Are you a vegan baker? These 13 vegan egg wash substitutes are easy and provide that special finishing touch to your vegan pastries!
So many popular recipes, especially when baking pastries or frying, call for an egg wash, but what is a good vegan alternative? There are several different options of things that you can use. I’ll tell you a few of my favorites with which I have had good experiences.
What is egg wash?
Egg wash is essentially eggs that have been beaten and combined with water or milk. It can be whole eggs, egg whites, or even egg yolks. This mixture is usually brushed onto pastries or other bread dough before baking to help it brown nicely and shine nicely. An egg wash is also used when you are breading food so that the breading will stick to the food. This also makes it very beneficial when frying vegan chicken nuggets. It helps attach the breading or flour to the food creating an excellent batter that crisps nicely.
Not too long ago, I was baking some homemade vegan empanadas. I wanted to brush them with something to create that golden brown glisten uniquely distinct from baked goods.
But what could I use? I needed a vegan egg wash substitute. That was when I dug into my vegan baking books and researched options that would create that same final product.
What I found were quite a few super simple options. All of the recommendations used ingredients I had in my pantry and fridge. These simple egg wash substitutes work for both savory dishes and sweet bakes!
Pick and choose what works best for your recipe based on the items you have on hand!
Why use an egg wash in baking?
The most popular reason to use an egg wash is to enhance the tops of what you are baking—an egg wash gives pastry dough a nice golden color and shines on top when baked in a hot oven. Another common reason to use an egg wash is to bind things together, such as bread crumbs onto another food or toppings onto a dough. This makes it especially useful for frying.
An egg wash can also be used to create a seal. For example, making a quiche or pie can be brushed onto the bottom and sides of the crust before you put it in your filling to keep things from seeping through the crust. This helps the crust stay sturdy and not get soggy while also giving it a nice color.
How do you make an egg wash without eggs?
The thought of making an egg wash without eggs may sound like an oxymoron, but there are actually several ways that you can do this! The food that you choose to substitute for the eggs will need to vary based on what you are making.
For example, using soy milk instead of an egg wash would help brown a pastry but would not give it a shine. Using oil instead of an egg wash would give a pastry a nice shine and even a little crunch, but because it is slippery, it would not be good for binding or sticking things on top and holding them in place, such as nuts.
I’ll go into which vegan egg wash substitutes are the best and worst to use for each scenario.
What is vegan egg wash?
Vegan egg wash does not use egg but acts in the same way as a traditional egg wash would in baking. It helps toppings stick to your pastry, binds pastry together, and creates a shiny glowing golden brown finish.
What can be substituted for egg wash?
1. Just Eggs (Vegan Egg Substitute)
Just Eggs are plant-based eggs that can be used as an egg replacement in almost any mixture, including an egg wash. You can use them just like an egg. There are other brands of vegan-friendly egg substitutes, but Just Eggs seems to be the easiest to find. They are great for sealing, binding, and giving a pastry a nice color and shine.
2. Soy Milk
This will give you a nice brown crust on a pastry but not the shine. If you are going for a nice color, soy milk would be a good choice. You won’t want to use this to bind, though. It is thin and runny, so getting things to stick to it is tricky.
3. Soy Powder
Combining soy powder with soy milk is another simple substitute if you have it on hand. Use a 1:2 combination. One part soy powder, to 2 parts soy milk. Use unsweetened, no flavor-added soy milk.
4. More Plant Milk Options
Plant-based milk, such as almond, oat, rice, or cashew milk, will give your baked goods a golden brown sheen. Avoid using milk with added sugars.
5. Oil
Using oil instead of an egg wash will give your pastry a nice shine and is a good option if you want what you are baking to have a little crunch. Because it is slippery, you won’t want to use oil to bind ingredients together. I suggest using coconut oil or olive oil. You can also use vegetable or canola oil if that is what you have at home. You will get a nice golden brown finish. However, it doesn’t achieve a good shine.
6. Polysaccharides (Corn Starch)
This starch will give your pastries a nice shine. Instead of putting it on before baking, you’ll want to spread it on afterward. Corn starch can also be used for frying. It absorbs moisture, so it will give you a crispy finish.
7. Plant-Based Butter
Brushing melted butter on top of baked goods provides a nice sheen. It has an excellent flavor and will help crisp your pastry. You won’t want to use too much, though, or it will soak through and give you a soggy pastry. If you make something savory, you can use a flavored compound butter for extra flavor. Melted butter, like Earth Balance baking sticks, can be applied with a pastry brush to coat your baked goods lightly.
8. Flax Seeds
Ground flax seeds with water make an excellent egg wash substitute. They give pastries a nice shine and can be used as a binder, making them a great alternative. A bonus? Flax seeds are full of nutrients and health benefits! However, they will leave flecks of flax on top of your baked goods, so you may not like this look.
