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If you need a substitute for eggs in baking, flax eggs are a great option. All you need is ground flax seeds, plus water, to make one. I spent months testing egg substitutes, and flaxseed eggs were one of my “top 4” picks in baking.
However, with that being said, flax eggs are not suitable for all recipes.
Sometimes, the classic 3-to-1 ratio needs to be modified depending on what you plan to bake. I’ve tested flax eggs in various recipes, including brownies, cookies, cakes, and muffins, and in some cases, the ratio needs to be modified.
Be sure to read all the additional tips below to achieve the best results.
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“I use this all the time, thanks to you mentioning it on Instagram! I’m so grateful for all the tips and tricks you share. My son is egg-free, and this flax egg recipe is a game changer.” – Ramona
Flax Egg Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Flax seeds. Your flax seeds must be ground, so if you buy whole flax seeds from the store, you’ll need to use a coffee grinder to break them down into a fine powder. Luckily, it’s now easy to buy ground flaxseed at the store.
- Water. Adding liquid to the ground flax will help it gel and turn into a gooey egg substitute in minutes. In my experience, using hot water will make the flax egg gel faster than cool water, but either option will work.
In general: 1 tablespoon of ground flax + 3 tablespoons water = 1 flax egg. However, some tips on when that might change are provided below.
How to Make a Flax Egg Substitute
Step 1:
If you start with whole flaxseed, you must grind it first. Add a few tablespoons of seeds to a coffee grinder, spice grinder, or high-speed blender, and pulse briefly until the seeds are finely ground.
(A food processor won’t work to grind the seeds because the bowl is too big.)
You can skip this step if you start with a bag of flaxseed meal or ground flaxseeds you bought at the store.
Step 2:
Add one tablespoon of ground flaxseed to a small bowl with three tablespoons of water. Mix well with a spoon or small whisk, then let the bowl rest for 5 minutes.
The mixture will thicken as it rests. This will make one egg replacement.
Once the mixture has thickened, it’s ready to use in your recipe. However, this egg substitute may not work perfectly in all cases, so please refer to the tips below.
When to use less water
The most common flax egg ratio is 1:3, meaning one tablespoon of ground flaxseed to 3 tablespoons of water. However, you can use less water for the flax egg when making something with a very runny batter, like quick bread.
- When making banana bread or cake that calls for more than one regular egg, try using a 1:2 ratio (1 T ground flax + 2 T water) for the flax egg replacement.
- If you want cookies to be less moist in the center, the 1:2 ratio works best in that case, too.
How to Use Flax Eggs
Chicken eggs not only act as a binder in recipes, but they also help with lift and structure. Flax eggs don’t do all of that, so adjust your expectations when using them.
Use flax eggs in recipes like:
- Cookies. Cookies are relatively flat and usually require only one egg. Flax eggs will work well here!
- Brownies. If you love a brownie with a gooey center, then flax eggs will work just as well here. They don’t provide as much rise and structure as eggs, but they usually hold a brownie recipe together. (If a recipe calls for two eggs, check out my other egg substitutes.)
- Recipes that call for all-purpose flour. Wheat flour and all-purpose flour contain gluten, which makes them both very forgiving in recipes. Flax eggs will usually work well in muffins and breads made with regular white flour.
Detoxinista Tip
It’s a good idea to swap your leavener when using flax eggs. If a recipe calls for a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, use double that amount of baking powder when using a flax egg. It will help add some of the lift that regular eggs provide.
Don’t use flax eggs in:
- Recipes that call for more than 3 eggs. Generally, the more eggs you need to substitute, the more issues you may encounter. Using more than two flax eggs could result in baked goods that are gooey or have an underbaked texture.
- Paleo & gluten-free recipes. When using almond flour or coconut flour, flax eggs may not provide the required structure. (If you don’t mind a gooey cookie or brownie, they could still be helpful in that case, but experiment at your own risk.) Even grain-based flours, such as oat flour and buckwheat flour, work better with real eggs, so the result may be more gummy or dense when eggs are left out.
- Flourless recipes. If a recipe doesn’t call for flour, it probably relies on the eggs for structure. Flax eggs won’t work very well in this case.
For tested egg-free recipes, start with a vegan recipe, which will naturally be egg-free anyway!
Chia Egg vs. Flax Egg
As I mentioned earlier, chia seeds and flax seeds both thicken and gel when soaked in water. This means you can use either option as a substitute for eggs.
According to the Mayo Clinic, flax seeds must be ground for you to fully absorb their nutrients. A research study published in 2023 suggests that chia seeds may be best eaten in this way, too, even though chia pudding is quite popular using the whole seeds.
The main difference between flax and chia eggs is the flavor. Chia seeds aren’t quite as noticable in baked goods taste-wise compared to flax, in my opinion. Flax seeds add a more noticeably, nutty flavor, which works well in baked goods like banana bread, which may already have nuts included.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (or chia seeds)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Add the ground flaxseed and water to a bowl and stir until well combined. Let the mixture rest for at least 5 minutes to allow it to thicken. Note: If using this in a quick bread recipe, use only two tablespoons of water, rather than 3. Breads and cakes don't need the extra moisture. If you don't want soft cookies, you can use just 2 tablespoons in that case as well.
- When the flax egg looks thicker, you can use it as an egg replacement in baking recipes. (See tips in this post for which recipes work best with a flax egg.)
Notes
- Nutrition information is for 1 flax egg. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
- You can use ground chia seeds instead of flax seeds, to make a chia egg.
- Flax eggs work best in recipes that call for all-purpose or whole wheat flour and don’t call for more than 2 eggs. Try them in cookies or brownies where you don’t mind a slightly softer, gooey center.
- Do NOT use flax eggs as an egg replacement in recipes that call for almond flour or coconut flour. Flax eggs won’t provide the structure that chicken eggs do, so they also aren’t a great fit for flourless recipes.
- See the full post above for more tips on using flax eggs.
Nutrition
Recipes that Use Flax Eggs
If you want to start with a trusted recipe, these already use flax as the binder.
If you try this flax egg recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how it worked out for you!
This recipe and site is very helpful. Much appreciated. Stay Blessed as always!