Ever since I started baking, I have used only bananas as a substitute for eggs. Bananas definitely give the moist texture for cakes and breads, but the drawback is the flavor of bananas is dominant in those baked goods. So whatever changes you make otherwise in the recipe, the end product tastes the same. For example my carrot cake and zucchini bread tasted similar. It was definitely very good, but we need some change right!
So I was searching in the net for egg substitutes and found this site very informative. I decided to start experimenting with the various egg replacements and this is my first one using flax seed meal. I add flax seed meal in my cereal (both cold and hot), salads and even in the chapathi flour. Being vegetarians walnuts and ground flax seed are the only sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Recipe
Easy Eggless Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Packet Brownie Mix Of Your Choice (I Used Duncan Hines Chocolate Lover's Brownies Double Fudge. See My Notes For The Reason)
- ⅓ Cup Cold Water
- 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1 Flax Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract (Not Mentioned In The Packet)
- ½ Cup Walnuts (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (325F for glass pans) for 15 minutes.
- Empty brownie mix into bowl.
- Add ⅓ cup cold water.
- Add 3 tablespoons oil. (Actually ⅓ cup of oil was mentioned in the packet)
- In a small cup add the flax seed meal and slowly add the water and whisk it with a fork and add it to the brownie mix.
- I chose to add vanilla extract also.
- Stir everything until well blended (about 40-50 strokes)
- Now add the nuts and combine it once again.
- Generously grease the brownie pan. I used a non stick 8"x8" pan.
- Spread the mixture in the pan.
- Bake it anywhere between 30-38 minutes. (Check the instructions in the package for detailed baking time). I baked mine for 40 minutes. But I think I should have taken it around 38 minutes itself, because I had little cracks on the top. That was the only negative thing with these brownies, otherwise they were unbelievably moist and gooey. We did not taste the flax seed at all. Just be sure that the brownie cools out completely before you can cut into squares.
My Notes
- Buying the brownie mix - If you are a vegetarian, be sure to check the ingredients, because some brands contain lard, tallow (animal fat). The brand I chose did not have animal fat.
- I bought the double fudge brownies, which had a chocolate syrup pack, which had to be added to the brownie batter. But I omitted it because this was the first time I was going to bake brownies and that too without eggs. So I did not want to experiment too much.
- Checking the doneness of brownies: I read in the same book that inserting a toothpick to check the doneness does not work for brownies. Instead "the touch test" was recommended. When you touch the top of the brownies, it should not leave an indentation. If it does, the batter is still soft, so you need to bake it for another couple of minutes.
This my entry for Egg Replacement Event - Flax Seed Meal, hosted by me.
Alyssa says
Made them and they came out a bit chewy. Not sure why. They tasted better the second day but still not great.
Madhuram says
Thanks for trying the recipe, Alyssa. Do you think you baked it a bit longer?
Sheila says
If you use NRG egg replacer reverse the water to oil ratio and the regular amount of egg replacer with water
Danielle says
Enter G DOES NOT work well with boxed mixes.....it makes the brownies turn out like bubble gum at first and when the brownies cool...they turn into stone! So I’m trying to redeem myself today with this recipe. I have suffered with an egg allergy for 18 years and this is the only thing besides omelette and deviled eggs that I miss....wish me luck!
Madhuram says
Oh wow Danielle! All the best!
Sonia says
Can we use Ener G egg replacer instead of flaxseed?
Madhuram says
I have read that sometimes Ener-G doesnt work well in boxed mixes, so not sure how it will turn out.
SM says
Hi Madhuram,
Thank you very much for this recipe. i used the boxed brownie mix with yogurt after reading reviews and your suggestions. Add walnuts to one batch too. First batch, i just couldnt tell whether it was done (my first time) so left it longer and it deflated and turned out tooo chewy and not gooey chewy. Second batch, i just pulled out at 35 min although the finger touch test failed. This was a big hit.... So again thank you for all you do to get us new eggless versions...<3<3<3
I still have to try the flaxseed version...next timme, but loved the yogurt substitute.
