Flax Egg

What can you use instead of eggs in baking? Flax eggs! Here’s how to make a flax egg, a replacement used in vegan baking.

What’s a flax egg? While it might sound a little odd, it’s a fantastic trick as an egg replacement used in baking. Alex and I used to shy away from them — and in all honesty, it was mostly because of the name. Turns out, flax eggs are incredibly easy to make and they work like a charm in many baked goods. Now that we’ve gotten the hang of them, we even use them if we forget to buy eggs! You can store ground flax seed in your fridge and have it ready to go at any moment. But I’m getting ahead of myself! Here’s everything you need to know about flax eggs.

What’s a flax egg?

A flax egg is a mixture of ground flax seed and water that can be used as a substitute for an egg in baked goods. This egg substitute is all natural and fits into virtually any diet (gluten-free, Paleo, Whole 30, vegetarian, vegan, and dairy-free). It seems almost magical, but it’s truly a miracle of nature.

How does a flax egg work? When the flax seeds are ground up and mixed with water, they become thick and gooey due to a gum in the seed coating. The thick substance can be used as a binder in baked goods, just like you’d use an egg.

How to make a flax egg

Here’s the formula for how to make a flax egg, a replacement for 1 standard egg:

• 1 flax egg =
  1 tablespoon ground flax seed +
  2 ½ tablespoons water, whisked and allowed to stand for 15 minutes

You may see other sources state that a flax egg is 1 tablespoon ground flax seed to 3 tablespoons water. In our testing, we found that 3 tablespoons came out a bit watery, so we prefer 2 ½ tablespoons.

There are lots of different variations on how to make a flax egg: some sources state to use hot water, others place the mixture into the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Our testing found that there was really no difference between all these options. So, simply whisk together the flax seed and water at room temperature and allow it to stand. It will thicken after the 15 minutes into a gel-like substance. Give it another whisk after it’s sat and it will come to the right consistency.

What recipes can you use a flax egg replacement in?

Obviously, do not attempt to make a plate of scrambled flax eggs! The best place to use a flax egg replacement is in baked goods like quick breads, muffins, and pancakes. While they don’t whip up into a meringue or make a fluffy frittata, they’re perfect for zucchini bread or banana pancakes.

Here are some ideas for recipes where you could substitute a flax egg. Please let us know if you’ve tried any, and what recipes you’ve found work well!

• Apple Zucchini Muffins
• Blueberry Cake
• Healthy Banana Bread Muffins
• Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
• Gluten Free Pancakes
• Lemon Poppy Seed Oatmeal Pancakes
• Healthy Banana Bread
• Easy Banana Pancakes with Berries
• Easy Chocolate Banana Bread

How to grind flax seed

This recipe calls for ground flax seed, and you’ll typically find it in the grocery as whole seeds. You can easily grind your own flax seeds by placing them in a blender or electric coffee grinder. Here’s how to grind flax seed:

1. Place 1 cup flax seeds in a high speed blender or electric coffee grinder.
2. Blend on high for a few seconds until fully ground. Yields 1 ½ cups.

This recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

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