9. Chia Seeds
Combine one tablespoon of ground chia seeds with 2.5 tablespoons of water like flaxseeds and whisk together. It will create a beaten egg-like consistency.
10. Honey
Like agave nectar, honey and non-dairy milk provide sweetness and a good shine. However, honey is not considered vegan.
11. Malt Syrup
Like molasses, malt syrup is thick, sticky, and sweet. You will need to add water or plant milk to the malt syrup and whisk it together before brushing it on your baked goods. It is best used for sweet bakes.
12. Aquafaba
If you’re unsure what aquafaba is, you’ll find out! Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas. Whenever I make a recipe with chickpeas, I reserve the aquafaba for other recipes, such as this chocolate mousse. It makes an excellent egg replacer because it whips up to create meringue, but it’s also a wonderful substitute for savory baked goods. It will help your pastry achieve a golden brown sheen!
13. Agave Syrup or Maple Syrup
As mentioned above, agave nectar and maple syrup are among the most popular substitutes. This combination works best for sweet baked goods, like these puff pastry pop tarts.
Instructions
This is my go-to vegan egg wash substitute for any sweet-baked treat. It’s super simple and is ready to go in only 2 minutes!
- Add the maple syrup and unsweetened almond milk to a small bowl.
- Whisk together with a fork or small whisk.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly coat your pastry. As the sugars in the wash cook and brown more quickly, you may need to reduce the bake time slightly.
FAQS
Yes! You can make an egg wash without eggs. If you find yourself in a bind while baking and don’t have any eggs left, or you are preparing vegan baked goods, creating an alternative wash that will have the same result is simple.
You can use a vegan egg replacer to create an egg wash. Combine the replacer with water or dairy-free milk. Whisk together, and brush on the surface of your pastry.
Almond milk can sometimes be used as a substitute for egg wash, but not always. It is a great option to add a touch of color to your bake and browns nicely when baked, but it will not give you a shine. It also doesn’t bind well because it is so thin. If you want this as a binding, add a few drops of maple syrup and whisk it in. This gives it the stickiness that it needs for breading to stick. One benefit of using almond milk as a substitute is the added protein and the low-fat content.
Just Eggs or another plant-based egg substitute is my favorite option instead of an egg wash when frying. Because the consistency is so similar to eggs, this helps your bread stick to the food. You can find this at most grocery stores near the eggs. Ground flax seeds (or flaxseed meal) whisked with water also make a good egg wash substitute for frying. This mixture is also known as flax eggs. You’ll want to do about 2.5 tablespoons of water for every tablespoon of flaxseeds. The thickness and slightly sticky texture of this mixture make a good binding agent, and they don’t have much of a taste, so it will not affect the flavor
Aquafaba can also be used as an egg wash substitute. Aquafaba is the liquid that comes out of a can of chickpeas. This might sound icky, but it has a nice flavor and will give your bake a touch of color. It even gives a little shine. For binding or breading, you’ll want to add a little fat with it, like coconut oil. This thickens it up enough for things to bind with it. It can also be used when you are frying.
When To Use Vegan Egg Wash
Use these alternative egg washes for the following recipes.
- Vegan Dinner Rolls
- Biscuits
- Puff Pastry Recipes
- Hand Pies
- Empanadas
- Bagels
- Bread
- Vegan Pie Crusts
Expert Tips
- For best results, if you are making savory goods, refrain from using a sweetener substitute.
- Each egg wash substitute will yield a slightly different end result. I recommend trying different methods to see which one yields the desired result.
- Sugar browns quickly in the oven. So you may need to reduce your baking time.
- Melt any hard oils before using.
- Use a pastry brush to gently apply.
More Vegan Cooking Tips!
Recipe
Vegan Egg Wash
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave syrup
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk or other unsweetened dairy free milk
Instructions
- Add the maple syrup and almond milk to a small bowl.
- Whisk together with a fork or small whisk.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly coat your pastry.
- Bake according to the recipe directions.
Notes
- If you are making a savory bake, refrain from using a sweetener substitute. Instead, try melted coconut oil or melted vegan butter.
- Using this egg wash substitute will result in browning more easily as the sugars heat more quickly in the oven.
- Use a pastry brush to gently apply.
Sara Welch
These are some really great alternatives that I had never heard of until now! Excited to give these a try!
Anjali
This was such a helpful guide for vegan alternatives for egg wash! I had no idea that a plant milk + maple syrup would result in the same effect as a traditional egg wash! Used this on a puff pastry this week and it turned out great!
Jessie
These are great vegan baking options. I will be sharing and saving this one for sure!
Nathan
I had no idea there were so many egg wash substitutes! My roommates are vegan so this will be super helpful, thanks for all the tips!
Beth Sachs
Such a useful post as my daughter has just started a vegan diet.