To replace one egg in baking, use a flax egg — 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, stood 5-10 minutes until gloopy — or ¼ cup (60 g) unsweetened applesauce, ¼ cup mashed banana, or 3 tbsp whipped aquafaba. Chia seeds work at the same ratio as flax, and commercial egg replacer goes in per its packet. Match the substitute to the egg's job: flax and chia bind, aquafaba lifts, applesauce and banana add moisture.
Halfway through creaming the butter and the egg box is empty. Don't fret — grannies baked through rationing without eggs, and so can you. The trick is knowing what job the egg was doing in your recipe, then picking the stand-in that does that same job.
| Substitute | Amount per egg | The job it does | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flax egg | 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, stand 5-10 min until gloopy | Binds — best in hearty bakes | Brown specks and a mild nutty note in pale cakes |
| Chia egg | 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water, stand 5-10 min | Binds, same as flax | Seeds stay visible in the crumb |
| Unsweetened applesauce | ¼ cup (60 g) | Adds moisture in cakes and quick breads | Slight sweetness; gives no lift |
| Mashed banana | ¼ cup | Adds moisture and a gentle bind | Flavours the bake — you will taste banana |
| Aquafaba (chickpea water) | 3 tbsp, whipped | Lifts — the meringue one | Must be whipped first, not poured in flat |
| Commercial egg replacer | Per its packet | All-rounder for everyday bakes | Brands differ — follow the box, not a blog |
First, ask what the egg was doing
Eggs do one of three jobs in a bake: they BIND (hold a cookie or quick bread together), they LIFT (trap air so a sponge rises), or they ENRICH (add fat and tenderness). Pick the substitute for the job, not just any egg-shaped swap. Flax and chia eggs bind. Whipped aquafaba lifts. Applesauce and mashed banana add moisture with a gentle bind. Get the job right and nobody at the table will know. Get it wrong — aquafaba in a dense fruit loaf, flax in a light sponge — and you'll feel the difference. One honest warning before we start: none of these will scramble. They are baking substitutes only.
The flax egg (the one to learn)
The most useful egg substitute in baking is the flax egg. Per egg: stir 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (linseed, to British readers) into 3 tbsp water and let it stand 5-10 minutes until it turns gloopy — it should wobble like a beaten egg white. That gel is what binds your bake. Flax eggs are best in hearty bakes: banana bread, oatmeal cookies, muffins, anything rustic with a bit of texture. In a pale, delicate cake you may spot the little brown specks and taste a mild nuttiness, so save it for the sturdy stuff. A chia egg works exactly the same way at the same ratio — 1 tbsp chia seeds to 3 tbsp water, stood until gloopy — though the seeds stay visible in the crumb.
Applesauce and mashed banana: the fruit-bowl swaps
Per egg, use ¼ cup (60 g) unsweetened applesauce — apple purée, if you're shopping in Britain. It adds moisture and a slight sweetness, so it suits cakes and quick breads where a tender, moist crumb is the goal. Mashed banana works at ¼ cup per egg, but be honest with yourself: it flavours the bake. Lovely in banana bread (naturally), chocolate cake and spiced bakes; out of place in a vanilla sponge. Neither fruit swap gives any lift, so they do their best work in recipes that already lean on baking soda or baking powder to rise.
Aquafaba: the meringue one
Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas, and it is the only substitute here that whips like egg white. Per egg, whip 3 tbsp aquafaba until foamy and fold it in. This is your substitute when the egg's job was LIFT — light sponges, and it is the only route to an eggless meringue. Don't pour it in flat from the can; the whipping is where the magic lives. It sounds like a granny's tall tale, but it works, and the chickpeas are still perfectly good for your soup.
Commercial egg replacer and when to reach for it
A box of commercial egg replacer (Bob's Red Mill and Ener-G are the common US brands) is a sensible thing to keep in the pantry. Use it per its packet — brands differ, so we won't pretend there's one universal ratio. It's the tidy choice when you don't want flax specks, banana flavour or a whipping step: everyday cookies, pancakes, boxed-mix bakes. One caveat, stated plainly: recipes that lean heavily on eggs — custards, egg custard pie, classic pound cake with its four or five eggs — are asking eggs to be the star. No substitute carries that load gracefully. Save your substitutions for bakes with one or two eggs and you'll rarely be disappointed.
Questions we get asked
What is the best egg substitute for baking?
It depends on the egg's job. For binding (cookies, quick breads), a flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed plus 3 tbsp water, stood 5-10 minutes. For lift (sponges, meringue), 3 tbsp whipped aquafaba. For moisture in cakes, ¼ cup (60 g) unsweetened applesauce.
How do you substitute an egg with flaxseed?
Mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (linseed in the UK) with 3 tbsp water and let it stand 5-10 minutes until gloopy. That replaces one egg. It binds best in hearty bakes like banana bread, muffins and oatmeal cookies rather than delicate pale sponges.
How much applesauce replaces one egg?
¼ cup (60 g) of unsweetened applesauce replaces one egg in baking. It adds moisture and a slight sweetness, which suits cakes and quick breads. It gives no lift, so it works best in recipes that rise with baking soda or baking powder.
Can I use aquafaba instead of eggs in baking?
Yes — 3 tbsp of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas), whipped until foamy, replaces one egg. It is the substitute to choose when the egg's job was lift, and the only one that can stand in for whipped egg white in meringue.
Is a chia egg the same as a flax egg?
They work the same way at the same ratio: 1 tbsp of seeds to 3 tbsp of water, stood 5-10 minutes until gloopy. Both bind rather than lift. The practical difference is looks — chia seeds stay visible in the finished crumb, while ground flax leaves finer specks.
Do egg substitutes work in every recipe?
No, and it's kinder to say so plainly. Substitutes shine in bakes with one or two eggs. Egg-heavy recipes — custards, egg custard pie, classic pound cake — depend on eggs as the main event, and no substitute carries that. And none of them will scramble.