Brownies are one of those desserts that creates nostalgia and makes you feel young again. Everyone loves this chocolate flavored dessert that is the perfect mix between a cookie and a cake. They are simple to make with just a few ingredients, but taste like a slice of heaven.
Brownies don’t take much time to make, whether they be homemade or made from a store bought brownie mix. They are sure to satisfy that sweet tooth craving that just won't go away. It is thought that they were originally created by a chef who was making biscuits and accidentally melted chocolate into them.
But, you either realize you are out of eggs. That, or you have food allergies, dietary restrictions, or follow a vegan lifestyle that put you on a hunt for the best egg substitute when making brownies.
Do you have to let your brownie cravings down? Not a chance! You can still have fudgy brownies without this key ingredient and save yourself a trip to the grocery store.
Eggs in Baking
Eggs are an animal product that have been used in baking for many years for a few different reasons. First off, they are cheap (usually), require little processing, and are easy to find.
Eggs add a smooth creamy texture to whatever they are added to. Egg yolks, especially, add a richness to baked goods that is difficult to replicate. Their flavor enhances the taste of many baked goods and brings out other flavors also.
Specifically in brownies, the purpose of eggs is to act as a leavening and binding agent. This means they help the dry ingredients and wet ingredients mix and stay together.
Eggs are also a leavening agent, which helps the brownie batter rise and adds volume.
All of this being said, you can’t just use anything for an egg substitute in brownies, but there are many viable options.
Best Egg Substitutes for Brownies
Below are some quick and easy egg substitutes for brownies. These egg replacements will work in either homemade recipes or box brownie mixes.
1. Store Bought Egg Replacers
If you have an egg allergy or follow a vegan diet, you are probably familiar with egg replacers and may even have them on hand. They work great in many baked goods, including brownies.
Store-bought egg replacers can be very simple to use, as they have instructions on the package of how much to use to substitute per egg in your brownie recipe.
The ingredients that are commonly found in these ready-made substitutes that help them work as the best substitute for eggs are: tapioca flour, potato starch, and baking soda.
There are more and more brands out there with changing consumer trends, but two that have great reviews are Bob’s Red Mill and Just Egg. They can be found at your local grocery store or ordered online.
The only problem you would have with these is if you just ran out of eggs, you most likely won’t have them on hand. Great news, there are several other viable substitutes listed below.
2. Flax Eggs
Have you used flax eggs before? They are similar to chia seed egg replacers, but you do not notice the grittiness of the flax seeds because they are ground, not whole.
Flax eggs are easy to use when making homemade or box brownies because they can act as a 1:1 substitution for chicken eggs.
Mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken.
Viola, you’ve made a flax egg. It should look similar to egg whites and can work well in vegan brownies.
3. Applesauce
Applesauce may not be quite as common in American kitchens as vegetable oil, but I’m willing to bet it is pretty close.
Most moms have it on hand for their littles or just for a quick snack for themselves.
To use applesauce as an egg substitute in a box brownie mix, I would suggest only using unsweetened applesauce.
For homemade brownies, you can use unsweetened or sweetened applesauce, but if the applesauce does contain sugar, use a smaller amount of sugar in your recipe.
¼ cup of applesauce will substitute for one egg.
4. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds can be found in many grocery stores in the spice or bulk foods section, but are also available at health food stores or online. These seeds are derived from a member of the mint family.
All you need to do is combine 1 tablespoon chia seeds (whole) and 3 tablespoons water to make a 1:1 substitute for eggs. The texture will be gooey like an egg.
A big disadvantage of using chia seeds is that because they are whole, you will see them in the final product.
Since brownies are so dark, it isn’t that big of a deal, but you can buy white chia seeds that are lighter, or considered more transparent, to help avoid this.
5. Aquafaba
What is aquafaba, exactly? Honestly, it is much more common than you might think.
Aquafaba is actually just the liquid you find in a can of chickpeas. It has been found to be a great option for an egg replacer because its consistency is so similar to egg whites.
All you need to do is take ¼ of the aquafaba per egg you want to replace. You only need to whip the liquid if your recipe calls for whipped egg whites. Otherwise, you can use the bean liquid as is, however, if you do take the time to whip it first, it will create a lighter texture in the brownie.
Aquafaba can be an awesome egg replacer for those that are looking to make vegan brownies. You may pick up a slight nutty taste with this option, but I wouldn’t let that hold you back.
6. Vegetable Oil
Everyone has vegetable oil on hand. I would be shocked if you told me otherwise.
All you have to do is use ¼ of vegetable oil in place of an egg and you’re done.
Because of the simplicity of this substitution, it is quick and easy. It will, however, increase the fat content and make them more dense and greasy, and less cakelike.
If you are making homemade brownies as opposed to a box recipe, I would use 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil, 1 ½ teaspoons water, and 1 teaspoon baking powder.
