26 Easy Ways To Substitute For Eggs (Baking & Cooking)

Here are over 20 easy ways to substitute for eggs in baking, for meatballs and meatloaf, and for breading chicken!

Eggs are a common kitchen staple that serve several purposes, including binding, leavening, adding moisture, adding flavor, and for appearance.

They are essential elements to many of our favorite dishes, especially in baking.

So, what happens if you run out of eggs or develop an allergy?

Here are several, easy ways to substitute for eggs for every purpose.

Table Of Contents

For Baking
For Meatloaf or Meatballs
For Fried Chicken or Breading Chicken
Recipes with Egg

Several brown eggs lined up next to cracked egg in white bowl.

For Baking

Here are some common substitutes for eggs in baking. Keep in mind, 1 egg makes about 1/4 cup. This metric can be used as a rule of thumb with most substitutions.

Be sure to consider the flavor profile of your dish before choosing your egg replacement and whether it will be used as a binder or leavening agent.

Your baking recipe will definitely turn out differently when using an egg substitute, but the differences are usually minimal and still delicious!

1. Applesauce

Applesauce in white bowl on rustic wooden table next to two cinnamon sticks.

Apple sauce is a great egg substitute for baking and is one of my favorite options. Be sure to use an unsweetened version.

Use 1/4 cup applesauce to replace one egg. Applesauce is best used as a substitute in breads and cakes.

2. Mashed Banana

Mashed banana in white square bowl next to bushel of unpeeled bananas.

Mashed banana is another great egg substitute. Substitute 1/4 cup of mashed banana for every egg in your recipe.

Note that the finished product will have a slight banana flavor so make sure this works with the recipe you’re making. Your baked goods won’t brown as deeply but will be dense and moist.

3. Fruit Purees (Pumpkin and Avocado)

Mashed avocado in small white bowl next to large halved avocado and kitchen towel.

You can use the same 1/4 cup substitution for other fruit purees like pumpkin and avocado if you need a replacement for eggs. Be sure to use thick and velvety fruits when substituting for eggs.

4. Ground Flaxseeds or Chia Seeds

Large pile of chia seeds on burlap cloth with large wooden spoon.

Ground flaxseeds and chia seeds are both full of nutritional value with lots of omega 3’s and fiber. They work as a great substitute for eggs when mixed with water.

Whisk 1 tablespoon of ground seeds to 3 tablespoons of water until fully absorbed and thickened. Then add the mixture to your recipe in place of the egg. Flax and chia seeds work best as a substitute for eggs in muffins, waffles, pancakes, cookies and breads.

5. Commercial Egg Replacements

Commercial egg replacement powder in wooden bowl with faux egg yolk in shape of heart.

There are lots of commercial egg replacements on the market that you can try. Simply follow the instructions on the packaging and any other recommendations.

You can also find vegan eggs in select grocery stores and specialty food stores.

Here are some popular commercial egg replacers you can try:

Ener-G Egg Replacer
Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer

6. Silken Tofu

Silkin tofu on wooden cutting board with green garnish surrounded by soy beans.

Tofu is an incredibly versatile vegan protein that’s made from soy and sold in blocks with varying densities. Silken tofu is a very soft variation that can be blended until smooth.

Use 1/4 cup pureed silken tofu to replace one egg.

Keep in mind, this egg replacement can make baked goods dense or heavy.

7. Vinegar and Baking Soda

Baking soda and vinegar in glass mason jars next to plastic ladle.

1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar (white or apple cider) can replace an egg in baked goods like quick breads, cakes, and cupcakes.

The chemical reaction will make baked goods light and airy.

8. Yogurt

Plain yogurt in clear glass bowl with large wooden spoon sticking out.

You can use 1/4 cup unflavored yogurt to replace an egg in cakes, cupcakes and muffins. Make sure you get plain yogurt so the taste of your dish remains the same.

9. Buttermilk

Buttermilk in large clear glass pitcher with handle on gray rustic wooden table.

You can use buttermilk the same way you would yogurt to replace an egg in cakes, cupcakes and muffins. Use buttermilk to replace an egg when it’s purpose is to add moisture to the recipe.

10. Sweetened Condensed Milk

Sweetened condensed milk is poured into mixing bowl and blended with baking ingredients.

Sweetened condensed milk is simply cow’s milk with added sugar and most of the water content removed. You can use 1/4 cup as an egg substitute and this works best for cookies.

