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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!
Hi hi, thanks so much for sharing this. Really want to try this but don’t like the idea of ground flaxseeds in my baked goods. Would it be possible to strain out the ground flaxseeds after making this and have it still work well?
Hi Megan,
I would like to know if your 1 tbsp ground flex + 3 tbsp water = 1 real egg?
That’s what I use for egg substitutions in recipes. However, it won’t always work in recipes that call for a lot of eggs, like in something that uses coconut flour or almond flour. It usually works very well in traditional recipes that use regular flour, and I use it in cookie recipes that only call for 1 egg.
you are awesome!
You mentioned that Flaxseed or Chia seed should not be used in recipes requiring more than two eggs. I’m wondering, is there a substitute that will work? I’m trying to find egg substitutes for binding agents since, during this Coronavirus Pandemic, eggs are getting hard to find in stores.
Im allegic to eggs and peanuts…just wanting to know what to use.
Hi
I just wanted to know if flaxseed and chia seeds are also substitute for nut allergies.
Thanks for the cashew butter recipe. I was astounded no flour of any kind was used. I bake for my wife as well as cook. She has so many food allergies. I tried cashew butter cookies with Robin Hood gluten free flour. Too dry. I will try yours without chocolate chips and let you know what I think of them.
My great niece is allergic to eggs along with a long list of other things. I have recipe for banana oatmeal pancakes. It calls for 4 eggs or 1 cup egg whites. It also mentions chia eggs for a substitute. Would I have to make 1 tbsp chia and 3 tbsp water for each egg. I would love to make these for her but I have never used this method before and I’m not sure what to do.
Do you think I could use this in your Coconut Flour banana bread?
Flax eggs aren’t the best option for coconut four recipes, since they would have to replace SO many eggs. I’d recommend finding a recipe that uses a different flour, like my Vegan Almond Flour Banana Bread.
I love using chia eggs in baking! I agree with you, I think they are a little less noticeable in flavor compared to flax eggs.
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.
I’m glad it’s helpful and that it works for your son! Thanks for letting me know.