SM
Madhuram says
You're very welcome SM. 🙂
Payal says
So according to the recipe -don't use 1/3 cup of oil but instead just 3 tablespoons with flax seeds ?
And just saying if someone is vegan they can't use yogurt! 🙂
Madhuram says
No I used the oil and flax seed mixture.
Bhumika says
You mentioned the box said 1/3 cup oil so did you use 1/3 cup of 3 tbs of oil?
Thank you
Madhuram says
I have just used 3 tablespoons of oil instead of 1/3rd of a cup.
Bhumika says
Thank you. Also, If I want to make the texture a little bit like cake- what should I do?
Madhuram says
By cake like texture do you mean light?
Madison says
My question is, when adding the flaxseed mixture, is it 1 teaspoon flax to 1/4 cup of water? It mentions water twice in the recipe, 1/3 and 1/4.
Madhuram says
The first water is for the flax meal and the second one as per the instructions of the brownie mix pack.
Jane says
I have made the Big Batch Brownies a lot but the yougurt gives me a tummy ache. I will try the flax seed, Thanks for your ideas! I Have been Vegan for 14 years and appreciate the ideas and recipes very much!
Madhuram says
You're very welcome Jane.
KarmaDreams says
You can also use a combination of water, oil, and chia seeds to use as an egg replacer. Consistency comes out excellent!
Samantha says
I was so excited to find this Brownie recipe as everything else I was trying just didn't work without eggs (which my daugter is allergic too; and she loves Brownies.) I have made these Brownies multiple times with good results but Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies did not work. They literally just didn't cook (well the edges got hard and the inside was still liquid). So to save others some trouble stay with the Duncan Hines brand.
Madhuram says
Thanks for the tip Samantha.
Hannah says
First of all let me say that I am ecstatic to have found your website! I am a vegetarian and I love baking and I finally have come across some fantastic & yummy recipes and ingredients here that I can incorporate into my baking ideas. Speaking of that I saw that you have 2 brownie recipes..one using flaxseed and the other using yogurt. In your opinion which one turned out better and why?
Madhuram says
Thanks Hannah. I think I would prefer the one with yogurt because it had a chewy texture I love in brownies.
parisha surana says
Hi I m vegetarian. ..I bake eggless mousse browines n cookies...I need yur help....to mke my browines softer wht shuld I use...thy grt lil harder when I remve them from oven
Madhuram says
I'm guessing that you are baking it a little too long. Cut short the baking time by 3-5 minutes.
Belinda Y. Hughes says
Madhuram, you knew exactly what I was looking for: vegan, chocolate, nutrition, flavor, texture and convenience. Thanks for delivering on all counts! Shared this everywhere. 🙂
Madhuram says
Thank you very much Belinda.
Adi says
Brownies:-)
CJ says
I want to make this recipe single serve. How?
Madhuram says
Do you mean just one piece? Just bake the whole recipe and freeze the extra and it will stay good for upto 3 months if stored properly.
gojji says
did you do a version in which you added the chocolate syrup packet? i am thinking about adding the syrup but unsure whether i should
Madhuram says
No I didn't do it Gojji. I'm guessing it should. Those where the initial days of my baking so I did'nt dare to do anything out of the ordinary.
gojji says
Thank you!! i will not do it either as this is my first time.
Kanika says
Will applesauce or a can of soda work? I keep reading about these on the net but I am not sure. TIA
Madhuram says
Applesauce would work, but I don't suggest soda for a brownie recipe.
Angela says
Will the flax seed work if you make the brownies from scratch with bakers squares?
Madhuram says
It does work Angela, check this Vegan Brownie Cupcakes recipe.
Adi says
Cool website... Has everything
Minati says
Can I use silken tofu instead of flaxseed? I know you have another brownie receipe with tofu....
Madhuram says
I guess it should work.
kajal arora says
i dont have an oven but i have a microwave so how can i make a perfect brownie??
