16 Best Vegan Egg Substitutes: A Guide for Baking & Binding

Video Tutorial 

Below is a video tutorial of how to mix up each of the substitutes for those who are visual learners!

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1. Applesauce

1 egg = 1/4 cup applesauce

Unsweetened applesauce or other fruit purees, act as a great vegan egg replacement for whole eggs, adding moisture to baked goods. I love how accessible applesauce is (it can be found at most grocery stores), which is a large reason I opt for it in many of my recipes. 

Applesauce is my favorite egg substitute for cakes, quick breads, muffins and even some cookies that I want to have a fudgy texture. 

It needs to be combined with leavening agents like baking powder or soda to give bakes lift and rise.

2. Flax Egg

1 egg = 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water

Ground flax seeds mixed with water creates a thick, gel-like consistency that helps hold baked goods together. Depending on the recipe, I may mix the flaxseed with 2 tbsp of water to result in a thicker ‘egg’, but for the most part the 1:3 ratio listed above will do the trick. 

Flax eggs have a tendency to create a dense, bread-like texture, so it’s not the best in light and airy cakes or buttery pastries (like donuts).

3. JUST Egg

1 egg = 3 tbsp JUST Egg

Just Egg is a plant based egg substitute for liquid whole eggs. It’s made from mung beans and looks almost identical to whisked real eggs. It can make some baked goods too dense, so I’ve found it works best in ‘breadier’ bakes. 

But all in all, JUST Egg is a great substitute and is super handy for a variety of use cases. 

You can learn more about how to use Just Egg in baking and cooking here.

4. Dairy Free Yogurt

1 egg = ¼ cup unsweetened dairy free yogurt

Honestly, I love using dairy free yogurt in baking. Not only does it help bind baked goods together, but it can help replace oil for a slightly healthier bake. 

My favorite vegan yogurt is Silk’s Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Yogurt. It has a thick, but not too thick, texture that adds moisture and helps hold cakes together. At the moment, dairy free yogurt is my go to vegan egg replacement for boxed cake mixes. 

5. Baking Soda + Vinegar

1 egg = 1 tbsp vinegar + 1 tsp baking soda

This combination is one of my favorite tricks for light and airy cakes. It’s a very accessible substitute. White vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice all work well.

Often, I’ll use baking soda with vegan ‘buttermilk’ for a similar effect. I make vegan buttermilk by mixing 1 cup of non-dairy milk, like almond or oat milk, with 1 tbsp of vinegar.

6. Tofu

1 egg = ¼ cup of silken or soft tofu

Tofu is incredibly versatile and a staple to most vegans. You may be familiar with firm tofu in savory dishes or tofu scrambles. But silken tofu is also incredible in baked goods.

The soft texture of the tofu performs in a similar manner as dairy free yogurt. 

7. Mashed Banana

1 egg = ¼ cup of mashed banana

Similar to applesauce, mashed ripe bananas work well in quick breads or muffins. It adds moisture, sweetness and flavor. However unlike applesauce, mashed banana can create a dense texture. 

Sometimes, I’ll combine banana with another egg substitute to help give the bake more lift, for a lighter texture (like in my banana muffins linked below). 

I really only use bananas in bakes where I want the flavor to shine through, which is why it’s lower down on this list.

8. Pumpkin Puree

1 egg = ¼ cup of pumpkin puree

Pumpkin puree naturally has a lot of liquid in it. This is great for cakes and quick breads because it creates a moist texture. But too much liquid leads to cookies with a cakey texture. 

When using pumpkin in cookies, I’ve found drying the puree is critical for a chewy texture.

I typically take 3-4 disposable paper towels or a clean tea towel and fold them on top of each other to create a thick stack of paper towels. Scoop the pumpkin into the towels and pat dry. 

A good amount of liquid should be absorbed from the pumpkin into the paper towels. And the puree is ready to go for cookie recipes (like my pumpkin sugar cookies linked below)! 

1/4 cup of pumpkin puree before drying is about 60g. After drying the pumpkin, it should weigh around 30g.

9. Cornstarch

1 egg = 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water

Cornstarch, or cornflour, is a fantastic egg substitute for thickening. When heated with moisture, the starch molecules swell up and help thicken sauces, custards, and puddings.  

