Egg substitutes for baking: what works in cakes, cookies and breads
Per large egg: 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water, or ¼ cup applesauce, banana or yogurt. What works where, and what changes.
For most cakes, cookies, muffins and quick breads, you can replace each large egg with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, or with ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce, mashed ripe banana or plain yogurt. The best swap depends on the job the egg is doing in your recipe: binding, adding moisture or helping the batter rise.
Egg substitutes work well in recipes that use one to three eggs and less well in recipes built on eggs, like angel food cake or custard. Below you will find a swap table with exact amounts, a guide to which substitute suits which bake, and what to expect in taste and texture.
Key takeaways
- Replace each large egg with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water (rest 5 minutes), or with ¼ cup applesauce, mashed banana or plain yogurt.
- Match the swap to the egg’s job: flax or chia to bind, fruit or yogurt for moisture, and a leavening swap when you need lift.
- Most swaps give a denser, softer bake than real eggs.
- Substitutes tend to fail when a recipe calls for more than 3 eggs, and in pound cake, sponge cake and angel food cake.
What eggs do in baking
One large egg is roughly 3 to 4 tablespoons of liquid, and extension educators describe it as doing up to three jobs in a recipe.
- Binding. Egg proteins set as the bake heats, holding crumbs, dough or batter together.
- Moisture. The liquid in an egg keeps cakes and muffins tender and helps cookies stay soft.
- Leavening. Beaten eggs trap air, which helps a cake or sponge rise.
A good substitute replaces the job the egg is doing in your recipe. A fruit puree adds moisture but little lift, while a flax mixture binds but adds no lift at all. If you are not sure which job matters most, ask how the eggs are used: eggs stirred into a quick batter are mostly binding and moisture, and eggs beaten until thick or foamy are also adding air.
Egg substitutes per large egg
Use these amounts for each large egg in the recipe.
| Substitute | Amount to replace 1 large egg | Best for | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground flaxseed + water | 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes | Cookies, brownies, pancakes, muffins, quick breads | Binds well; a denser crumb, mild flavor and visible flecks of seed |
| Chia seeds + hot water | 1 tablespoon chia seeds + 3 tablespoons hot water, rested until thick | Cookies, quick breads | Binds; seeds add texture and a little crunch |
| Unsweetened applesauce | ¼ cup | Quick breads, muffins, cakes, brownies | Moist, sweeter, chewier and denser, with a faint fruit flavor |
| Mashed ripe banana | ¼ cup | Muffins, quick breads, brownies, pancakes | Moist and sweeter, with a definite banana flavor |
| Plain yogurt (dairy or non-dairy) | ¼ cup | Cakes, cupcakes, muffins, brownies | Moist and tender, slightly tangy and denser |
| Silken tofu, blended smooth | ¼ cup | Cakes, cupcakes, brownies | Moist, neutral flavor, a dense crumb |
| Aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) | 3 tablespoons, whipped to a foam | Cookies, lighter bakes | Adds moisture and some lift; cookies spread more and bake crunchier |
| Unflavored carbonated water | ¼ cup | Cakes | Adds lift but no binding; a pale color |
| Baking powder, water and vinegar | ½ teaspoon baking powder + 1 tablespoon water + 1 tablespoon vinegar | Cookies, cakes that need lift | Adds lift only; does not bind |
| Baking powder, oil and water | 1 teaspoon baking powder + 1½ tablespoons oil + 1½ tablespoons water | Cookies, cakes that need lift | Adds lift only; does not bind |
For two eggs, double the amounts: 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed plus 6 tablespoons water, or ½ cup applesauce, banana or yogurt. If your recipe calls for more than 3 eggs, see the limits below before you try it.
The swaps in this table come from the university extension services listed under sources. They agree on the flax mixture and on ¼ cup for applesauce and banana. Some give a range of ¼ to ½ cup for yogurt, and ¼ cup is the amount to start with. Nut butter is sometimes suggested too (3 tablespoons per egg), but it adds a clear nut flavor and is not suitable if anyone is avoiding nuts.
