Living a more sustainable and ethical lifestyle doesn’t mean giving up comforting foods. This is especially true for baking cakes, cookies, pies, and anything else you crave! Below are some easy vegan baking substitutions for common baking ingredients that contain animal products.
Last updated 11/1/2024
Before we dive in, I want to share some of our favorite vegan baking recipe websites. These are great for all skill levels. It doesn’t matter whether you’re vegan or not!
- Nora Cooks – Find recipes for every meal of the day. Enjoy dishes for any occasion using simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. Great for beginners!
- The Banana Diaries – Slightly higher skill level than Nora, but not by much. And some of these recipes will blow your friends away! Mostly dessert recipes.
Butter
Vegan butter is available at all major grocery stores. The best part is that you can easily substitute regular butter or margarine for vegan butter at a 1:1 ratio. No extra calculation or thought needed! You can buy it as a spread or in sticks from your typical butter brands like these:
- I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter: It’s Vegan
- Country Crock Plant Butter
- Miyoko’s Creamery Plant Milk Oat Butter and Euro Butter – Wholesome ingredients and a fan favorite
- Trader Joe’s Organic Buttery Spread
- Earth Balance Baking Spreads and Baking Sticks
Eggs
Eggs act as a binding agent in most baking recipes. Some of these other techniques work better than others depending on what you’re making. For example, flax meal and water work as a great egg replacer for cookies. Yet, if you want a light and fluffy cake, stick to applesauce or yogurt as an egg replacer. Pro tip: most vegan baking recipes will guide you on which option is best for their recipe.
Flaxseed Meal Egg:
1 Tbsp of flaxseed meal with 2.5 Tbsp of water mixed together makes 1 egg. Repeat based on number of eggs you need for your bake. Example: If a recipe calls for 3 eggs, that’s 3 Tbsp of flaxseed meal mixed with 7.5 Tbsp of water. Let sit for a few minutes after mixing to let it thicken before adding to your mixing bowl.
Common Flaxseed Meal Brands:
- Trader Joe’s Organic Flaxseed Meal
- Bob’s Red Mill Golden Flaxseed Meal
Applesauce Egg:
Applesauce acts as a great moistener and, like chicken eggs, does not change the flavor of your baked goods. Use ¼ cup of applesauce to equal 1 egg. For example, if the recipe calls for 2 eggs, use 1/2 cup of applesauce.
Mashed Banana Egg:
Take ¼ cup of ripe banana and mash it up to equal 1 egg. This also works best for recipes that use eggs as a moistener.
Non-Dairy Yogurt:
One of my favorite egg replacers in cakes is to use non-dairy yogurt. Plain yogurt works best to avoid creating an imbalance in flavor. You can also use vanilla flavored non-dairy yogurt if you’re baking something sweet. Do NOT use Greek yogurt. See common non-dairy yogurt brands below. Follow recipes for the correct yogurt ratio. Most bakes will use roughly 8 oz of yogurt for a typical 8–9-inch layered cake.
Common Non-Dairy Yogurt Brands:
- Silk Non-Dairy Yogurt Alternative – Silk brand is a certified B Corporation
- Forager Project Cashewmilk Yogurt
- Kite Hill
Vegan Egg Replacer:
Some alternatives can literally replace eggs with the same yellow and gooey look and feel. They are pricier than the alternatives listed above. These alternatives work exactly as you would expect. These work better for making omelets and other stovetop meals. Refer to whichever recipe you’re following for best choice.
Chocolate
Plenty of “accidentally vegan” chocolate options are available at nearly all grocery stores. Simply choose baking chocolate or chips that do not contain any milk ingredients.
Common chocolate brands for baking:
- Trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Enjoy Life Baking Chocolates
- Nestle Toll House Allergen Free
Want more?
Check out our other vegan food articles!