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If you have an egg allergy, are vegan, or you simply ran out of eggs, look no further because here are 21 of the best vegan egg wash substitutes! These substitutes create a golden brown exterior for puff pastry, pies, bread, and more. These alternatives can work for breading, as well as binding.
I tested 21+ vegan alternatives using my homemade flaky vegan pie crust as the base. Keep on reading to find the best vegan egg wash replacement for your use case!
How are egg washes used?
Traditional egg washes can use the whole egg, the egg whites, or just the egg yolk. There are a few main ways that they are used:
- Brushing + Browning: they’re used to create the perfect golden brown exterior on baked goods
- Gluing: egg washes can be used to help sugar, sesame seeds, and other toppings stick to the dough and to help seal edges together for frying.
- Breading: egg washes are also used to help create crispy breading. A good example of this is the Panko coating in my vegan cordon bleu recipe.
Why Use An Egg Wash Substitute?
- Egg Allergies: if you’re allergic to eggs, no worries, you can still achieve a beautiful golden brown sheen on your pastry with the following substitutes.
- Vegan or Lacto-Vegetarian: if you’re a vegan baker, whether for ethical, environmental or health reasons, then it’s handy to have a few favorite egg wash substitutes in your repertoire for a variety of applications.
- Out of Eggs: maybe you’ve just run out of eggs, and you need a quick substitution for your recipe. This guide will help you pick the best option for your use case.
Top 3 Favorite Vegan Egg Wash Substitutes
Without further ado, here are 21 vegan egg wash substitutes! Let’s start with the top 3.
I’ve ranked each egg wash substitute based on the following factors out of 10 total points.
The golden brown color has the most points since that’s the primary use of egg washes in baking. Each egg wash alternative is also ranked based on its shiny finish, how versatile it is (can it be used in both sweet and savory applications), and how accessible the ingredient is.
- Golden Brown Color: 5 total points
- Glossiness: 2 total points
- Versatility: 2 total points
- Accessibility: 1 total points
- Total Possible Points: 10
1. Just Egg + Plant Milk
🌟 Rating: 9.5/10 🌟
Just Egg is a vegan alternative for liquid eggs. It’s made from mung beans and looks almost identical to whisked whole eggs. This egg alternative is super handy for a variety of use cases. You can learn more about how to use Just Egg in baking and cooking here.
This is the best egg wash substitute in my 10+ years of being vegan and it performs the closest to a traditional egg wash. It can be used to brown dough, seal edges for frying, and help breading adhere to your recipe.
I gave it 9.5 out of 10 points, with 0.5 points subtracted since Just Egg can be expensive and relatively difficult to find.
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Golden Brown Color | 5/5 |
| Glossiness | 2/2 |
| Versatility | 2/2 |
| Accessibility | 0.5/1 |
✏️ The Results:
- A light golden color with a glossy sheen without being sticky. When baked longer it can become a deep golden brown.
➕ Pros:
- Beautiful Golden Brown Color: can be made lighter or darker depending on how long you bake the pastry.
- Glossy Sheen: that isn’t sticky at all like other substitutes that contain a lot of sugar.
- Very Versatile: since it’s not a sweet egg wash substitute, it can be used in a savory dishes as well as sweet ones.
➖ Cons:
- Thick Texture: Just Egg is thick by itself, so for the best results it needs to be thinned with plant milk for an even application.
- Can Brown Quickly: a heat shield may be necessary if baked at a very high heat.
- Can be Difficult to Find: Just Egg isn’t the most accessible ingredient, so it may not be the best option if you are in a pinch or you’ve just run out of eggs.
2. Fruit Preserves
🌟 Rating: 9/10 🌟
Fruit preserves, jams, or fruit purees contain sugars that caramelize when baked in the oven. They also add a subtle fruity flavor to your baked goods. If you don’t have apricot jam, you could also try one of these substitutes.
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Golden Brown Color | 5/5 |
| Glossiness | 2/2 |
| Versatility | 1/2 |
| Accessibility | 1/1 |
✏️ The Results:
- A golden brown color with a very glossy sheen. When baked longer it can become a deep golden brown.
➕ Pros:
- Beautiful Golden Brown Color: can be made lighter or darker depending on how long you bake the pastry.
- Gorgeous Glossy Sheen
- Easy to Find: it’s a very accessible ingredient and easy to find at most grocery stores.
➖ Cons:
- Thick Texture: the preserves are thick, so they can apply unevenly, resulting in areas that are darker than others. Heating them up for a few seconds in the microwave makes them easier to apply.
- Sticky: while it is glossy in appearance, the wash is also slightly sticky to the touch.
- Can Burn: because of the high sugar content, the preserves can burn at higher temperatures, so be sure to use aluminum foil or a pie shield when baking.
3. Maple Syrup + Plant Milk
🌟 Rating: 8.5/10 🌟
A simple 1:1 ratio of maple syrup and plant milk provides a light golden brown color to baked goods. I like using soy milk or oat milk with this option for the best color.
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Golden Brown Color | 5/5 |
| Glossiness | 1.5/2 |
| Versatility | 1/2 |
| Accessibility | 1/1 |
✏️ The Results:
- A light golden color with a slightly glossy sheen and a subtle sweetness.
➕ Pros:
- Beautiful Golden Brown Color: that can be made lighter or darker depending on how long you bake the pastry.
- Subtle Sheen
- Easy to Find: both maple syrup and plant milk are very easy to find at most grocery stores.
➖ Cons:
- Runny Consistency: this mixture is runnier, making it hard to control where you apply it.
