Make a flax egg substitute for vegan recipes with just 2 ingredients! Works in baked goods like pancakes, brownies, and muffins, but also in meatballs! This natural egg replacer is keto, low carb, vegetarian, and vegan.
Have you ever started making a recipe only to find out you were out of eggs?
Not too long ago I was prepping for a batch cooking session before school started and lo and behold, I didn’t have enough eggs!
Instead of running to the store for one item (because we never come home with just one item), I learned how to make flax egg. This crazy easy recipe saved me a trip to the store AND money spent!
What is a Flax Egg?
A flax egg is a simple mixture of 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 2 tablespoons of water. After about 15 minutes, the flaxseed meal gels and creates a similar texture to eggs.
It’s a common vegan egg substitute, but beyond vegan baking, it works when you are out of eggs or need to bake egg-free because of allergies.
Here are MORE egg substitutes for egg-free baking!
Flax Egg Ingredients
- ground flaxseed
- water*
*Note: Using boiling water will make your flax seeds turn into a gel faster.
How to Make Flax Seed Eggs
Step 1. Add 1 Tbsp of ground flaxseed to 2 Tbsp of water in a small bowl (if you are pressed for time, use warm water).
Step 2. Allow the mixture to sit and gel for 15 minutes before using in recipes.
Step 3. The mixture will have the consistency of real egg whites.
What Is a Flax Egg Used For?
You might think that your options are limited because of the dry/wet issue in baking, but I’ve found that the opposite is true.
You can use flax egg instead of eggs in lots of baking recipes, especially in quick breads. My favorites include:
- strawberry pancakes
- classic pumpkin bread
- caramelized banana bread
- zucchini muffins with apples and carrots
You can also use it in non-baked goods too, like Italian meatballs and the best burger recipe ever.
The question then isn’t really when to use flax eggs, it becomes when you CAN’T. You really don’t want to use it in recipes that use lots of eggs, like scrambled eggs. Or need an egg texture, like meringue.
Where To Buy Flaxseed
- I’ve seen 48 oz bags of resealable organic ground flaxseed at Costco for just $6.79. You only need one tablespoon to make one flax egg, which comes out to just 2¢ per tablespoon.
- If you prefer online shopping this brand at Amazon is good. Or you can find it at Thrive Market as well. Click here to see the Exclusive Offer for Crumbs readers!
- One dozen of organic brown eggs at Trader Joe’s generally costs around $3.29, making one egg 27¢. That means choosing to bake with flax egg instead of traditional eggs can save you money big time!
Storing Flaxseed
- Whole flaxseed has a protective outer coating that naturally contains oils. It’s best to buy whole flax seeds whenever you can, simply because their shelf life is longer than the pre-ground flaxseed meal.
- Then when you want to make flax egg, you can grind whole flaxseed with an inexpensive coffee grinder like this one. I use my Blendtec because, well, I have one!
- Whether you choose whole flaxseed or ground flaxseed though, it’s best to store them in the fridge or the freezer. Those naturally occurring oils can go rancid, and you certainly don’t want to eat rancid oil OR risk imparting a negative flavor in your baked goods.
Tips and Tricks for Making a Flax Egg Replacement
- One flax egg is the equivalent of one large egg (you can make more than one at a time if that’s what your recipe calls for).
- Anytime you use flax egg instead of regular egg, make it FIRST – before you do anything else – so it has enough time to gel without disrupting your baking plans.
- If you’re in a pinch, you can make an “egg” with flax OR chia seeds! Although chia seeds are definitely more expensive.
- You can freeze flax eggs! This is great for prepping at the start of the week. Simply make them and then pour into an ice cube tray. Most ice cube trays hold 2 tablespoons, so you’ll either want to split one flax egg into two cubes (and then remembering to thaw two cubes when you bake) or get a larger ice cube tray like this one which holds 6 ½ tablespoons in each cube.
- If you’re in a rush, use hot water to make the flax gel faster.
Flax Egg FAQs
How does flax egg work?
The outer seed part of flax turns gelatinous when it is ground and mixed with water. This allows the flax egg to act as a binder and emulsifier in baking. It also adds moisture so your recipe will not become dry or crumbly.
Is flax egg gluten-free?
