How to Make a Flax Egg: A Complete Guide! Learn how to make a basic flaxseed egg replacement as well as variations like flaxafaba.
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What is a Flax Egg?
A basic flax egg is a combination of ground flaxseed and water.
The flaxseed-to-water ratio is typically 1:3, though it can vary slightly.
Flaxseed is a hydrocolloid, meaning it has the ability to become viscous or gel when exposed to water. The gel that forms is called mucilage.
Because of these properties, flax "eggs" have a similar consistency to a chicken egg.
This post will detail various ways to make flax eggs and when (and when not) to use a flax egg substitute.
Variations of Flax Eggs
Beyond this basic flax egg, there are many variations to explore, each with its own benefits!
Using Liquids Other Than Water
Water is the most common liquid to use, but that doesn't necessarily make it the best!
Aquafaba - Using aquafaba (the liquid from cooking chickpeas) instead of water offers some interesting benefits. Aquafaba has a similar chemical makeup to that of an egg. This variation of the flax egg, called flaxafaba, is better at binding than using plain water.
Milk - You can also use plant milk to make your egg. Heat the milk first to create a faster gel. These red velvet cookies use this variation!
Sourdough Discard - A zero-waste hack is to use sourdough discard by mixing it with flax to make an "egg." This post describes the process of making a sourdough discard flax egg in detail as well as some uses.
Using Ground Vs. Whole Flaxseeds
Most recipes that call for flax eggs utilize ground flaxseed. But, there are more ways you can manipulate this seed!
Whole Flaxseeds + Water - Instead of using flaxseed meal, heat whole flax in water until the mucilage is brought out. Once you strain off the seeds, you're left with a gel, egg-white-like consistency
Whole Flaxseeds + Aquafaba - Just like the advantages of a basic flax egg with aquafaba, you can use the aforementioned method with aquafaba for an even more powerful substance, known as aquaflaxa!
What You Need to Make Flax Eggs
Here's what you will need to make a basic flax egg:
Ground Flaxseed - Any variety works, brown or golden flaxseed. Golden will create a lighter-colored "egg," which can lessen its appearance in baked goods.
Liquid - Some form of liquid (water, aquafaba, or milk) is needed to bring out the flaxseed mucilage.
Flax Egg Vs. Chia Egg
If you don't have any flaxseeds or can't eat them, you can follow a similar process but with chia seeds to make a chia egg!
Chia eggs gel up much faster and have an even thicker consistency, but they essentially work the same way.
You can use white chia seeds if you are worried about the darker color affecting the appearance of what you are making.
How to Make a Flax Egg
Making a basic flax egg couldn't be easier! All it takes is these 2 steps:
1. Mix water (or aquafaba) with ground flaxseed in a small bowl.
2. Wait for 10 to 15 minutes for the flax egg to gel together.
Notes
Quick Egg - To speed up the gelling process use hot water, milk, or reduced aquafaba.
Mix Again - Make sure to stir the flax egg once more before adding it to your recipe.
When Should You Use a Flax Egg?
Flax eggs are really great at adding moisture to baked goods that only need 1 or 2 eggs.
They can also help with binding, especially when combined with the magic of aquafaba.
Recipes with Flax Eggs
Brownies - I've had a lot of success veganizing boxed brownie mix by using a flaxseed egg replacer.
Donuts - This yeast donut recipe is my go-to and uses flaxafaba for an even stronger egg substitute!
Pancakes & Waffles - Instead of using applesauce or banana to add moisture, you can use flax eggs to make oat flour waffles or pancakes.
Quickbreads - Flax eggs add moisture and help hold muffins, cakes, and quickbreads together. Try vegan banana cake, gluten-free barmbrack, or pumpkin oatmeal muffins.
Cookies - Flax egg replacements are often used in cookies to bind together the dough. Try making pumpkin cookies, double chocolate chip cookies, and red velvet cookies.
Savory Recipes - As for savory recipes, flaxseed eggs have been successfully used in recipes like chickpea burgers and tofu meatballs to prevent crumbling.
When Doesn't a Flax Egg Work?
There are a lot of recipes where flax eggs would not be a good egg substitute.
Flax eggs do not work when making omelets, scrambled eggs, or other similar dishes. A better substitution would be mung bean, tofu, or chickpea flour.
Any recipes that call for a large amount of eggs (more than 2 or 3) aren't suitable for flax egg replacement. The texture and structure would vary too much.
Complex French recipes that call for whipping egg whites or recipes that use eggs to form a custard, such as in a pie, wouldn't work with this egg replacer. Instead, try aquafaba, like with this 3 ingredient chocolate mousse!
FAQ
Yes, this recipe is about equivalent to 1 chicken egg.
1:3 flaxseed to water. The max amount recommended would be 3 tablespoons of flax with 9 tablespoons of water (which would be 3 "eggs").
If you can't find flax seeds already ground, add whole flax seeds to a coffee grinder and process until finely ground.
Once ground, measure out the amount needed to make the egg. Ground flax seeds have a slightly higher yield than whole seeds.
You can make a grinder full of ground flax and then store it in an airtight container in your fridge for future use.
I have successfully made flax eggs a couple of hours ahead of time (then stored in the fridge) and then used them to make muffins.
I would not recommend storing them for much longer than a day or preparing flax eggs in bulk.
More Vegan How-To Recipes
How to Make a Flax Egg (Or a Flaxafaba Egg!)
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons water or aquafaba
Instructions
- Mix water (or aquafaba) with ground flaxseed in a small bowl.
- Wait for 10 to 15 minutes for the flax egg to gel together.
- Stir the flax egg once more before adding it to your recipe.
Notes
Aparna Dalal says
Hi thanks for the awesome recipe.....can we use flax egg to make omelette?
Maggie says
No, unfortunately this will only work as a substitute for eggs in baking. I've made some good omelets using chickpea flour, but don't have one on my site yet.