Egg Substitutes

1. Applesauce Applesauce is a purée made from cooked apples. It’s often sweetened or flavored with other spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Using 1/4 cup (about 65 grams (g)) of applesauce can replace an egg in most recipes. It’s best to use unsweetened applesauce. If you’re using a sweetened variety, you should reduce the amount of sugar or sweetener in the recipe itself.

2. Mashed banana Mashed banana is another popular replacement for eggs. The only downside to baking with bananas is that your finished product may have a mild banana flavor. Other puréed fruits like pumpkin and avocado work too and may not affect the flavor as much. Whichever fruit you choose to use, you can replace each egg with half of a large banana. Baked goods made with puréed fruits may not brown as deeply, but they will be very dense and moist. This substitution works best in cakes, muffins, brownies, and quick breads.

3. Ground flaxseeds or chia seeds Flaxseeds Trusted Sourceand chia seedsTrusted Source are both tiny seeds that are highly nutritious. They’re high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and other beneficial plant compounds. You can grind the seeds yourself at home or buy a ready-made seed meal from the store. To replace one egg, whisk together 1 tablespoon (tbsp) (7 g) of ground chia or flaxseed with 3 tbsp (45 g) of water until fully absorbed and thickened. Doing so may cause baked goods to become heavy and dense. Also, it may result in a nuttier flavor, so it works best in products like pancakes, waffles, muffins, breads, and cookies.

4. Commercial egg replacer There are a variety of commercial egg replacers on the market. These are typically made from potato starch, tapioca starch, and leavening agents. Egg replacers are suitable for all baked goods and should not affect the flavor of the finished product. Some commercially available brands include Bob’s Red Mill, Ener-G, and Orgran. You can find them at many supermarkets and online. Each brand comes with its own instructions, but typically you combine 1.5 teaspoons (tsp) (10 g) of powder with 2–3 tbsp (30–45 g of warm water to replace 1 egg.