Egg Substitutes When Baking
 

If you are trying to watch how many eggs you eat, or are going for an eggless diet, (or you chickens just stopped laying for the winter,) you can use a couple of clever subs when baking. They don't work for everything, (don't try to make an omelette out of them,) but can come in handy for many baked goods.

1. Flax seed - This is my favorite egg replacer. Flax seeds are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, fiber and are also high in protein. When you grind them and mix them with water, they become thick and viscous, which makes them a great binder in recipes such as cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes and as a thickener for salad dressings. I buy mine whole and store them in a sealed jar, then grind them as needed. Don't buy the pre-ground stuff because its lost much of it's healthy powers and goes rancid easily. I use a Tablespoon ground flax seed to 3 Tablespoons water to replace one egg.

2. Chia Seeds - Chia seeds are also high in Omega-3s and act similar to flax seeds. You can grind them up, add a little water and let it sit for a few minutes, then use in place of eggs. You can use this for most baked goods...OK, not angelfood cake, but most other stuff. Chia seed pudding has also become extremely popular these days...it's kind of like tapioca pudding, but much more healthful. Again, buy them as fresh as possible and grind as needed. Use the same ratios as you would for flax seeds.

3. Banana - A mashed up banana makes a great binder and egg substitute for brownies and other quick breads. The banana flavor can come through, which may, or may not be a good thing. Use 1/2 to 1 whole banana for one egg.

4. Silken Tofu - Personally, I have not tried this, but apparently, it works great for baked goods that need that added protein and less binder quality. Blend it up until smooth and creamy and use 3 Tablespoons for one egg.

5. Ener-G egg replacer - This is a ready made product that you can buy in the grocery store, or online. I've used it a few times in baked goods and could not tell that there were no eggs in the results. But frankly, flax and chia seeds are much cheaper and pretty simple to use, so I stopped buying Ener-G egg replacer. Amount to use is on the box.

6. Applesauce - (See banana above.)

7. Baking soda, or baking powder - Sometimes a recipe is just fine without the egg. Try adding a little extra baking soda/powder along with a small amount of acid s/a lemon juice, or vinegar. Just be careful that you don't use too much baking powder because it can make things taste weird. Use a teaspoon of soda/powder to a tablespoon of vinegar, or lemon juice.

~ C

Thanks, I have been looking for that information this afternoon. My daughter has become a vegan, and coming to stay for a week over Christmas - so this is necessary information. Thanks again.

I've used the tofu in cookies and it worked great!

Just as an aside, when you are making "cookie dough" to eat raw, you typically want to avoid raw eggs in the dough. Applesauce is the usual go-to for that.