's best in banana bread, muffins, or banana pancakes.
🎃 Pumpkin puree
Use 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree to equal 1 egg in baking. It works well in baked goods like cakes, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin brownies, but will give your baked goods an orange color and a slight pumpkin flavor.
- Pro - Easy to find, adds nutrients to baked goods, and it works well.
- Cons - Add sweetness and a slight pumpkin flavor and bitterness, so it's best in sweet baked goods where pumpkin flavors work well.
- Best Uses - It's best in pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, or banana pancakes.
🏪 Store-bought egg replacers
There are many brands of egg replacers that work well for baking like Bob's Red Mill egg replacer, Ener-G egg replacer, or The Neat Egg. They usually come as dry powders that you mix with water to activate. This is a great choice for cookies or cakes that you want to remain white and have a neutral taste.
- Pro - Most work well to replace 1-2 eggs in baking. They are usually white in color and don't change the taste, texture, or appearance of your baked goods.
- Cons - They can be expensive and they only work to replace up to 2 eggs. They don't work great as a binder in things like fritters.
- Best Uses - Any baked goods calling for 1-2 eggs.
🥖 Eggless eggwash
Use a vegan egg wash substitute to give your bread and baked goods a little shine. To do this, mix 1/2 cup of aquafaba with 1 teaspoon of corn syrup. Then simply brush it on quick bread or pastries before baking.
🥧 How to replace egg whites?
If you are trying to make a meringue or a similar recipe with beaten egg whites, aquafaba works like magic. Aquafaba is simply the liquid from a can of white beans or chickpeas and it whips up very much like egg whites. You can make things like vegan lemon meringue pie, vegan marshmallows, vegan whipped cream, aquafaba ice cream, and aquafaba chocolate mouse.
🍳 Eggs as the main course
Firm tofu
If you want to make a dish that is predominantly made of eggs like scrambled eggs, an omelet or quiche, chickpea flour batter, or tofu is your best choice. You need something that is high in protein and has the same basic texture as eggs when cooked.
I find that tofu has a soft spongy texture and a nice flavor and is my preferred replacement for vegan scrambled eggs, tofu scrambles, vegan ricotta cheese, and vegan quiche.
Tip - a little sprinkle of kala namak aka black salt will give it more of an eggy flavor.
Silken tofu
I also use silken tofu to replace eggs in vegan spinach balls, silken tofu scramble, and creamy tofu pasta sauce.
Chickpea flour eggs have a great ability to bind together when cooked and make a great choice for vegan omelets. I know that this may sound a little weird, but they're delicious and this is one of my most popular recipes on the blog. I get messages almost every day from people who love these omelets!
I hope that this gave you lots of ideas for swapping out eggs and helped you modify your favorite recipes into egg-free recipes!
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
📋 Chickpea flour egg recipe
Chickpea Flour Egg
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (aka garbanzo bean flour)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil (optional)
Instructions
- Place 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour in a small bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of water and stir into a thick paste.
- Add an additional tablespoon of water and a teaspoon of oil and stir well.
- Allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes before using as you would a whole egg in any recipe.
Notes
- You can use any neutral flavored oil that you want.
- You do not have to use any oil at all, it just makes it more closely resemble a real egg in properties and structure.
- This recipe equals 1 egg. Increase the recipe to suit your needs.
Nutrition
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
Hello 🙂
I'm really interested in possibly using this chickpea flour egg to replace egg yolks when making GF and EF pasta... However, this recipe is a replacement for the whole egg - do you perhaps know if it could be adapted as an egg yolk replacement only? Thanks in advance 🙂
I have not tested this yet, but I think that it would work. I would cut the recipe in half to equal the volume of only a yoke.
Thank you so much! I'll give it a try 🙂
Hi Monica. Tried the chickpea egg in eggplant fritters (as mentioned earlier) and potato pancakes and it worked beautifully. Delicious. But yesterday for the first time I used it in baking. I made some pumpkin bread with the chickpea egg as a substitute for eggs and it was perfect. Now to convert some of my favorite muffins and tarts into vegan options. Thank you very much and thanks for the St Paddy's Day update recipes.
Life saver Monica. My son can now eat my eggplant fritters. Thank you very much
You're welcome, Bruce. So happy that it helped! 🙂
hi! i wanna make a vegan version of the “inspired taste” carrot cake recipe. it requires 4 eggs. do you think i could use your chickpea flour egg recipe (x 4) to replace this many eggs?
Yes, the chickpea egg should work great to replace 4 eggs in this recipe. Enjoy! 🙂
How did it go? Lydia? 4 chickpea eggs made a good substitute for 4. Poultry eggs?
Can you clarify - the ingredient list says 2 tbsp water, but instructions say use 1 tbsp?