The second formulation works great for other baked goods as well. It has saved me in a pinch a time or two.
7. Silken Tofu
Silken can be a great substitute for eggs. If you or a family member is vegan or vegetarian, you most likely already have this on hand as it can take the place of other animal products as well.
Get out your food processor or blender and blend ¼ cup of silken tofu until it reaches the consistency of a whole egg.
This amount will replace one egg in your original recipe.
For best results, add ⅛ teaspoon of baking powder to your brownie mix to help the batter rise while baking. This trick also works well in quick breads.
Another perk of this replacement is the protein content. You can actually gain some nutritional value by using this.
8. Bananas
I don’t know about you, but bananas are one of my favorite foods. Chocolate and banana together? Even better!
Bananas can also be a great option when looking for an egg substitute because they are so easy to use and add their own flavor to the final product.
Simply take one-fourth cup of mashed bananas to replace each egg.
Ripe bananas work best, they are easier to mash and will bring out even more flavor after baking. If you have bananas that have been set aside for banana bread those will work perfectly.
Try this in your Duncan-Hines Brownie Mix or even in some peanut butter cup brownies. The banana, chocolate, and peanut butter will give you an out-of-this-world flavor profile.
9. Apple Cider Vinegar
Many people know that applesauce can be a good substitute for eggs when baking, but what about apple cider vinegar? This liquid has become pretty well-known as a health supplement and may be something you have in your pantry.
Since apple cider vinegar has a consistency similar to water, you will need to add baking soda to it for it to become a suitable substitute for an egg.
Take 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon baking soda and mix together in a small bowl. Once it stops fizzing, it can be incorporated into the brownie batter as an egg replacement.
Your mixture will work for one egg, so you will need to make more if your brownie recipe calls for more eggs.
Note: This ingredient combination is not recommended to be ingested on its own, however, it can be combined into a batter prior to baking.
10. Carbonated Water
You may be surprised to find that you can use carbonated water as an egg replacement in brownies and other baked goods.
Carbonated water can be a good option because it does not have any taste, thus it won’t change the flavor profile of your brownies too much. That is, they still may not taste the same as traditional brownies that use eggs because of the flavor the eggs impart, but nonetheless, the difference should be minor.
The texture will be very similar to traditional brownies as well, which may steer you in the direction of using carbonated water for your substitute.
¼ cup of carbonated water equals one egg.
Note that flavored seltzer water may slightly change the flavor of the brownies.
11. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt seems to be one of those ingredients that can substitute for anything, and eggs are no exception. I always have greek yogurt on hand, and I use it from time to time just for fun.
The smoothness of greek yogurt may make your brownies more dense. I am not sure that's a bad thing if you are going for fudgy brownies.
This option is less time consuming than others, because all you need to do is add ¼ cup of Greek yogurt to your wet ingredients to substitute for one egg.
Plain yogurt can work as well. You can try soy yogurt, made from soy milk, if you follow a vegan diet.
12. Arrowroot powder
Arrowroot powder can be a good choice if you have it in your pantry. It works as a binding agent, which will keep your brownies from crumbling.
You should be able to find this ingredient in your grocery store near the flour, typically found in the baking aisle.
To replace one egg, take 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder and mix with 3 tablespoons of water.
Be ready for some delicious brownies.
13. Sweet Potatoes
If you’re looking to add that “it factor” to your plain chocolate brownies, look no further than your family favorite root vegetable: the sweet potato.
That’s right, sweet potatoes can be a great egg substitute in brownies and other baked goods. My favorite way to use them is in pumpkin pie.
You will need to replace each egg with ¼ cup of pureed sweet potato. The easiest way to get your sweet potato puree is using a blender/pressure cooker combination appliance.
Good news, if you don’t have one of these, you can cook your sweet potato on the stove and either mash with a potato masher or use a hand mixer to get your desired result.
Other veggie and fruit purees that might work for you include some of the following options: canned pumpkin, canned squash, or even mashed potatoes.
14. Cornstarch
This is another of those substitutions you should have on hand and is really simple to use. Typically, corn starch is used to thicken liquids, making it a good egg replacer.
In a small bowl, take a simple combination of water, 3 tablespoons, and mix with 1 tablespoon of corn starch per each egg you need to replace. The best way to do this is just by using a fork to mix the two ingredients.
15. Potato Starch
Potato starch may not be as common as corn starch, but it can work just as well.
You can find potato starch in the baking aisle of your grocery store. A popular brand is Bob’s Red Mill, the same company that makes the store bought egg replacers we discussed earlier.
Take 2 tablespoons of potato starch and mix it with 3 tablespoons of water to replace one egg.
Do you have any other tried and true substitution recommendations? Please let me know in the comments!
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