I’ve even used cornstarch in some cookie recipes to achieve a certain crispy texture. 

10. Chia Egg

1 egg = 1 tablespoon chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water

To be honest, I don’t use chia eggs very often. I’m not the biggest fan of the visible chia seeds in the finished baked good. And chia seeds mixed with water create a super thick mixture, which can result in a dense bake. I primarily use chia eggs in puddings.

That being said, if you’re in a pinch, chia eggs can be used in most applications where you might use a flax egg. 

11. Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer

1 egg = 1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons water

Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer is a store bought, pre-mixed blend of different starches. It’s made from potato starch, tapioca flour, baking soda, and psyllium husk fiber.

This mix helps bind and leaven baked goods, making this store bought blend a great option for a variety of baked goods.

12. Ener-G Egg Replacer

1 egg = 1 tsp + 2 tbsp water

Ener-G Egg Replacer is another store bought, pre-mixed blend of a bunch of different starches. It’s made from potato starch, tapioca flour, leavening mix, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and methylcellulose.

One box is equivalent to 100 eggs and this mix helps bind and leaven baked goods, making it a great option for a variety of baked goods. Make sure to mix this egg replacer very well so there are no lumps.

I’ve even tried whipping this egg replacer with water and it foams up very similar to egg whites.

13. Potato Starch

1 egg = 1 tsp + 2 tbsp water

Potato starch is the main ingredient in the store bought egg replacers listed above. It performs similarly to cornstarch and can be used in a lot of the same applications.

For cakes and fluffy baked goods, it needs to be combined with a leavening agent.

14. Aquafaba

1 egg white = 2 tbsp aquafaba
1 whole egg = 3 tbsp aquafaba

Aquafaba sounds fancy, but it’s actually just the liquid from a can of chickpeas! Most commonly used for vegan meringue recipes, this chickpea bean water whips up into peaks similar to egg whites.

It can also be used to replace whole eggs when lightly beaten in some cake recipes. 

To be honest, I don’t love aquafaba as an egg replacer, but many other vegan bakers rave about it which is why I’ve included it on this list.

I’ve found that the chickpea taste carries through to the finished baked product, and it doesn’t have the same stability as egg whites for higher heat applications (above 325F).

15. Soy ‘Water’ / Soy Bean Liquid

1 egg white = 2 tbsp
1 whole egg = 3 tbsp

Okay, you may be wondering…what the heck is soy water? I first heard about soy water, sometimes called soy whey, when perusing a vegan baking group on facebook. It’s similar to aquafaba, but it’s the protein packed liquid from soybeans or soy milk instead of chickpeas. 

I’ve found that this soy liquid has a milder flavor, making it more versatile than aquafaba. It does require more work to ‘make’. You essentially have to simmer soy milk with acid (like lemon juice), so the soy curds separate from the liquid. 

I use this separation method in my Vegan Mascarpone Recipe. However, to make this cheese, I ended up using the soy curds instead of the liquid. 

It whips up just like egg whites, and I’ve found it’s actually a bit more heat stable than aquafaba. Plus, it doesn’t have as much of a potent flavor as chickpea water.

16. Versawhip

1 egg white = 1 tsp versawhip powder + 3 tbsp water

Versawhip is a product made by the company Modernist Pantry which is made from soy protein.

It’s a powder that when combined with water can be whipped up into stiff peaks very similar to egg whites. Essentially, is a very concentrated version of the soy ‘water’ listed above. It’s a bit pricey, but it can create super stiff peaks when whipped (way stiffer than aquafaba).

I first learned and tried Versawhip 600k when I began testing a vegan marshmallow recipe and a vegan angel food cake recipe a few years ago. It works well for lower heat applications, but I’ve found that it doesn’t have the same stability as egg whites for higher heat applications (above 325F).

My Top 5 favorite vegan egg substitutes:

There you have it! 16 vegan egg substitutes to replace whole eggs, egg yolks, or egg whites. Use these substitutes for all your baking & binding needs.

If you’re looking for vegan egg wash substitutes, I’ve already put together a complete vegan egg wash guide! Visit this post for the best vegan egg wash substitutes.