This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
When I met my husband nearly 20 years ago, he didn’t eat any animal products, including eggs. As someone who loved to bake, I immediately had to figure out how to do it without eggs or dairy. Luckily, my sister-in-law introduced me to flax eggs, and egg-free baking became much easier.
In case you haven’t been introduced to flax eggs yet, I’m here to help. All you need is ground flaxseed and water to make one. I recently spent several months testing other egg substitutes, and flaxseed eggs are still among my “top 4” picks for baking.
However, 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, this egg substitute works better when you use less water. Be sure to read all the additional tips below to achieve the best results!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“My son is egg-free, and this flax egg recipe is a game changer.”
– Ramona
How to Make Flax Eggs
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 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.
Note: You can also use whole or ground chia seeds as an egg substitute. I prefer the texture when they are ground, so they blend in with baked goods.
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.
Note: In some cases, you may want to use only 2 tablespoons of water to make your flax egg. I recommend using less water when baking something with a runny batter, such as quick breads and muffins. You may also want to use this ratio for cookies, as a regular flax egg might make them feel slightly underbaked.
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 more than two eggs, check out my other egg substitutes.)
- Recipes that call for all-purpose flour. Wheat flour and all-purpose flour both contain gluten, making 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 2 eggs. Generally, the more eggs you need to substitute, the more issues you may encounter. Using more than 2 flax eggs can result in baked goods that are gooey or underbaked.
- 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 is already egg-free.
Chia Egg vs. Flax Egg
As I mentioned earlier, both chia and flax seeds 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 this way, too, even though chia pudding is quite popular with whole seeds.
The main difference between flax and chia eggs is the flavor. Chia seeds aren’t quite as noticeable in baked goods taste-wise compared to flax, in my opinion. Flax seeds add a more noticeable, nutty flavor that works well in baked goods like banana bread, which may already include nuts.
How to Make Flax Eggs (Or Chia Eggs!)
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 require 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!