For the most part, recipes can be made vegan with some simple substitutions. I've experimented with some of these, and definitely have had my share of failures, but I will keep updating this page as I learn more!
Stick butter:
- 1-1 ratio of coconut oil to butter (this is what I use the majority of the time)
- 1-1 ratio of stick margarine to butter. You will need to experiment with different brands.
- 1-1 ratio of ripe mashed avocado to butter
- When recipe calls for melted butter, you can substitute 3/4 cup vegetable oil for every cup butter
Milk: Substitute with one of the thicker non-dairy milk options such as cashew milk (my fave) or soy milk, or use canned coconut milk.
Cream: Use full-fat canned coconut cream or non-dairy creamer.
Buttermilk: Use 1 TBSP lemon juice or apple cider vinegar for each 1 cup non-dairy milk; whisk and let sit for 10 mins to allow milk to sour.
Sour Cream: Blend one 10.5-ounce package of crumbled tofu, 4 tsp of lemon juice, 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp of salt.
Eggs: In baking, there are multiple uses for eggs. But I will narrow this down to 3 main categories, including using eggs for leavening/rising, as binders/emulsifiers, or for coagulating/thickening. It's good to know the purpose of the egg in your recipes before choosing your egg substitute!
The egg replacements listed below are not just for baking, but for any time eggs are used in a recipe. If your recipe uses more than 3 eggs, then I recommend using tofu, as many of these substitutions will not work well in quantity.
| Rise | Bind | Thick | Substitutions for 1 egg |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓ | ✓ | 1 TBSP ground flaxseed + 2 TBSP warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes or until it forms a gel. This is great for thick batter recipes (quick breads, muffins, brownies, pancakes, waffles, sturdy cookies, chocolate cakes), but not so good for light fluffy cakes. You can also use 1 TBSP chia seed + 3 TBSP water. | |
| ✓ | ✓ | 1/4 cup mashed banana (about 1/2 banana). Best for banana-based recipes or where banana is a good flavor addition. Definitely do not use banana for making crispy cookies! | |
| ✓ | 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree. Some sources say to add 1/2 tsp baking powder. Note that the pumpkin flavor will be noticeable, so select recipes where this flavoring works. | ||
| ✓ | ✓ | 1/4 avocado, mashed. Only works in certain recipes, and only if the recipe uses 1 or at most 2 eggs. This will result in breads and muffins being softer and less crumbly. You may find that you can reduce the fat content in the recipe as well. | |
| ✓ | 1/4 cup silken tofu. Works well in recipes that call for lots of eggs. Best if recipe already contains a leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda. Tofu is denser than eggs, so it’s best suited for recipes such as brownies or banana bread. | ||
| ✓ | 1/4 cup plain non-dairy yogurt + 1/2 tsp oil (optional). | ||
| ✓ | 3-4 TBSP vegan mayo. Mayo contains vegetable proteins for binding. | ||
| ✓ | ✓ | 3 TBSP aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas). For baking, you should whip the aquafaba to stiff peaks, though for sauces and cooking you can use as is. | |
| ✓ | 1 tsp baking soda + 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar. Add plant based milk as needed to compensate for the reduction in liquid. Especially use this for more delicate, fluffy cakes and cookies. | ||
| ✓ | 1.5 TBSP water + 1.5 TBSP vegetable oil + 1 tsp baking powder. Similar to above, this can be used for anything but especially for baking fluffy cakes. |
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