Flax and Chia eggs (or “Fleggs” and “Cheggs” as I like to call them…) are an absolute staple in vegan baking. They are healthy, animal-free, and so very easy to make.
Both flax meal and chia seeds become gooey with the addition of water. This miraculous gooey mixture is very similar in texture to a raw egg!
You can use a 1:1 substitution of Fleggs or Cheggs in most recipes that call for 1 or 2 regular eggs. They work very well in recipes where the egg is acting as a binding and moisturizing agent – e.g., pancakes, muffins, cookies. Recipes that call for multiple eggs are probably counting on those eggs to do more than bind they ingredients – they are counting on them to firm up and help with the rise. Fleggs and Cheggs, while a great substitute in many foods, will not help your batter rise.
What’s the Difference Between Flax and Chia Eggs?
Fleggs and cheggs serve the same purpose in a recipe – they can replace eggs in many recipes on a 1:1 ratio. Just like with regular eggs, they do not add much flavor of any kind to a recipe. So there’s no need to worry that it will impact the taste!
The main difference between the flax and chia eggs is the color and the texture. Flax seeds are golden or brown (you can use either kind) so aren’t typically very noticeable in a final baked good. Chia seeds are black, so they will be visible in your final product. Chia gel also tends to be slightly thicker than flax gel, so keep that in mind with your water proportions.
Step-By-Step Process
1. Grind your flax seeds into flax meal. You cannot make flax eggs with whole flax seeds. I have to do this in my food processor as my blender can’t pick up the seeds from the bottom. This step is optional for chia seeds.
2. To make 1 egg: Stir together 1 Tablespoon flax meal with 2.5 Tablespoons of water; or 2 teaspoons of chia seeds with 3 Tablespoons water. Let sit a few minutes and then stir thoroughly again. Full gel will be formed in approximately 10 minutes.
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