Madhuram says
I haven't baked in a microwave oven Kajal, so I don't know anything about that. Sorry.
Vanitha Dutta says
mine was a disaster...had to trash it....followed the instructions step by step but a big disappointment.......!!!
Madhuram says
I really don't understand why nobody is getting it right. Let me try it again myself and will blog about it.
Vanitha Dutta says
Thanks madhu...that would be great if u cud let us know the specific measurements esp with the flaxseed meal.....luk fwd to ur response..i really want to try it again...
JP says
Hi Nisha,Seema and Madhu,
I bake a lot using flax seeds meal as an egg-substitute and the trick here is to warm the water and and flax seed meal mixture for about 20 seconds in the microwave and give it a quick stir - then let it rest for about 2 min before adding it to the other wet ingredients.
Hope this helps!!!
Madhuram says
Thanks JP.
Nisha says
Hi Madhu,
Tried this recipe 2 times. Once with Betty Crockers Fudge Brownie mix and once with Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Brownie mix and not too happy with results of both though the Duncan Hines was bit better. The brownies are too goeey and sticky and dense. What do you think could be the reason? Does it require baking powder/soda or vinegar? or does the flaxmeal have to be whipped with water till foamy?
hope to hear from u soon....looking forward to trying the chewy cookies with silken tofu next.
Thanks,
Nisha
Madhuram says
Sorry that you didn't get it right Nisha. Yes the flaxseed meal has to be blended well until its frothy. Also I feel that you haven't baked it long enough. Did the toothpick come out clean when you tested for doneness?
Seema says
Hi madhuram,
I tried your recipe with flax seed and used the measurement of 1tblsp flaxseed with 3 tblsp warm water. After 30 mins, my batter still all wet and gooey in the center. So i baked it a couple minutes more and it totally hardened. Can you suggest what i can improve to make it successful next time.
Thanks a lot!
Madhuram says
I'm not sure if the ratio change of flax seed meal and water is the issue.
rani says
hi madhu
thanks for your reply... i baked it for 38 min, and also
follow your steps from the website... i don't why it happened.
and can i use any brand of browine mix or do i have to use
duncan hines...
thank you very much
rani says
hi madhu
how are you? i always love your website,
today i try to make browines using duncan hines,
flex seed meal the same way you did.
but, mine turn out so hard and very chewy.
do you have any idea why?
Madhuram says
I guess you would have overbaked it Rani. How many minutes did you bake?
Lavender says
I am deathly allergic to eggs and for years there were not many
eggless baking recipes so thank you for this site.
I have found Ghiradelli boxed brownie mix works very well with
EnerG Egg Replacer I use 1 1/2 tsp with 2 Tbls of water that I mix in
1/3 cup oil and 1/3 water plus the brownie mix. I bake it 45 min in
an eight inch square pyrex or glass dish. It's very chocolaty and
moist. I even add extra chips sometimes.
Madhuram says
Thanks for letting us know about the Ghiradelli mix.
Taraji says
I am a life long vegetarian, and with all my baking experiences I have come to the conclusion that for cakes and cup cakes an egg replacement of vinegar and baking soda works best. For quick breads, apple sauce or yogurt and for so
E, flax seed, but there is a technique for using flax seed: 1 tbs flax meal with 3 tbs warm water = 1 egg, but here is the important part, place in a food processor on high for 5 minutes and what comes out is a very oily gelatinous texture, works fore every time
sunila says
where will get brownies mix -double fudge packet
Hi Sunila, assuming that you live in US/Canada, you should be able to find ready to bake brownie mix in all grocery stores in the baking aisle.
rani says
hi thank you very much for replying me back, ok i will definitely try that recipe with all purpose flour and i will let you know how did it turn out. and again i just love your website.
thanks rani
You're welcome Rani.
rani says
hi i love your website.
i try lots of recipe from your website it turns out very good. i have Question about this Eggless Brownies using Brownie Mix and Flaxseed Meal do i use 3 tablespoon oil or 1/3 cup of oil i am kind of confused with that. and also can u show me how make chocalate chip muffins plz.
thanks very much.
