Have you ever been out of eggs? If yes, then it’s time to improvise! These egg substitute tips will have you baking or cooking in no time! What you use to substitute for eggs in a recipe depends on the recipe. Replacing eggs in recipes requires some knowledge. Eggs serve several purposes in baking. They contribute to the consistency, color, flavor, and structure of baked goods.

Used as leavening, eggs trap pockets of air in foods, causing them to expand during heating. This helps foods rise during baking, giving baked goods their volume and light, airy texture.

Used as binding, eggs help combine ingredients and hold them together. This provides food with its structure and prevents it from falling apart.

Used as moisture, the liquid from eggs is absorbed into the other ingredients in a recipe, which helps keep the finished product moist.

In addition, eggs help carry the flavors of other ingredients and brown when exposed to heat. They help improve the taste of baked goods and contribute to their golden-brown appearance.

Eggs are two distinct parts: yolk and white. The yolk is fatty and helps bind, while the white provides leavening and moisture. In most recipes using whole eggs, the eggs act in all three of these roles: as a leavener, binder, and adding moisture.

Generally, the fewer eggs a recipe calls for, the easier they are to substitute. If a recipe calls for one egg, using an egg substitute works better than if a recipe requires three or four eggs. The taste needs to be taken into consideration. Some egg substitutes may change the taste or texture of a recipe, so you will want to choose from these options that will complement the other ingredients. Using mashed fruit as an egg substitute may add a welcome hint of fruitiness to baked goods, but for a savory dish, you want to use something else.

When replacing eggs in recipes, consider what the function of the egg is before choosing your egg substitute. Here are some guidelines to help you figure it out:

• If the recipe does not contain another leavening agent (baking powder or baking soda), assume the egg acts as a leavener.
• If the recipe calls for just egg whites, they are most likely used as a leavener and for adding moisture.
• If a recipe calls for just yolks, they are for binding.
• If the recipe has little moisture besides eggs, assume they act as moisture.
• If the recipe calls for three or more eggs, assume they act in all three roles.
• If you’re not sure, assume the eggs act as all three functions and choose an egg substitute or a combination of them that cover all three roles.

If an egg acts as a leavening agent in the recipe, try these substitutions:

• ¼ cup carbonated water
• 2 Tbsp. water + 1 Tbsp. oil +2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar + 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice + 1 tsp. baking soda

If an egg acts as a binder in a recipe, almost any of the below substitutes will work:

• 1 Tbsp. flaxseed meal or ground chiaseed + 3 Tbsp. water, sit 15 minutes

• 1 Tbsp. gelatin/agar agar + 1 Tbsp. water, sit 15 minutes (gelatin-based desserts)
• 3 Tbsp. nut or seed butter
• 2 Tbsp. mashed potato or sweet potato
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp. starch (corn, potato, tapioca starch or arrowroot powder) + 3 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. soy protein powder + 3 Tbsp. water
• ¼ cup pureed soft tofu or full fat yogurt
• 3 Tbsp. canned bean liquid also known as aquafaba (1 egg or egg whites)
• 1 Tbsp. soy lecithin (1 egg or egg yolk)

When the egg is needed for moisture, use these substitutions:

• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or fruit puree
• ¼ cup mashed banana or avocado
• 2 Tbsp. dried fruit + 2 Tbsp. water, pureed
• ¼ cup buttermilk or milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ cup yogurt or kefir
• ¼ cup pureed silken tofu

If you’re not sure, use more than one type of egg substitute. For example, apply a leavening “egg”  using carbonated water and a chiaseed “egg” for binding. Another example of a recipe that needs 4 eggs could have 1 vinegar + baking soda egg, and 1 gelatin egg, and 2 unsweetened applesauce eggs.

Eggs serve several purposes in baking. Without them, baked goods might be flat, crumbly, or dry. Fortunately, there are alternatives to eggs that you can use to pull off your culinary endeavors. You can find a suitable egg substitute for your needs to guarantee that the eggs’ absence is noticed as little as possible, if at all.

Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator