These Ingredients Can Replace Eggs For Baking

Baking is an art, but it's also accessible to almost anyone, no matter what you'd like to experiment with in the kitchen. You could be baking cookies or trying to prepare a mini fudge brownie and all you need are a few basic ingredients — such as flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, and freshly chopped fruit — which can take you a long way. Of course, things get slightly complex if you have specific dietary requirements that you must adhere to. For example, you could be someone on a sugar-free diet and would have to work with a sugar substitute like stevia while preparing your dessert. Or you could be gluten-free and would need to replace regular flour with something like almond flour.

The good news is that plenty of alternatives exist, which means that you never have to feel like you're missing out. Take eggs, for instance. They're usually considered a staple in the baking process but it's actually quite simple to whip up some baked goods without incorporating eggs into your recipe. Curious? Here's what you need to know.

The most effective substitute for eggs is surprising

As illustrated by Kitchn, several egg substitutes exist in the world of baking. And some of them actually do perform rather well when it comes to delivering good results. For example, you could try to add mashed bananas to your recipe. This can help you out in terms of flavor but the texture is usually a bit different and gummier. Another option to consider? Kitchn suggests trying a mixture of two tablespoons of water, a teaspoon of oil, and a couple of teaspoons of baking powder. This can yield surprisingly good results. The best part? You probably already have these ingredients within reach.

But the clear winner in this contest is carbonated water. Yes, carbonated water. Why? As explained by Kitchn's Julissa Roberts, 1/4 cup of carbonated water helped her bake the perfect muffins — both in terms of texture and flavor. This hack has been endorsed by others including culinary expert and TV personality The Pioneer Woman, who believes that this is a solid substitute for eggs. Happy baking!