Thanks Rani. The quantity of oil mentioned in the pack was 1/3rd cup but I used only 3 tablespoons to cut back. The brownies were pretty good even with lesser quantity of oil, so I don't think you need 1/3rd cup. I have a healthy chocolate chip muffin recipe here:http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/07/15/whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-muffins/. If you don't have whole wheat pastry flour you can simply used all purpose flour itself and you can also use unsweetened applesauce instead of prune puree.
jen says
hi love you're website
just a question can you use silken tofu with ready made brownie mixes? ❓
Thanks Jen. I think it would work. I once used silken tofu in readymade cake mix to make chewy chocolate cookies, so I think the brownies would turn out good as well. Check out the cookie recipe I'm talking about.
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2008/10/06/eggless-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Mary Beth says
Madhuram, Many thanks for quick reply and links/recipes! I now know I didn't measure enough flax meal, so will be more careful next time. I forgot to thank you for links to egg replacements, very useful info.
You're welcome Mary. Do feel free to shoot out any questions.
Mary Beth says
I love your site, and had not used a mix for any baking since I was forced to go red meat, dairy-free and egg-free (due to a digestive condition) 3 months ago. I had baked and cooked everything I ate from scratch, unless you count pastas. I'd done some baking, mostly cornbread and quick breads, usually used half small banana in those, sometimes tofu, with much success. However, these brownies were my first use of a mix and my first use baking w/ flaxseed. I'm afraid I did something wrong, they were, hmm, not too good. (used a Betty Crocker mix.)I also made a cornbread using them, and it was bad also! So, I'm not having any success with flaxseeds so far:cry: Should I go back to bananas and tofu?? Thanks for a great site, and I loved reading about your journey in baking. Wish I had more patience!!!
Thanks Mary. I'm sorry to hear about your food intolerance. I'm wondering why most of those who try this recipe don't get it right! I have had a good deal of success using flax seed meal. Hope I can persuade you to give the following brownie cupcake recipe a try which uses flax seed meal.
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2008/11/05/vegan-brownie-cupcakes/ .I made these for my son's class (he was 3 then) and I heard from the teachers that the kids loved it so much. Bonus, its fat free too.
You can try unsweetened applesauce too instead of the bananas. I have a couple of brownie recipes using applesauce as well.
http://www.egglesscooking.com/eggless-baking-recipes/eggless-bars-brownies/
Susan says
My son is allergic to eggs, tree nuts and peanuts, so I mostly bake from scratch. Make sure you are using milled flaxseed. It should look like fine flakes. Also, I usually use a whole Tablespoon, not a tsp. Mix it with the water. If the bbaked good come out too dense, reduce the water mixed with the flaxseed by 2Tbsp and mix together and add the following: 1 T vegetable oil, 1 T water and 2 tsp baking powder. Baking without eggs requires patience. And brownies are the holy grail of egg-free baking. Don't give up!
Hannah says
Your links to the articles about egg substitutes were REALLY helpful!!! My roomie is fructose, lactose, and gluten intolerant and those tips helped with a GREAT brownie recipe from scratch. They turned out REALLY well. Thanks! 🙂
Hannah, I'm glad that the info was helpful.
preet says
no, i used pillsbury double fudge brownie mix.
preet says
hi
i baked these and they weren't as good as i thought.. 😥 😥 🙁 😯 :|.... i think they needed a little bit of sugar............ after a couple of days i baked them again with additional sugar an they came out pretty good............ 🙂 🙂
Thanks for the feedback Preet. The first time, did you use the same brownie mix which I have used or something else?
preet says
i'm planning on baking these. this will be my first time ever. recipe sounds goods i'm gone try it on christmas 😆 😆 🙂 🙂
preet says
i luv ur website!!!!!! 😉 🙂 can u tell me wht is flax seed ❓
Thank you very much Preet. Flax seed is also called Lin Seed (in India and other European countries). It's Alsi in Hindi. You can find it in Indian grocery stores as well as in the organic aisle of other grocery stores and health food shops. You could either buy the whole seeds (it comes in golden, yellow and brown and you can use anything) and powder it as and when you want or you can get the flax seed powder itself in stores.
vidhya says
hi
can u tell me whether from boxed pineapple mix can we make it eggless by ading anything? i have a duncan hines pineapple cake mix which i want to make without adding eggs.
thanks
vidhya
Vidhya, as you have mentioned in the other comment, yogurt is a good egg substitute in boxed cake mixes. You could try the flax seed meal too.