You add one tablespoon of water and stir well, then add an additional 1 tablespoon of water for a total of 2 Tbsp. 🙂
Hi I guess if I ain't mistaken that you had a recipe to make your own gluten free flour but couldn'r find it anywhere. Or was I hallucinating?
Thanks.
It used oat flour...
You were not hallucinating. 🙂 I do have one, here is the link to it... https://thehiddenveggies.com/gluten-free-flour-recipe/
Thank you very much Monica
You are very welcome! 🙂
Thank you so much for all this info. I like to bake and sometimes my recipes call for 6-8 eggs. Which method to replace eggs would you use.
Thanks
Chrissie
Chickpea flour eggs are the only think that works to replace this many eggs in baking. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi do you have a recipe for Yorkshire piddings please. I can't have gluten, egg, citrus or apple ?
I currently do not have a recipe for that. I'll see what I can do. 🙂
Monica,
Thank you, for the chickpea egg, recipe. It has saved my baking!
I have been gluten free, for 6 years. I'm allergic to wheat & anything with gluten.
Earlier this year, I discovered, that, I'm allergic to eggs, as well.
So, baking, has been a bit of a challenge.
With your recipe, I've successfully made brownies! Yeah! (The first 2 tries, looked like bubbling mud. They did not have the chickpea egg.) The 3rd time, I used a mix, and, it turned out perfectly! (This did have the chickpea egg.)
I've also, successfully made chocolate chip cookies & my Orange Crush cake.
All 3, looked & tasted normal.
I plan to make some more of your recipes.
Thank you so much.
I'm so happy that this recipe worked for you. I can never figure out why so many recipes call for things like flax eggs when this chickpea flour egg works so much better. I hope that the word gets out about how well they work in so many recipes. I also use them in my brownie recipe. I tested countless recipes and chickpea flour was the key to making them great! 🙂
Thanks for the info. I really do appreciate it. I was wondering if you have had any experience with the chickpea & carbonated water substitutes while using almond or oat flours. I can't use traditional GF flours. I'm better off making my own. Thanks in advance.
I have used carbonated water in a variety of GF cakes, but not specifically oat or almond flour.
Hi! My granddaughter is severely allergic to eggs. I was looking to try the carbonated water in her cakes to make them raise better. Have been using applesauce but it makes the cakes to dense. My question is do I have to use anything else along with the carbonated water? I hope I’m making sense in this comment 😜 Thanks 🙏
No, Sandi, If you use carbonated water, you don't have to use anything else. The carbonation will help it rise and the water provides moisture.
Hello! great recipe. Of course, chickpea flour is the only one I do not have. I do have fresh chick peas I just made yesterday.... do you think a few chickpeas mashed with oil could sub for chickpea flour? If so, how many (for each egg in a recipe) and should I add more water of oil for moisture? I also have neat egg to use (apple sauce or bananas) too but was honestly wanting to use up some of my cooked chick peas. TIA
Hi Cynthia, I have not tested it with mashed chickpeas, I think that it would work for many recipes. I would add enough water to make them the consistency of hummus. Let me know if you try it.
I have a recipe for eggplant balls (like meatballs but no meat) that uses egg. What do you recommend to replace the egg in this? It holds it together. Family favorite but someone has recently developed an egg allergy
As long as you cook the balls, the chickpea flour egg works as the best binder and egg replacement for recipes like this one.
Thank you so much for the wonderful information! I had a quick question I was hoping to get an answer to. I'm trying to make a vegan pecan pie and so far the egg replacements I've used haven't really turned out well. One recipe called for coconut milk and another silken tofu, both of which I love, but again, it didn't work very well in my opinion and is discolored the pie. I was wondering if a chickpea egg would work? Most non-vegan pecan pie recipes call for at least three eggs so would this be ok to use here? Thanks a lot for any info you can provide!
Hi Lacey, I have never tried it with a pecan pie, but I think that it would work well. I have used the chickpea egg in countless recipes and it always works amazingly well. The only time I don't use it is when I'm not sure if it will cook thoroughly enough. Undercooked chickpea flour doesn't taste good. Let me know how it turns out!
ugh I'm tired and don't want to to do anything. can you help me Monica? this egg substitute worked well for me but the pace of life doesn't.zzzzz
I don't think that I have a recipe to help with that, but I'm glad that the egg substitute worked well for you! 🙂 Actually, my mom and I would always make my old fashion chocolate fudge recipe when we had a bad day, so maybe you could try that! 🙂
I get mixed up with gram flour with chickpea flour, recipes don't state what one I should use as they are both different in the amount of water you use. So if I was substituting an egg which one should I use. Thanks
I always use chickpea flour to sub an egg, but you can use gram flour as well. You will need about a teaspoon less water for gram flour.
Probably the best article on this subject I have come across yet! Quick question..what would you consider to be the best egg replacement in the following flourless peanut butter bread recipe: Peanut butter, 2 eggs, vinegar and baking powder. Thanks!