Flaxseeds are naturally gluten-free and are packed with nutrients:u003cbr/u003eOmega-3 Fatty Acid. “Good” fat for heart and bone health.u003cbr/u003eLignans. Free-radical fighting antioxidant found red wine; also shown to interfere with cancer-promoting effects of estrogen and promotes regular digestion.u003cbr/u003eFiber. Helps keep the pipes clean.u003cbr/u003eSo really, anytime you make this recipe in lieu of actual eggs, you’re not just making a boring substitution – you’re actually boosting the nutrition of whatever you’re making!u003cbr/u003ePlus, here are u003ca href=u0022https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/ways-use-flaxseed/u0022u003e18 Ways to Use Flaxseeds!u003c/au003e
What does flax egg taste like?
If you were to taste whole flaxseeds or a plain flax egg, it’s going to have a sort of nutty taste. Not strong, but there’s a flavor.u003cbr/u003eHowever, when you bake it intou003ca href=u0022https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/molasses-breakfast-cookies/u0022u003e molasses breakfast cookiesu003c/au003e or u003ca href=u0022https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/protein-pancakes/u0022u003eprotein pancakesu003c/au003e or u003ca href=u0022https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/cast-iron-skillet-cornbread/u0022u003ecast iron skillet cornbreadu003c/au003e, you won’t notice a taste!u003cbr/u003eYou’ll also SEE the outer part of brown flaxseeds if you use that variety. Golden flaxseeds are better for baking and help when there’s a picky eater that notices a change in their food.
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Homemade Flax Seed Eggs
Make a flax egg substitute for vegan recipes with just 2 ingredients! Works in baked goods like pancakes, brownies, and muffins, but also in meatballs! This natural egg replacer is keto, low carb, vegetarian, and vegan.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Sauces/Condiments
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2 Tbsp water*
Instructions
- Combine flaxseed and water together in a small dish and stir together well.
- Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes, or until it becomes a sticky, stretchy, gelatinous mixture.
Notes
*Boiling water will help the flaxseed turn into a gel-like substance faster.
Very well written, Now I can have vegan cakes. Thanks for sharing such a detailed article. I am a vegetarian and doesn’t eat eggs but your article has given me an alternative to eggs for bakery items. My friend suggested me using True Elements Flax seeds as they are a clean label brand which makes it trustable and is 100% pure so I started using them. And trust me they are best.
In this article you have given different amounts for the ingredients. first was 1 T flaxmeal to 1 T. water
then 1 T flaxmeal to 2 T water
I’ve also seen it as 1 T flaxmeal to 3 T water
I’m confused
Hi Judy! Thanks so much for catching our mistake. It’s 1:2. Sorry for the confusion!
Yes! I am intolerant to flaxseed (& eggs), so I have used ground chia seeds like this. Revolutionary!
Looking forward to coming back to your blog as we share similar eating needs. Keep sharing – thank you!
You’re very welcome Laura!
This is so interesting and informative! I had no idea you could use flax for an egg! I want to try this ASAP! Thank you!
You’re very welcome Rhonda!
Flax eggs are awesome! I didn’t realize they could be frozen…that’s a great tip!! Also, if you want a great egg-free cake, try out a crazy/wacky cake recipe if you haven’t already.
Thanks Macy!
Thanks for pointing out flax eggs are cheaper! I hadn’t thought about that.
You CAN make meringue out of aquafaba (the water leftover from cooking beans.) I made meringue cookies from aquafaba recently and no one could tell. They tasted exactly like those made from egg whites. I am attempting aioli from aquafaba this week as well. I am not sure about pastry, but it does allegedly work in mousse and other such things.
Hi Tarynkay! I’ve cool things about aquafaba, but I’m really on the fence… I rinse canned beans 3x in order to eliminate as much of the enzymes that cause gas, so to intentionally eat the liquid that they come in?! I don’t know if I can do it!
I have substituted flax in brownies, pancakes, and cookies. Each time they come out doughy. I bake until the cookie bottoms are medium brown when I normally get them out when they are light brown. The pancakes are definitely cooked on the griddle until they are browned and the brownies were baked for longer than normal and they had a crust on the outside edge. I am gluten free so all of the items I am making have gluten free flour in them. Could that be the reason? I have no problems when I use Ener-G Egg Replacer. Thanks.
Use chickpea flour it’s gluten free