Vegan Baking Substitutes For Eggs, Butter, and Milk

As a baking enthusiast, my main concern when I went vegan was how I could bake without animal products. Most cakes, cookies, pies and other desserts require eggs, butter, and milk. The absence of them (or just even one of them) could be a challenge for vegan bakers. Vegan baking is a lot easier than you think and with the help of our Ultimate Vegan Baking Guide you’ll become a vegan baking pro. 

After years of experiment, I have a list of easy baking substitutes for eggs, butter, and milk. Now it’s time to share it with you!

A vegan chocolate cake is no different from a normal one. As you can see below. 

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Vegan Substitutes for Eggs

Is it possible to bake without eggs? The answer: yes. Very possible. 

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In baking, eggs get firm when they meet heat (either boiled, baked, or fried). Whipped egg white also serves as a natural leavening by holding the air bubbles in the batter. The texture of eggs can provide baked goods with moisture, giving the cakes, pies, and cookies their richness.

Flax Egg

Flax egg, or flegg, or flaxseed egg, is an egg substitute made from flaxseed and water. The recipe for one egg is one tablespoon of flax meal mixed with three tablespoons of hot water. Create the mixture separately before adding it to the batter.

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It is the mucilage outer of the flax seed that allows it to work as an egg replacer. This layer stores food and water. When ground and mixed with water, flax meal turns into a gel called hydrocolloid. The gel will bind all the ingredients all together like normal eggs would.

Flax egg doesn’t work in recipes like angel cakes or crepes. The best use of fleggs is to replace vinegar, baking soda, or baking powder. You can also use seeds like chia seeds in the same way to replace eggs.

Silken Tofu

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Silken tofu is not only great in Asian dishes. It can work as an egg substitute to provide moisture for baked goods too! One egg equals ¼ cup of silken tofu. Puree the tofu before you add it to the batter.

Silken tofu is suitable in dense recipes like brownies. It is also a perfect replacer for eggs in recipes that require a lot of eggs like quiches and custards. Since it only adds moisture to the cakes, there must be the presence of baking soda or baking powder in the recipes.

You can see how tofu replaces eggs in brownie recipe here:

Applesauce or Banana

In recipes which already have a leavening agent, you can replace eggs with applesauce or mashed banana. They will provide the baked goods with moisture as eggs do. It will add fruity flavors to the food.

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Adding ¼ cup of applesauce or mashed banana can substitute one egg. Other kinds of fruits with the same features can also work. It’s fun to “invent” a new flavor of pancake, cupcake, brownie, or cinnamon cake with whatever fruity flavor you like.

Vegetable Oil

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This vegan egg swap is my favorite because I always have it in my kitchen. The simple recipe for one egg is ¼ cup of vegetable oil. I mostly use this substitution when making cookies as a binding agent and for moisture. If you add more oil than above, the cookies can be oily and greasy.

Some people asked me if the vegetable oil batter works with a cookie press. It does, and the result is as great as the “normal” batter. Other vegan baking substitutes for eggs also produce the dough that you can fill in a cookie press. Sometimes, I use cornstarch or soy flour to make vegan cookies, too. Mix one tablespoon of each with two tablespoons of water to replace one egg.

These vegan chocolate chip cookies with toasted coconut are made with vegetable oil! Don’t they look good?

Photo credit: Veganbaking.net via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Vegan Baking Substitutes for Butter

In baking, butter is usually used to create a spongy texture and add sweetness. There are several ways to replace butter in baking recipes, and here are some of them!

Avocado

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A flesh of ripe avocado works well with cookies, breads, and pastries. For the best result, you should mash it completely before mixing it with the rest of the recipe. Not only does avocado boost the softness and moisture, but it’s also a healthy substitute for butter since it has a lower calorie content.

Canola Oil

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A few drops of canola oil is a perfect replacement for melted butter. In the case of chocolate chip cookies, you can replace 1/2 cup of unsalted butter with 1/2 cup of canola oil. In spite of being high in calorie content, canola oil contains very little cholesterol and fat.

Vegan Baking Substitutes for Milk

In baking, milk is one of the most common ingredients. It’s used to create texture and boost the richness of cakes, muffins, cookies, etc. There are a lot of different vegan milk substitutes out there. Here are just some of them.

Soy Milk

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It’s a classic and favorite choice of many bakers. Compared to cow milk, soy milk contains 75% more antioxidants. Also, soy milk easily causes curdling which helps to leverage the crumb quality of cakes.

Almond Milk

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Almond milk is not rich in protein, but it contains a variety of vitamins. Despite being less sweet and creamy than soy milk, it’s able to contribute to the richness of the recipe. It comes in many different flavors like vanilla and chocolate.

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Similar to almond milk is cashew milk, made from cashews! Coconut milk is also another option that falls under this category. But be sure to know that using coconut milk will add a coconut flavor to your dish.

Hemp Milk

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Hemp milk works well in both cooking and baking because it contains a lot more protein than other non-dairy milk. Besides, hemp milk is very thick and creamy, which makes it a great alternative for milk used for baking.

Conclusion

Going vegan was a choice that I thought I had to give up many of my favorite dishes for. Turns out; I haven’t quit any of them. I assumed baking without using animal products was impossible, but I found the perfect substitutions to solve my baking problem.

I hope my list of vegan baking substitutes for eggs, butter, and milk finds you well. Outside of choosing to eat more healthy, consider checking out the best 3-day cleanse for your health, too. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, and we will discuss!

Author Bio

Kevin Richard is the founder of Richardpantry.com. He spends plenty of time in the kitchen every day because he loves cooking healthy and delicious foods for his family and friends. Cooking gives him a chance to be creative and fun. It’s also one of the most meaningful ways to express his love of his little family.