- Sticky: while it is glossy in appearance, the wash is also slightly sticky to the touch.
- Can Burn: because of the high sugar content, the egg wash substitute can burn at higher temperatures, so be sure to use aluminum foil or a pie shield when baking.
Other Egg Wash Substitutes
Below are other egg wash substitutes ranked in order of best performance.
If you don’t have one of the three options listed above, these alternatives work well for browning, sheen, or both. Great for most pastry, baking, and breading applications.
| # | Substitute | Overall | Browning | Sheen | Best Uses 🥧 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Aquafaba | 8/10 🌟 | Minimal browning | Slight sheen | Browning (sweet & savory), Gluing |
| 5 | Maple Syrup | 8/10 🌟 | Good | Glossy | Browning (sweet) |
| 6 | Agave | 8/10 🌟 | Good | Glossy | Browning (sweet) |
| 7 | Coarse Sugar + Plant Milk | 8/10 🌟 | Deep browning | Glossy | Browning (sweet, crunchy finish) |
| 8 | Plant Milk (Soy milk) | 8/10 🌟 | Good | Slight sheen | Browning (sweet & savory), Gluing |
| 9 | Malt Powder + Water | 7/10 🌟 | Deep browning | No sheen | Browning (breads, savory) |
| 10 | Baking Soda Wash | 7/10 🌟 | Deep browning (quick) | No sheen | Browning (pretzels, breads) |
📝 Use as Last Resort
These options can work in a pinch, but they have weaker browning, streaky application, or are best suited for gluing/breading only.
| # | Substitute | Overall | Browning | Sheen | Best Uses 🥧 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Melted Vegan Butter | 6/10 🌟 | Minimal browning | No sheen | Browning (long bake), Gluing |
| 12 | Plain Vegan Yogurt | 6/10 🌟 | Light browning | Slight sheen | Browning (sweet & savory), Gluing, Breading |
| 13 | Oil (Olive) | 6/10 🌟 | No browning with lower heat | No sheen | Browning with high heat (pizza, breads) |
| 14 | Vegan Mayo | 5.5/10 🌟 | Light browning (streaky) | Slight sheen | Gluing, Breading (savory) |
| 15 | Molasses | 5.5/10 🌟 | Very dark browning | Slight sheen | Browning (sweet, caramelized) |
| 16 | Cornstarch Slurry | 5/10 🌟 | No browning | No sheen | Gluing, Breading |
| 17 | Flaxseed Slurry | 4.5/10 🌟 | No browning | Subtle sheen | Gluing, Breading |
| 18 | Chia Seed Slurry | 4.5/10 🌟 | No browning | Subtle sheen | Gluing, Breading |
| 19 | Mustard | 4/10 🌟 | Yellowed, streaky | Subtle sheen | Gluing, Breading (savory) |
| 20 | Tahini | 4/10 🌟 | No browning | Subtle sheen | Gluing, Breading (savory) |
| 21 | BBQ Sauce | 4/10 🌟 | Very dark | Subtle sheen | Gluing, Breading (savory) |
And voila! There you have it. 21 creative vegan egg wash substitutes. See the recipe card below for more details on how to make my top 3 picks!
~ Happy cooking. ~
More Vegan Resources:
- 31 Creative Just Egg Recipes
- 22 Coconut Sugar Substitutes
- 20 Delicious Vegan Biscoff Recipes
- 16 Vegan Egg Substitutes for Baking
The Best Egg Wash Substitute – Vegan Friendly!
Rate this RecipeIngredients
Method 1:
- 1 tbsp Just Egg
- 1 tbsp Plant Milk
Method 2:
- 1 tbsp Fruit Preserves, apricot or peach work best for a golden color
Method 3:
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tbsp Plant Milk
Instructions
- Below are my 3 favorite vegan egg wash substitutes. For the other 18 substitutes see the post above.
METHOD 1
- Mix the Just Egg and plant milk (soy milk or oat milk work best) together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to apply.1 tbsp Just Egg, 1 tbsp Plant Milk
- Bake according to your recipe. If browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil or a pie shield.
METHOD 2
- Use a pastry brush to apply the fruit preserves. If they are too thick, microwave them for 5 seconds to help loosen them.1 tbsp Fruit Preserves
- Bake according to your recipe. If browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil or a pie shield.
METHOD 3
- Mix the maple syrup and plant milk (soy milk or oat milk work best) together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to apply.1 tbsp Maple Syrup, 1 tbsp Plant Milk
- Bake according to your recipe. If browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil or a pie shield.
Did You Make This?
Leave a star rating and a comment below to let others know how it turned out for you!
Egg Wash Alternative FAQ
Just Egg, plant milk, maple syrup and many other ingredients can be used to substitute egg wash. See the post above for all 21 options.
Yes, oil can be used instead of an egg wash. Olive oil browns better than vegetable oil. For more options see the post above.
Egg wash or one of these substitutes can be applied with a pastry brush.
Thank you so much for this list! I really don’t think I’ve ever read a better one. Well done!
Wow, this was so helpful. Thank you! I’m making pan de agua, an everyday Puerto Rican bread, that for the most part is vegan, but traditionally it’s finished with an egg wash and sometimes hard to find without it I can’t wait to try the just egg/milk combo. Thank you for all the research. Saludos!
Have you tried or can you recommend a homemade just egg substitute using the mung beans that browns well?
Hi Laura, I haven’t tested a homemade Just egg yet. It’s on my list of things to try out!