30 January 2013

A Quick Guide To Egg Substitutes In Cooking...

30 January 2013


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!

5 comments :

  1. Congrats to Sydney! I'm so glad you posted this. I truly want to transition over from vegetarian into the vegan world but my one foray into baking with egg replacement powder was just awful. And being a Southern lady, baking and pleasing tons of neighbors and family with the results is VERY important to me. Which one do you choose as your favorite for cookies?

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  2. Thank you so much! I'm pinning this. I have been looking for some good information on egg substitutes for a while now... It's quite unfortunate that I live in an area where organic/vegetarian foods are pretty much nonexistent and vegan? Most people around here do not even know what that is! You cannot find vegan food products (like Ener-G) here, plain and simple. So this list really helps!

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  3. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

    It's not that I'm always looking out for egg substitutes or anything, but I always get a hankering to bake something when there are no eggs available. Sure, I can go to the store, but this list is WAAAAAAAAAAAY easier.

    Can't wait for those recipes ;D

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  4. Swwwweeeeet! I'm so glad you all find this post helpful... :D

    My favorite substitution is cornstarch and I also round my baking soda and/or baking powder instead of leveling to give a tiny bit extra 'oomph' that, to me, really makes a difference.

    Let me know if you have any questions...or if anyone has/finds a substitution that isn't listed!

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  5. very nice! I have a box of egg replacer but i don't love it. i didn't even think to look for other options! ha.

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