How to Make Flax Eggs

Learn how to make a flax egg with this easy egg substitute. Whether you’re out of eggs, have an allergy, or just want to save money, this easy method is a game changer!

Have you ever started making a recipe only to realize you were out of eggs?

Not too long ago I was prepping for a batch cooking session and when I opened the refrigerator, I didn’t have enough eggs!

Instead of running to the store for one item (because we never come home with just one item), I learned how to make flax eggs. This crazy easy flax egg recipe saved me a trip to the store AND money spent!

WHAT IS A FLAX EGG?

A flax egg is a simple mixture of 1 Tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 2 Tablespoons of water. After about 15 minutes, the flaxseed meal gels and creates a similar texture to eggs, which helps bind the other ingredients together.

It’s a common vegan egg substitute, but beyond vegan baking, it also works:

• When you are out of eggs
• If you need to bake egg-free because of allergies
• When you want to save money because eggs have gone up in price again
• Or just for a cheaper alternative to eggs in general!

Along with a flax egg substitute, here are MORE egg substitutes for egg-free baking!

FLAX EGG RECIPE INGREDIENTS

*Note: Using boiling water will make your flaxseed egg turn into a gel faster.

HOW TO MAKE FLAX EGGS

Step 1. Add 1 Tablespoon of ground flaxseed to 2 Tablespoons of water in a small bowl (if you are pressed for time, use warm water).

Step 2. Allow the mixture to sit and gel for 15 minutes before using in recipes.

Step 3. The mixture will have the consistency of real egg whites.

USES FOR FLAX SEEDS EGGS

You might think that your options are limited because of the dry/wet issue in baking, but I’ve found that the opposite is true.

You can use flax seeds eggs as a binding agent instead of eggs in lots of baking recipes, especially in quick breads and other recipes that don’t need a ton of rising. My favorites include:

You can also use it in non-baked goods, like Italian Meatballs and the Best Burger Recipe Ever. In those types of recipes, the egg acts as a binder to hold everything together, and a flax egg can give you the same results.

The question then isn’t really when to use flax eggs, it becomes when you CAN’T.

• You really don’t want to use it in recipes that use lots of eggs or the egg flavor is really noticeable, like Scrambled Eggs or omelets.
• You also can’t substitute flax seeds for eggs when you need an egg texture or something that gets whipped up to add extra air, like in meringue.
• And gluten-free baked goods don’t always work with flax eggs, because if they’re already missing some of the structure from the gluten proteins, and you take out the structure the eggs provide, they might fall flat. They DO generally work with gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blends.

WHERE TO BUY FLAX SEEDS FOR EGGS

• I’ve seen 48 oz bags of resealable organic ground flaxseed at Costco for just $6.79. You only need one tablespoon to make one flax egg, which comes out to just 2¢ per tablespoon.
• If you prefer online shopping this brand at Amazon is good. Or you can find it at Thrive Market as well. Click here to see the Exclusive Offer for Crumbs readers!
• One dozen organic brown eggs at Trader Joe’s generally costs between $5-$6 as of this posting, making one egg around 50¢. That means choosing to bake with flax eggs instead of traditional eggs can save you money big time!

STORING FLAXSEED

• Whole flaxseed has a protective outer coating that naturally contains oils. It’s best to buy whole flax seeds whenever you can, simply because their shelf life is longer than the ground flaxseed meal.
• Then when you want to make a flax egg, you can grind whole flaxseed with an inexpensive coffee grinder (like this one) or spice grinder. I use my Blendtec because, well, I have one!
• Whether you choose whole flaxseed or ground flax seeds though, it’s best to store it in the fridge or the freezer. Those naturally occurring oils can go rancid, and you certainly don’t want to eat rancid oil OR risk imparting a negative flavor to your baked goods. Sniff the flaxseed first and discard it if it smells off.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING A FLAX EGG REPLACEMENT

• One flax seed egg is the equivalent of one large egg (you can make more than one at a time if that’s what your recipe calls for).
• Anytime you substitute flax eggs instead of regular eggs, make it FIRST – before you do anything else – so it has enough time to gel without disrupting your baking plans.
• If you’re in a pinch, you can make an “egg” with flax OR chia seeds! Chia seed eggs are definitely more expensive, however.
• You can freeze flax eggs! This is great for prepping at the start of the week. Simply make them and then pour them into an ice cube tray. Most ice cube trays hold 2 tablespoons, so you’ll either want to split one flax egg into two cubes (and then remember to thaw two cubes when you bake) or get a larger ice cube tray like this one which holds 6 ½ tablespoons in each cube.
• If you’re in a rush, use hot water to make the flax gel faster.

WHICH IS BETTER FOR MY NUTRITION GOALS: EGGS OR FLAX EGGS?

If you’re choosing whether to make flax eggs based purely on nutrition goals (and not on cost or what you have in the fridge), which one should you choose?

That depends on what you need to hit your daily macro goals.

One large egg contains the following:

• 70 calories
• 6g of protein
• 5g of fat
• 0.7g of carbs
• 0g of fiber
• 186mg of cholesterol, most of which is in the yolk
• Vitamins and minerals: B12, B2, selenium, and choline

One flax egg (one tablespoon of ground flaxseed) will give you:

• 37 calories
• 1.2g of protein
• 3g of fat
• 2g of carbs
• 2g of fiber
• Vitamins and minerals: potassium, selenium, magnesium, and zinc

If you’re using either one as a substitute in a baked good that’s split over several servings, you may not notice much of a change either way.

However, if you’re using a flax egg in something that is a single serving (like a Death by Chocolate Zucchini Mug Cake), you may want to choose a large egg for more protein, or a flax egg for half the fat and extra carbs and fiber.

FLAX FOR EGG FAQS

MORE SUBSTITUTION IDEAS AND HACKS

WATCH HOW TO MAKE FLAX SEED EGGS