Which substitute works in which bake
Extension guidance, including an Illinois Extension chart, points to these swaps for common bakes.
| Bake | Swaps that work well | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cakes and cupcakes | Applesauce, mashed banana, blended silken tofu, yogurt | Moist swaps keep the crumb soft; expect a slightly denser cake. |
| Muffins and quick breads | Applesauce, mashed banana, yogurt, flax | University of Maine Extension notes applesauce is best used in quick breads. |
| Brownies | Flax, banana, applesauce, yogurt, silken tofu | Brownies are forgiving, because the batter is dense and moist anyway. |
| Cookies | Ground flax, aquafaba, applesauce | Flax gives a good bind; aquafaba cookies spread more and bake crisper. |
| Pancakes | Flax, chia, mashed banana, applesauce | N.C. Extension suggests flax, chia or a baking powder and oil mix when pancakes, quick breads or cakes need lift. All of these tend to give a denser result. |
In a baking test by N.C. Cooperative Extension volunteers, chocolate chip cookies made with flax and with applesauce turned out best, and cookies made with aquafaba spread more and baked crunchier. In a University of Maine Extension test of a yellow cake that called for two eggs, a cake with ¼ cup of unflavored carbonated water per egg had the best flavor and texture of the substitutes tried, though it was paler than the egg version.
If you want to try a swap in a cookie, our soft peanut butter cookies use just one egg, so it is easy to test with a single flax egg.
How to use each substitute
Flax or chia. Grind whole flaxseed first, since it needs to be ground to form a gel. Stir 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed into 3 tablespoons of water and let it rest for 5 minutes until it turns gel-like. Chia works the same way with hot water and a little more time to thicken.
Applesauce, banana and yogurt. Measure ¼ cup per egg. Mash banana until smooth, and use unsweetened applesauce so you do not add extra sugar. If a batter looks wetter than usual, cut another liquid in the recipe by a tablespoon or two.
Silken tofu. Blend until smooth and creamy before measuring ¼ cup per egg, so it mixes in without lumps.
Aquafaba. Whip the liquid from a can of chickpeas until it forms a fluffy foam, then fold in 3 tablespoons per egg.
Baking powder swaps. When the egg is mostly adding lift, as in some cookies and cakes, mix the baking powder, liquid and vinegar or oil from the table and add it where the egg would go. These mixes do not bind, so they work best in recipes that already have plenty of other binding ingredients. If you want to know how baking powder differs from baking soda, see our guide to baking soda vs baking powder.
When egg substitutes do not work
North Carolina Cooperative Extension offers a few general rules.
- More than 3 eggs. Egg substitutes generally do not work if a recipe calls for more than 3 eggs, because the eggs are doing too much of the structural work.
- Egg-structured bakes. Pound cake, sponge cake, angel food cake and churros do not turn out well with egg substitutes.
- Eggs as the only leavener. For recipes that use eggs mainly to make the batter rise, you may want to try a commercial egg replacement product made for baking, and follow its package directions.
Even with a good swap, expect a slightly different bake. Most substitutes give a denser, softer crumb than real eggs, so it can take a couple of tries to get a recipe the way you like it.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use instead of an egg in baking?
For each large egg, use 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, or ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce, mashed ripe banana, plain yogurt or blended silken tofu. Pick based on the job the egg does in the recipe.
How much applesauce replaces one egg?
Use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce for each large egg. It works well in quick breads, muffins and cakes, and gives a slightly sweeter, denser and chewier result than eggs.
How do you make a flax egg?
Stir 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed into 3 tablespoons of water and let it rest for 5 minutes until it thickens. One flax egg replaces one large egg. For two eggs, use 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 6 tablespoons of water.
What is the best egg substitute for cookies?
Flax egg is a reliable choice for cookies because it helps bind the dough. Applesauce also works, and aquafaba gives cookies that spread more and bake crunchier. Use 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons of water, ¼ cup of applesauce, or 3 tablespoons of aquafaba per egg.
Can I replace eggs in a cake?
Yes, in most simple cakes. Use ¼ cup of applesauce, mashed banana, yogurt or blended silken tofu per egg. The cake will be a little denser and moister. Egg-heavy cakes such as pound cake, sponge cake and angel food cake do not work well with substitutes.
What can I use instead of eggs if I only need one?
Any substitute in the table works for a single egg. A flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water) or ¼ cup of applesauce is the easiest, because most pantries have them.
