If you’re making a vegan-friendly breakfast scramble, you have quite a few ready-made egg replacement brands to choose from. However, if you want to whip up a vegan-friendly dessert, finding a suitable egg substitute can be a bit more challenging. In baking, eggs are used to help bind dry ingredients like flour, as well as add moisture and structure to baked goods by way of their fat and protein. If you’re adapting a recipe sans standard eggs, it’s crucial that your animal-free alternative supplies all of the same properties. Otherwise you’ll end up with dry, crumbly brownies and flat, hard cookies.
One popular option for egg-free bakers is aquafaba, a liquid from chickpeas that can be whipped into an ingredient resembling egg whites. Others reach for ground flax seeds, which, when combined with water, can achieve a surprisingly thick and egg-like consistency. And while each is fine for use individually, their resulting eggless bites may leave something to be desired. However, we’re here to tell you that the ultimate egg substitute can be achieved by bringing them both together.
Enter: Flaxaba eggs. This plant-based hybrid combines the fluffy, foamy profile of aquafaba with the gluey, gelatinous texture of flax meal. Not only do they thicken each other up, but the aquafaba fills in the moisture that the flax absorbs, striking a balance. The resulting mixture is sturdy and binding and gives baked goods all the moisture and structure they need to be soft and chewy.
How to make and use flaxaba eggs
Creating your flaxaba egg is easy. All you need to do is take 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed and combine with 3 tablespoons of aquafaba. Mix them well and let sit for about 15 minutes, until the mixture has thickened up to the right consistency. This measurement is what you’ll use to sub in as one egg in a recipe. Even better, you don’t have to adjust the ratio of any of the other ingredients when using this as an egg alternative. Want to make a large batch of flaxaba to have at the ready? You can freeze individual servings in ice cube trays and store in a freezer bag for up to four months.
You may want to avoid using flaxaba eggs in baked goods that call for more than two eggs in a batch, as it could result in an off texture and flavor. However, there are various recipes, both plant-based and otherwise, for which you can incorporate flaxaba eggs. There’s Tasting Table’s own vegan chocolate chip cookies and vegan chewy oatmeal cookies, which already call for flax egg substitutes. You can also easily adapt our rich and fudgy mocha brownies recipe by swapping out the eggs, and using a vegan butter substitute like coconut oil. Donuts, pancakes, waffles, and quickbreads are also favorably suited for flaxaba eggs, as they’ll benefit from the extra structure and moisture the blend provides.
