Alternative to Eggs When Baking: Vegan-Friendly Solutions That Taste Amazing

There are many alternative to eggs when baking, each with its own unique properties that make it suitable for different types of baked goods. 

By understanding the role of eggs in a recipe and considering the properties of different alternatives, you can achieve delicious results without using eggs.

The importance of eggs in baking

Eggs are crucial to baking, contributing to several important aspects:

Structure and Cohesion:

• Protein Coagulation: When eggs are heated, the proteins in them coagulate, providing a strong, elastic structure to the dough and helping it maintain its shape. This is especially important in cakes and pastries.
• Binding Ingredients: Eggs act as a natural binder, helping hold together all the other ingredients in a dough or batter, preventing them from separating.

Moisture and Softness:

• Adding Moisture: Eggs have a high water content, which adds moisture to bread and prevents it from drying out.
• Texture Softening: The fats in egg yolks disrupt gluten formation, resulting in softer, more tender bread.

Flavor and Color:

• Adding Flavor: Egg yolks add a rich, distinctive flavor to bread.
• Enhancing Color: The carotenoids in egg yolks contribute to giving bread an attractive golden color. The proteins and sugars in eggs also participate in the Maillard reaction during baking, enhancing the browning of the crust.

Rising and Aerating:

Air Trapping: When eggs, especially egg whites, are beaten, they trap air bubbles. This air expands during baking, helping the dough rise and produce light, fluffy bread.

Nutritional Value:

Adding Nutrients: Eggs are a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, which increases the nutritional value of bread.

In short, eggs play a vital role in achieving the perfect texture, rich flavor, and attractive appearance of many types of bread and pastries.

Read:

• Low Calorie Apple Pie Filling You’ll Love—Tastes Just Like Grandma’s.
• Best Deep Frying Temperature to Get Golden, Crunchy Perfection Every Time.

Alternative to eggs when baking

The best egg substitutes depend on the function the eggs perform in the final recipe. Some common substitutes include:

• Pure fruits: Such as mashed banana or mashed applesauce, these add moisture and binding. They often work well in cakes, muffins, and quick breads.
• Chia seeds or ground flaxseeds: When mixed with water, they form a gelatinous substance that acts as a binder.
• Aquafaba: The liquid from cooking chickpeas can be whipped to replace egg whites in some recipes.
• Pure silken tofu: Adds moisture and can act as a binder in dense cakes and breads.
• Buttermilk or yogurt: Adds moisture and fat and can help bind.
• Baking soda and vinegar: This combination creates a reaction that helps raise and is often used in quick breads.
• Carbonated water: Can add moisture and help achieve a light texture.
• Commercial egg substitutes: Many commercial products are available specifically designed to replace eggs in baking.

Considerations When Choosing an Egg Substitute

• Desired Function: Do you need a substitute for binding, raising, moistening, or all three?
• Flavor: Some substitutes, such as banana, can alter the flavor of the final product.
• Texture: Different substitutes can affect the texture of baked goods.
• Recipe: Some recipes may require specific substitutes for optimal results.

Benefits of Using Egg Substitutes

• Allergies and Dietary Restrictions: These are essential for individuals with egg allergies or following a vegan or vegetarian diet.
• Ethical Considerations: Some may prefer egg substitutes for animal welfare reasons.
• Cost Savings: Sometimes, egg substitutes may be less expensive than eggs.
• Sustainability: Some egg substitutes are considered more sustainable than egg production.

Purpose of Eggs in Baking

Eggs play multiple roles in baking, including:

• Binding: Eggs help hold ingredients together.
• Raising: Eggs trap air bubbles, which helps baked goods rise.
• Moisture: Liquid eggs add moisture to a mixture.
• Flavor and color: Eggs contribute flavor and help brown baked goods.

How We Tested Egg Substitutes?

There are several ways to test egg substitutes in your recipes, depending on the role the eggs play in the original recipe. Here are some general methods and tests for the different functions of eggs:

Understanding the Function of Eggs in a Recipe:

• Before choosing and testing an egg substitute, it’s important to understand the role eggs play in the original recipe. Are they:
• Binding Agent: Binds ingredients together, such as cakes, biscuits, and pies.
• Raising Agent (Leaving): Helps make baked goods puffy and light, such as cookies and meringues.
• Humectant: Adds moisture to the final product, such as cakes and brownies.
• Stabilizer: Helps stabilize emulsions and mixtures, such as mayonnaise and custard.
• Flavor or Color: Adds a rich flavor or yellow color, as in some custards.

Choosing the Right Substitute:

Based on the desired function of eggs, choose an appropriate substitute. Some common substitutes include:

• For binding: Ground flaxseeds or chia seeds with water (“flax eggs” or “chia eggs”), mashed bananas, applesauce, cornflour or potato starch with water, mashed silken tofu.
• For raising: Baking soda with vinegar, baking powder (may need other ingredients), aquafaba (water from canned chickpeas, beaten).
• For moisture: Mashed bananas, applesauce, yogurt (regular or vegan), buttermilk.
• For stability: Agar-agar, pectin, cornstarch.
• For flavor and color: It’s difficult to completely replace these properties, but some substitutes, such as commercial vegan egg yolks, come close.