11. Corn Starch, Potato Starch and Tapioca Starch

Fluffy potato starch in wooden bowl surrounded by whole and halved potatoes.

Starches work great to thicken custards, breads, and cakes. To replace the egg in your recipe, add 2 tablespoons powder to 3 tablespoons water and mix well. Then add the mixture to your batter.

12. Arrowroot Powder

Arrowroot powder in wooden bowl on white and tan plaid kitchen towel.

Arrowroot powder is another starchy plant root from South America that is similar to the starches listed above.

Add 2 tablespoons powder to 3 tablespoons water and mix well. Then add the mixture to your batter.

13. Aquafaba

Aquafaba and beans in clear glass canning jar next to wooden ladle with spices.

Aquafaba is a unique ingredient that most people haven’t heard of. It’s actually the liquid that’s leftover in a can of beans and is similar in texture to eggs. Aquafaba is best for recipes that only use egg whites like marshmallows, macaroons, meringues and nougat.

Use 3 tablespoons to replace 1 egg or egg white.

14. Nut Butter

Assortment of nut butters in glass jars next to their whole nut counterparts.

Most people have some form of nut butter in their pantries. You can use these as an easy egg substitute in a pinch.

Use 3 tablespoons to stand in for one egg. Nut butters are best for brownies, pancakes, and cookies. Be sure to use the smooth and not chunky version of nut butter.

15. Carbonated Water

Carbonated water is poured from plastic bottle into tall clear drinking glass.

Carbonated water works as a great leavening agent for recipes meant to be fluffy and light.

You can use 1/4 cup to substitute for an egg for quick breads, cakes and cupcakes.

16. Xanthan Gum

Large mound of xanthan gum powder in white bowl with wooden spoon.

Xanthan gum is a powder made from a bacterium cultivated on corn sugar. It’s a common ingredient used in many of our commercially prepared foods.

Xanthan gum works great in cookies, cakes and ice cream to bind and add texture. Use 1 tablespoon to replace an egg.

17. Agar-Agar or Gelatin

Gelatin ingredients in various mixing bowls on wooden tray with wooden spoons.

Agar-agar is a vegan gelatin option that’s made from seaweed and algae. Gelatin is typically derived from collagen and is an animal byproduct.

To use gelatin as an egg replacement, dissolve 1 tablespoon in 1 tablespoon cold water, then mix in 2 tablespoons of boiling water until frothy.

For agar-agar, mix 1 tablespoon with 1 tablespoon water.

These egg replacements may make the texture of a dish stiffer, but won’t affect the flavor.

18. Soy Lecithin

Large mound of soy lecithin in black bowl next to metal spoon.

Soy Lecithin is made from soybean oil and works as a binder similar to an egg. Add 1 tablespoon soy powder to your recipe to replace an egg or egg yolk.

19. Water, Oil & Baking Powder

Olive oil is poured into small glass kitchen prep bowl next to fresh olives.

You can use water, oil, and baking powder as a substitute in baking with this easy recipe:

2 tablespoons water + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil = 1 large egg.

Just be sure you’re using a vegetable oil that still has a good shelf life.

20. Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes in bowl next to wooden spoon and checkered kitchen towel.

Mashed potatoes are great at adding moisture and an airy texture to breads and rolls.

You can use 1/4 cup leftover mashed potatoes or 2 tablespoons of instant mashed potatoes, rehydrated as a substitute for eggs in your recipe.

For Meatloaf or Meatballs

Three slices of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies on dinner plate.

If you need an egg replacer that binds for a meat recipe like meatloaf or meatballs, try using 2 to 3 tablespoons of the following (dependent upon the flavor profile of your dish):

Tomato paste
Potato starch
Whole wheat flour
Arrowroot powder
Mashed potatoes
Mashed sweet potatoes
Instant potato flakes
Or, 1/4 cup tofu puréed with 1 tablespoon flour

You can also use a commercial replacer, “flax and chia eggs,” aquafaba, or silken tofu.

For Fried Chicken or Breading Chicken

Several crispy fried Chicken legs and thighs piled on kitchen cutting board.

Milk, buttermilk and yogurt make a great egg replacement when breading meats such as chicken. Sometimes chicken is given a buttermilk bath before being fried. Go ahead and use some fresh buttermilk for the breading process, too.

You can also use melted butter or margarine.