Whether you’re vegan, have an egg allergy, or are baking for a vegan friend, you’ve likely looked at a recipe and thought ‘how on earth do I make this without eggs?’ Eggs are crucial in baking recipes – they bind batters together, bring richness and fluffiness, and have countless other properties to boot. Leaving them out generally isn’t an option, but luckily vegan bakers have finessed egg replacements to a fine art.

One of the most popular ways to replace an egg when baking is using a flax egg or chia egg. While these aren’t a one size fits all swap, they’re an essential part of any vegan baker’s pantry since they’re perfect for many of the most common bakes.

Flaxseeds and chia seeds are tiny little seeds known as nutritional powerhouses. They are both super high in fibre, and an incredible plant-based source of ALA omega-3, with two tablespoons containing roughly three times your recommended daily intake. But, while chia and flax seeds have a lot of similarities, and can both be used as an egg replacement, they are very different little seeds. Chia seeds are native to Mexico, and were an important crop for the Aztecs. Flax seeds on the other hand (also known as linseeds) have been cultivated across the world for use in textiles, pressed for oil and used as animal feed.

To make a chia or flax egg, simply mix 1 tablespoon of milled chia or flax seeds with 2.5 tablespoons of water. Set aside for about 15 minutes, or until gelled and thick.

Chia or flax eggs work best when you want something dense and fudgy, like brownies or cookies, or a cake or pancake that’s quite dense. They tend to work less well in recipes which typically use a lot of eggs, or are meant to be very fluffy and light (like a genoise sponge). 

For more ideas about how to get started cooking with flax or chia eggs, check out the recipes below.

A great beginner recipe for baking with flax eggs is brownies. Fudgy and chocolatey, this recipe is perfect for anyone new to vegan baking who is looking for a quick crowd pleaser to bring to a party! If you like mix-ins in your brownie, you could also add a handful of walnuts to this recipe.

One level up from brownies is this elegant chocolate pear brownie cake. The sliced pears on top are an elegant touch, and this is smart enough to bring out at the end of a dinner party. This recipe uses coffee too for an extra deep flavour.

Perfect for blackberry season, this cake is a little more advanced than the previous two options, and gluten-free to boot. As part of this recipe you make your own apple sauce – a great use for leftover apples, and a useful egg substitute in some recipes in its own right.

Finally, if you’re feeling adventurous, try this baked banana, date and pecan loaf. It has a close textured crumb and rich, plush texture. It’s the sort of cake you could eat for breakfast as easily as for a snack. It’s sweetened with dates and molasses, and uses teff flour, brown rice flour and arrowroot flour to keep it gluten free.