Try These Budget-Friendly Egg Substitutes Next Time You Bake

It’s important to recognize the role of eggs in baking. While many good egg substitutes can replicate the function and texture of eggs, if you are trying to mimic the flavor of eggs in a recipe, you are out of luck.

There is no good substitute for the taste of eggs in baked goods, said Rob Rubba, a chef and partner at the egg-free restaurant Oyster Oyster in Washington, D.C.

Rails also cautions that no simple substitute will work well in recipes like sponge cake or “eggy baked cookies,” where eggs are the “shining star.” 

However, if your goal is to replicate the function of eggs in a recipe, the role of eggs “needs to be clear from the start,” Rubba said. For most recipes, eggs play three main functions. They can lift, moisten, and bind, Rails explained. If you choose the right substitute, the taste and texture of your baked goods should be very close to the original. 

This isn’t always easy because eggs play many different roles in baking. Further complicating matters is that eggs often play multiple roles in a recipe. However, there are some general guidelines home bakers can use to help them make the best choice.

Rails explains that if a recipe calls for whole eggs, they probably serve a combination of functions. Whole eggs are likely “moistening, binding, and lifting,” she said. 

To help choose the right egg substitute, Rails suggests visualizing the recipe and thinking through the primary role of eggs in it. Baking powder and vinegar will make things go “puff,” she said, but this combination won’t help ingredients bind together. Similarly, applesauce will add a lot of moisture because it is very wet, but it won’t lift or bind. 

Rails explained that choosing the right substitute for recipes that use egg whites or yolks is simpler. If a recipe calls for egg whites, they are used primarily for lift, while if it calls for egg yolks, they are mainly used for moisture. 

For recipes that use eggs to bind