Vegan baking
Baking without eggs, milk or butter by using plant-based substitutes.
- Measurement, dietary and professional terminology
Also called: egg-free baking, dairy-free baking
Vegan baking leaves out eggs and dairy, so each substitute has to do the job the egg or butter would have done. University extension guidance sorts egg replacers by function. For moisture, bakers use about a quarter cup of mashed banana, applesauce or silken tofu per egg. For binding, flaxseed meal mixed with water forms a gel. For lift, a mix of vegetable oil, water and baking powder, or plain carbonated water, can stand in.
Aquafaba, the liquid from cooked chickpeas, is often used for whipping into meringue-like foams. Plant butters and nut or oat milks replace the dairy.
These swaps work best in muffins, quick breads, cookies and brownies, and less well in recipes that depend heavily on eggs.
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Sources
Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.
- Low-cost Alternatives to Eggs when Baking, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension