How to Replace Eggs in Pancakes

For a weekend treat, pancakes are always a favorite. And you can customize your pancakes in so many ways, including adding chocolate chips to make them extra gooey or blueberries for extra nutrition.

If you need to replace the eggs in your pancake batter because you’re vegan or you can’t eat eggs for some other reason, though, that’s possible, too. Learn how to replace eggs in pancakes.

These egg substitutes for pancakes add moisture and act as a binder to help keep the ingredients together.

1. Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds are a quick, easy replacement for eggs in pancake recipes, but keep in mind that the end result won’t be the same kind of fluffy pancakes you’re used to. To make up for the eggs, be sure to use baking powder and baking soda in your recipe.
   
   To make a flaxseed egg replacement, mix together 1 tablespoon of flax meal with 3 teaspoons of water. Let it sit in the fridge for around 15 minutes. The goal is to let it become a little bit thick so that it acts as a binder to keep the ingredients together.
   
   
2. Applesauce: Use unsweetened applesauce as an egg replacement to ensure your pancakes aren’t too sweet and to help you save calories. Simply replace eggs for 1/4 cup of applesauce.
   
   
3. Banana: Bananas are healthy and sweet. Use a banana to either replace eggs in pancakes or as the main ingredient in banana pancakes. Just keep in mind that the banana flavor will be strong, so only go this route if you like bananas. Use 1/4 cup of banana to replace one egg.

Total Time: 15 minutes | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Serves: makes 8 pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 of your choice of toppings, such as blueberries or chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, start by combining the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, oil and water and add the mixture to the dry ingredients and stir.
3. Spray your choice of oil or non-stick cooking spray on a pan or griddle. If you’re using a pan, set the heat to medium-high. Set a griddle temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the cooking surface is hot, pour in 1/4 cup of pancake batter.
4. You’ll know the pancakes are ready to be flipped when you see bubbles form in the batter or when the edges have turned golden brown. Use a spatula to flip and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve.

Here’s good news, brownie fans: You can still get moist and decadent brownies without eggs in the batter. The key to achieving the moisture that eggs add is to use an egg substitute such as 1/4 cup of applesauce, banana, pureed pumpkin or mashed avocado to replace 1 egg.

Vegans have to get very clever and creative in their food options to ensure that the dish still tastes good without the type of ingredients that are added every day to baked and savory recipes. Since eggs add a lot of moisture to these sorts of dishes, it can be hard to imagine food without it. Luckily, soy yogurt comes to the rescue. Vegans can simply use 1/4 cup soy yogurt to substitute for 1 egg. If you’re not vegan, replace 1 egg in a recipe with 1/4 cup of plain yogurt.