Last updated 11/21/2023

You don’t need to avoid favorite family recipes that include animal-based ingredients.  Many baked goods can be produced with easy, convenient substitutes.

Butter:  You can use vegan butter, available at all major grocery stores, exactly as you would regular butter.  Common substitutes are:

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter: It’s Vegan

Learn more: Vegan – I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!®

Earth Balance Spreads

Learn more: Spreads | Earth Balance (earthbalancenatural.com)

Eggs:  Eggs act as a binding agent in most baking recipes. Some of these alternative methods work better than others depending on the type of recipe. (Google can help with questions.)

  • Flax Egg:  Mix 2.5 Tbsp flaxseed meal and 1 Tbsp hot water, then stir and let sit for about five minutes; won’t act as a leavening agent, so use only for moisture.
    • Common Flaxseed Meal Brands:

Trader Joe’s Organic Flaxseed Meal

Bob’s Red Mill Golden Flaxseed Meal

Learn more: Golden Flaxseed Meal | Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods

  • Pro Tip: You can also use the same process and ratio for chia seeds if flaxseed meal is not available. Both are super healthy and work well!
  • Applesauce Egg:  Applesauce acts as a great moistener and, like chicken eggs, does not change the flavor of your baked goods; works best for recipes that use egg mostly for adding moisture. Use ¼ cup of applesauce to equal 1 egg.
  • Mashed Banana Egg: Take ¼ cup ripe banana and mash it up to equal 1 egg; also works best for recipes that use eggs as a moistener.
  • Baking Soda and Vinegar: For recipes like cake that need to add fluffiness; mix 1 tsp of baking soda with 1 tsp of white vinegar to equal 1 egg.
  • Vegan Egg Replacer: For a literal replacement for egg, these alternatives work exactly as you would expect:

JUST Egg

Learn more: JUST Egg | JUST Egg

Chocolate:  Plenty of “accidentally vegan” chocolate options are available at nearly all grocery stores; simply opt for buying baking chocolate or chips that do not contain any milk ingredients.

Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels

Learn more: Nestle Toll House Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips – 12oz : Target