Katie says
Thank you so much for the recipe, my daughter is allergic to eggs and I could not find anything that works as well as flax seed. My daughter is now in preschool and able to bring in brownies and other goodies for snack WITHOUT the egg! Thanks again!
You're most welcome Katie. Yogurt too works well with boxed brownie mix. Use 1/4 yogurt/buttermilk in place of 1 egg.
gina says
mine turned out weird too.
I'm not able to guess what the problem is Gina, because mine came out so well that even my husband's colleagues who are not vegetarians couldn't tell any difference at all.
Peng SC Shekar says
As I have previously work with Pilsbury professionally,
I am not an advocate of using box product though it may be
convenient and quicker. Replacement like flax plays the
role of a binder ingredient but they can increase the denseness
of your cake product. It is excellent for muffin, loaf cakes,
cookies and biscuits though. Look closely on any egg replacer
brand, you will notice potato starch or corn starch as the key
ingredients, so try that instead and experiment.
But you can try increasing liquid/juice/puree and include,
say 1/2 tsp baking powder to give it the needed boost and
another tablespoon of oil/butter if you are using ground flaxseed.
Remember the fats from the 'real' eggs has been taken out and you
need to make up for it.
Peng SC Shekar says
A sour/acidic agent eg sour cream/yogurt are also a fairly good alternative for the eggs. Just be sure to add in 1 tbsp of vinegar/apple cider. Potato starch,1 tsp per egg mix into the yogurt/cream will do the trick as it help bind up the cake mix and the vinegar helps fluff up the cake. I have also frequently used organic oat/flax milk to replace dairy product as well together with vinegar to replace liquid/milk in the recipes. Or you can use a half and half eg. juice, puree with liquid ingredients. Have fun trying!
That's true. I have tried the same recipe with yogurt as well and it turned out good too. I have also used vinegar instead of eggs and it gives fabulous results.
Peng SC Shekar says
I agree somehow using bananas as substitute can leave a rather noticeable scent. As I live in Malaysia, a varieties of bananas are easily available. I normally avoid buying the more
aromatic local bananas and go for the newer hybrid like the MONTEL or CAVENDISH, slightly under-ripen but not sappy. Over-ripen bananas will also contribute their scent to your cake.Moreover, you can't use bananas as a substitute for everything!!
Yes the flavor of bananas dominate if it is used as egg substitute, however mild it may be. So it should not be used unless one doesn't mind the banana flavor.
Rachel says
Is the Brownie Mix dairy free (incl milk, butter, etc)?
I think so. Don't remeber it for sure.
waa says
Is this vegan?
I think so, If I remember right. I did check for the ingredients in the mix.
asha says
Hi Madhu I tried the cake with flaxseed, I saw my cake rise then went flat what could be the reason, please help.
in one of the above reply diane says :
1 box of devils food cake mix plus 1 15oz can of pumpkin, mix, bake 20 mins @ 400 degrees.
thats all we mix or is there any thing else water, oil etc.
thank you
asha
Asha, mine too rised well and then flattened. Let me find out what the reason could be? Reg. Diane's recipe, I saw her reply to your query that water/oil is not required. I don't know if I deleted it by mistake.
Diane says
"that all we mix or is there any thing else water, oil etc."
Asha, that's ALL you mix! Do NOT add anything else,
this will ruin it. You'll notice that it's hard to mix, but
be diligent! Totally worth it.