Out of Eggs, one case
Can you substitute oil for eggs?
3 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Oil + water + baking powder
Per egg
1 ½ tbsp oil + 1 ½ tbsp water + 1 tsp baking powder
Not oil by itself, but a mix works in baking: 1 ½ tablespoons of oil, 1 ½ tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon of baking powder replaces 1 egg. The oil stands in for the fat of the yolk, the water for the moisture and the baking powder for the lift. It does not bind, so it suits cakes and muffins better than cookies or patties.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- The tweak —
- Whisk the three together until foamy and add right away.
- Best for —
- box cake and muffin mixes
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full eggs card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 egg | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oil + water + baking powderbox cake and muffin mixes | 1 ½ tbsp oil + 1 ½ tbsp water + 1 tsp baking powderTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Plain yogurtcakes and cupcakes | ¼ cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Flax eggcookies | 1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp waterTweak it | Tweak it |
| Not a swap | Plain oil alone | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Oil + water + baking powder
neutral; tender but more crumbly
A pantry stand-in that covers the fat, moisture and leavening an egg brings.
- Best for
- box cake and muffin mixes, pancakes and waffles, quick breads
- Prep
- Whisk the three together until foamy and add right away.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Cookies that must hold a shape, custards, meatballs and anything needing more than 2 eggs.
Plain yogurt
slight tang
A better choice when the recipe needs binding as well as moisture.
- Best for
- cakes and cupcakes, muffins
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Vegan baking.
Flax egg
nutty
The swap to use where the egg was the glue.
- Best for
- cookies, veggie burgers, brownies
- Prep
- Rest 5 minutes.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Light cakes.
Plain oil alone
Oil adds fat but no water, protein or lift.
- Best for
- nothing by itself
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- The bake turns greasy and falls apart, because nothing sets the crumb.
Tips for substituting eggs
4 tips- For 2 eggs: 3 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp water and 2 tsp baking powder.
- If the recipe already has plenty of baking powder, use ½ tsp per egg to avoid a soapy, metallic taste.
- Cool oil-and-water bakes completely before slicing; they are fragile warm.
- The reverse does not work either: eggs cannot replace the oil in a recipe one for one.
Questions
4 questionsHow much oil replaces one egg?
1 ½ tablespoons of oil mixed with 1 ½ tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Can I just add extra oil if I have no eggs?
No. Extra oil makes the bake greasy and it will not hold together. It needs water and leavening too, or a binder such as yogurt or flax.
Does the oil and water swap work in cookies?
Poorly. Cookies need a binder. Use a flax egg or 2 tablespoons of cornstarch whisked into 3 tablespoons of water.
Can I use melted butter in place of the oil?
Yes, the same 1 ½ tablespoons.