Testing substitutes systematically:

For accurate results, test each substitute separately in a recipe. Here’s a systematic approach:

• Standard recipe: Use the original recipe as a reference. Prepare it exactly as you would with eggs.
• Substitute recipe: Prepare the exact same recipe, but replace the eggs with your chosen substitute. Make sure you use the correct amount of substitute (usually the equivalent of one egg). Appearance: Color, size, shape, surface texture.
• Internal texture: Moisture, softness, crumble, firmness.
• Flavor: Is there any undesirable flavor from the substitute? Is the overall flavor satisfactory?
• Rise (for baked goods): Did the recipe containing the substitute rise as much?
• Setting (for custards and sauces): Did the final product reach the desired consistency?

Note Taking:

Keep a careful record of the results of each test. Note the amount of substitute used, any observations about the preparation process (such as a difference in batter consistency), and a detailed evaluation of the final product.

Multifunctional Testing:

In some recipes, eggs play more than one role. When testing a substitute, consider whether it adequately performs all the desired functions. You may need to combine two different substitutes to achieve the best results (for example, using banana puree for moisture and flaxseeds for binding).

Start with Simple Recipes:

Start testing substitutes in simpler recipes where the role of eggs is clear. Once you’re comfortable with how different substitutes work, you can experiment with them in more complex recipes.

Find modified recipes:

Look for recipes specifically developed using egg substitutes. These are often designed to achieve optimal results with specific substitutes.

Can milk replace eggs in baking?

You can substitute eggs for milk in baking, but you may notice some differences in the final result.

The functions of eggs in baking:

• Moisture: Eggs add liquid to the dough.
• Fat: Egg yolks are rich in fat, which contributes to the softness of bread.
• Protein: Protein helps build the structure of bread.
• Lefting: Eggs aid in the fermentation process and make bread rise more.
• Color and flavor: Egg yolks add a golden color and a rich flavor.
• Bonding: Eggs help bind ingredients together.

When substituting eggs for milk:

• Moisture: Milk will provide the necessary moisture for the dough.
• Fat: Milk contains less fat than eggs, so bread may be less soft. You can add a little butter or oil to compensate.
• Protein: Milk contains protein, but in a smaller amount than eggs. This may slightly affect the structure of the bread.
• Lefting: Bread may not rise as much when using milk instead of eggs.
• Color and flavor: The color of the bread may be slightly lighter, and the flavor may differ slightly.
• Firmness: The bread may be slightly less firm.

Tips for substituting eggs for milk:

• Use the same amount of milk indicated in the recipe instead of the eggs.
• If the recipe calls for more than one egg, you may need to add a little extra binder, such as 1 teaspoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water for each egg substituted, and let it sit for a few minutes until a gelatinous substance forms.
• You can also add a little oil or butter to replace the fat lost from the eggs.
• Monitor the baking process; the bread may need a little less baking time.

In general, eggs can be substituted for milk in most bread recipes, especially if the recipe contains other ingredients like butter or oil that contribute to the softness. However, the final result may vary slightly in texture, rise, and color.

FAQ

How much yogurt to substitute for one egg?

In most cases, you can substitute one egg for 1/4 cup (about 60 grams) of yogurt. It’s best to use plain, unsweetened yogurt, as flavored and sweetened varieties may alter the taste of your recipe.

What can I use in baking if I have no eggs?

There are many substitutes you can use for eggs in baking, and the choice depends on the type of recipe and what the egg does in it (such as binding, moistening, or plumping). Here are some common options:

Fruit Mash:

• Mashed banana: 1/4 cup of mashed banana can replace one egg. It may add a subtle flavor to the banana.
• Apple Sauce: 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce can replace one egg. It may make the final product thicker and moisture.
• Mashed pumpkin or other mashed fruit: These can be used in similar quantities to the banana or apple.
• Chia seeds or ground flax seeds: Mix 1 tablespoon of chia or ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for a few minutes until a gelatinous substance forms. This mixture can be used as a substitute for one egg. It may add a subtle flavor.
• Mashed avocado: 1/4 cup of mashed avocado can be used as a substitute for one egg, especially in richly flavored baked goods such as chocolate cakes or brownies. Yogurt or Buttermilk: A quarter cup of plain yogurt or buttermilk can replace one egg and add moisture.
• Mashed Silken Tofu: A quarter cup of well-mashed silken tofu can act as an egg substitute in some recipes, especially thick ones like brownies.

For Batter Rising:

• Vinegar and Baking Soda: Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of vinegar (preferably apple cider vinegar). This mixture reacts to produce carbon dioxide, which helps the batter rise. Use this substitute for one egg.
• Oil, Water, and Baking Powder: Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon of baking powder for each egg.

Also read:

• Bread improver what is it and why every baker should use it.
• Is it Safe to Cook in Silicone? Discover the Truth Backed by Science.