Have you ever been in the middle of baking something only to realize that you’re out of eggs? I can’t even count the number of times while making gluten-free recipes that I’ve done that. It’s embarrassing. You’d think I’d learn better by now.
But, every “oops!” moment has it’s silver lining, right? In fact, though I usually only have flax seeds around to feed my dehydrated flax cracker addiction, learning to make flax seed egg replacer might be worth its weight in gold for those allergic to eggs, and that’s why I’m sharing.
It’s really easy to do actually, though it grosses my husband out (who knew high viscosity liquid could make a grown man run!), and while there is nothing that can totally replace an egg, I’ve found that this homemade egg replacer works really well in many baked goods.
Those of you who have egg allergies probably already have your ducks in a row when it comes to using egg replacers, but for the rest of us, here are a few guidelines for baking with flax egg replacer:
- Mix the egg replacer in with the wet ingredients before adding the dry. This will disperse it into the mixture much more evenly.
- Add gelatin. One of the big benefits of using eggs is that they add protein – structure – to your baked goods. Since flax isn’t a protein, try adding some beef gelatin to the mix. If you can, make sure it’s dissolved in liquid first.
This article from Vegan Baking goes into some great details on the hows and whys of flax seed egg replacer, and I highly recommend reading it.
PrintHomemade Flax Seed Egg Replacer
Instructions
- Heat the seeds and water in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
- Let boil for 5-10 minutes until the liquid becomes thick like an egg white.
- Drain through a wire colander (like this one). If the mucilage is too thick to go through your sieve, stir in a bit of water.
- Store egg replacer in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To use: Use 3 Tablespoons of flax seed egg replacer in place of one egg.
Recipes that I’ve personally used this egg replacer in (and had good results):
Okay, so it’s not a very long list (we usually run out of eggs in the middle of making pancakes for some reason), but I’m sure it will get longer as I run out of eggs again and again. 🙂
Enjoy!
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Anna @ Feminine Adventures says
Very cool! In things like bread, I usually just add a bit of ground up flaxseed in place of the egg, but I’m sure this would be a much more “accurate” replacement. 🙂
Sabrina | Frugal Italian Family says
It’s very interesting. As you, I usually run out of eggs when I plan to have omelettes ( frittata in Italy ) for dinner :). I suppose I should try your egg replacer 🙂
Heather says
Hi! Please tell me how much gelatin to add (what proportion) and how to do it.
Also, how much flax egg replacer do you think I should use for a recipe that calls for just an egg white rather than whole egg?
Just a thought… I had seen a tip to freeze egg replacer in ice cube trays so they store longer and you can take them out as needed.
Thank you for this great information 🙂
Elise says
For the egg white, I’d use 1 1/2 – 2 Tablespoons of flax egg.
I’ve heard of using ice cube trays to freeze premeasured flax in. It’s a great idea, though I haven’t tried it yet. One cube is suppose to equal one egg, but you have to be careful about that, because not all ice cube trays are the same size. Mine hold 1.5 Tablespoons, which is about half an egg. So for me it would be two cubes to replace one egg. 🙂
Feyza says
Very useful article, thank you. Is it possible to use the left flaxseeds?
Elise says
I have no idea – good question!
Jen says
Could you please tell me the replacer i should use in grams? For a whole egg and for the egg White. Thank you
Laura-Lea Price says
I am just wondering why you say flax does not contain protein?