A Quick Guide To Egg Substitutes In Cooking...

Lately I've been a cookie and brownie test making machine!  We have very few cookie recipes at the GRIT so I've been researching some different ideas...both creative and basic.  I plan on sharing many of them here on the blog...some vegan and others with adaptions for vegan and non-vegan.   Coming up?  How about peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and vegan double chocolate brownies?  Oh, yeah.  Yeeeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!

When I post a recipe I usually just state 'egg replacer' for a vegan/egg-allergy option and move along but I recently realized that there are soooooo many different ways that one can add the binding capabilities of eggs without using them.  I thought I'd share them today and I'll be sure to link back to this page in all recipes.  It's nice to have choices, eh?

Egg Substitutes:

• Ener-G Egg Replacer or other store bought product = simply follow directions on box
• 2 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp warm water = 1 egg
• 2 tbsp arrowroot flour + 3 tbsp warm water = 1 egg
• 2 tbsp potato starch + 3 tbsp warm water = 1 egg
• 1 heaping tbsp soy powder + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg
• 1 tbsp soy milk powder + 1 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg
• 1/2 banana* (for brownies/cakes/muffins/pancakes only) = 1 egg
• 1/4 cup applesauce* (for brownies/cakes/muffins/pancakes only) = 1 egg 
• 1 tbsp milled flax seed and 3 tbsp water = 1 egg
• 1/4 cup silken tofu** (brownies/breads only) = 1 egg 

*  These will make product heavier and dense so make sure that a leavening agent (baking soda and/or powder) is used.
**  Tofu should be thoroughly blended with the other wet ingredients of the recipe.  Also, it will make product heavier and dense so make sure that a leavening agent (baking soda and/or powder) is used.

The water is added to the powders in order to provide the moisture that an egg usually gives.  I've seen some recipes only list the powder but I've been displeased with the results but I suggest that you try to find what works for you...

Oh, and my neighbor, Jim, and the hubby have been stoked by my kitchen adventures since they have to eat all the results and give me lots of feedback.  Hard job for them, eh?  They've been hella good at letting me know their thoughts and I've made lots of tweaks thanks to them.  I think I might have made one of the best cookies of my entire life yesterday...*drool*...and I'll share the recipe(s) soon!

P.S.  The randomly chosen winner of the Primrose Hill Knits giveaway is Sydney from The Fine Feline.  Congrats!