I'm so glad that you found this article helpful! I would say that the chickpea flour egg will give you the best results in this recipe. Just be sure that it bakes completely! Enjoy! 🙂
Would soybean flour work for the chickpea flour eggs because I already have that on hand thank you
Hi Rose - Unfortunately, soy flour won't work the same as chickpea flour. The chickpea flour has a unique way of bonding when cooked similar to eggs and can not be swapped for any other flour with the same result.
I always love your recipes but being someone who LOVES to cook, bake and eat from a family that I never had a chance to learn from, I’ve been winging it in the kitchen the past few years playing with vegan recipes- even though I’m not completely vegan. I’ve been following you because I’m a firm believer in adding the extra veggies into everything and sneaking them into food to show people you can eat healthier and still enjoy favorites! I appreciate this share so much because you taught why, how, when and where!!!!!! What an incredible gift to share because I think a lot of us want to be healthier and don’t know where to start or learn from! Thank you for all you do and share- it truly benefits me and others so much and inspires us to take our own health in our hands and change our lives for the better! 💓
Thanks for such nice words, Jennifer. I'm so happy that my website is helping you! 🙂
This has been so helpful. Thank you! I’m weaning my nearly 7m old who hates being spoon fed snd really wants finger food. She has a severe egg allergy so I’ve felt really lost trying to find recipes. I can’t wait to give the chickpea flour egg a go!
You're welcome, Katie! I'm so glad that it helped you out. I think that you will like the chickpea flour egg! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Hi Monica, I don't know how I found you. Thank you so much for all the information you are giving. I have not tried any of your receipts but I can tell they are going to taste great. I have been a vegetarian for over almost 40 years not by choice my body does not digest animal fat. As I get older it is so bad that my cholesterol is so high and I am becoming diabetic too. I am on a diet which is low fat, and low salt. I love cheese, that is how I found you by googling how to make vegan cheese.
Thank you so much again for the receipts and advice.
You're welcome! I'm glad that you are finding the recipes helpful. I'm so happy that you found my site too! 🙂
Can aqua faba be frozen to 'save it' for when I need it? I make a lot of hummus.
Great question. Yes, you can. You can put it into ice cube trays and freeze it and then thaw a few cubes when you need it. 🙂
I was so hoping that chickpea flour would work to veganise my favourite brownie recipe (Nigella Lawson's gluten-free one - https://www.nigella.com/recipes/flourless-chocolate-brownies-with-hot-chocolate-sauce), but after 30 minutes in the oven I just had a liquid, bubbling mess. I've yet to find any egg replacer that works in a brownie recipe that started off as non-vegan (I'd tried egg replacer powder, aquafaba and flax seed before chickpea flour).
I'm sorry that it didn't work. It works in most brownie recipes and I use it in my brownies. https://thehiddenveggies.com/vegan-brownies/ I had many brownie fails before I used "chickpea flour egg." It just might be one that won't work without eggs.
OMG! I am not vegan or even vegetarian, but I have strong vegan tendencies and have been visiting your blog for a while now for some wonderful vegan inspiration. I love eggs and eat them, but I frequently search for vegan egg replacements for various recipes and this looks like the most complete post about all kinds of egg replacements depending on what you are cooking.
I have to say that thanks to your blog (and a few others I frequent), my boyfriend and I cut down sooo much on animal products and I don't even miss them at this point (he still does, to a degree, I can tell). Yes, I ate some chicken the other day, but it was because I had this old chicken that has been sitting in my freezer forever and just needed to be used. I do not feel the desire to buy more, and I do not recall last time I had beef (pork was a looong time ago). Cheese is starting to taste funny, too.
Not saying I will turn vegan tomorrow (seafood is my vice, but at this point I only buy wild caught seafood, as I do not want the farmed stuff), but I cannot thank you enough for your wonderful and tasty recipes that make me not miss most of the animal products. Sometimes it's a bit of a challenge, but thanks to all of your recipes (and now, all of the wonderful egg replacement tips), I know I am not alone and our vegan meals are so tasty and so much fun to cook.
Thank you, Monica!!!
You're very welcome, Beata! I'm so happy that my recipes help you reduce your consumption of animal products without missing them! 🙂
Monica, thank you so much for compiling all in one place such a complete listing of all the possible vegan egg replacements, as well as explaining when to use which replacement! Thanks kindly for letting us benefit from your many years of experimenting----very useful information!
You are very welcome! I'm so happy that this information is useful to you! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Having recently developed egg intolerance (ranging from mild to severe symptoms depending on the egg) I have been a bit lost! My family has so many allergies, including bananas, apples, & beans, it is VERY difficult to find something that one person can eat, let alone more than 1! You've given me a little bit of hope with this extensive information.
Especially at the beginning of "birthday season" here.
Thank you! 🙂