No eggs? No problem with these 10 substitutions
Egg prices shot up more than $1 for a dozen with shortages in supermarkets across the country. But that doesn’t mean you need to shelve your baking plans if you don’t have a carton.
Eggs serve a trio of critical functions in confections such as cakes and muffins. Foremost, they act as a powerful binder that helps ingredients transform into the fluffy, bouncy texture we all love. They also provide moisture, which becomes steam that helps a batter rise. Lastly, the proteins in the whites and fat in the yolk help lock in that moisture, keeping baked goods tender and delicious for days.
Fortunately, many of those qualities can be mirrored with alternative ingredients. If you can’t find eggs, have an egg allergy or want to veganize your favorite recipes, consider any of the following as an effective alternative.
Applesauce: Applesauce can contribute the moisture and binding properties of eggs to a cake and works best in recipes that have an additional leavening agent, such as baking soda or baking powder. Look for unsweetened varieties or adjust the sugar in your recipe accordingly. Use ¼ cup for every egg called for in the recipe.
Aquafaba: The protein-rich liquid in a can of chickpeas can mimic eggs in a surprisingly effectively way. It can even be whipped into peaky meringue. It will bind ingredients, provide moisture and help give a fluffy quality to your batters. Use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba to replace each egg in a recipe.
Baking soda and vinegar: Eggs help leaven baked goods by creating airy pockets in batter that contribute to the tender bounce of a cake. You can achieve a similar lift by combining 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of vinegar for every egg a recipe calls for.
Banana: When fully mashed or blended, ¼ cup of bananas delivers many of the moisture and binding properties of eggs to baked goods, although the results will be more dense and have that unmistakable tropical aroma.
Buttermilk: While it won’t provide the leavening properties of eggs, buttermilk is an effective ingredient binder and provides some of the bounce of eggs, thanks to its protein content. Use ¼ cup to replace an egg in your recipe.
Flaxseed: Ground flaxseed, when combined with water, creates a gelatinous substance that effectively replaces the binding and moisture properties of eggs. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and let it rest until gelled to replace an egg in a dish.
Nut butter: Almond, cashew, peanut and other nut butters are fantastic ingredient binders that also deliver a rich chew in baked goods, thanks to their high fat content. Use ¼ cup in place of each egg in a recipe.
Sparkling water: The carbonation of sparkling water will give many cake and muffin batters a rise similar to what eggs are capable of doing. Use ¼ cup per egg as a substitute.
Tofu: Silken tofu has a moisture and protein content that can do much of the heavy lifting of eggs in a baked dish. Be sure to thoroughly blend it for best results before adding to a dish. Use ¼ cup of blended silken tofu to replace each egg in a recipe.
Yogurt: As long as there’s another leavening agent, such as baking soda or baking powder, in the recipe, yogurt can provide much of the binding and moisture qualities of an egg. Use ¼ cup yogurt for each egg in the recipe.