5 Substitutes for Healthy Vegan Baking

Going vegan means finding excellent substitutes for animal-based products. In traditional baking, baked goods typically contain animal-based ingredients, which is a no-no if you are sticking to a vegan diet. The good news is, there are loads of very healthy and 100% vegan substitutes to common baking ingredients. In today’s post, we are listing down the best substitutes for vegan baking:

1. Substitute for Butter

In baking, butter adds a rich, decadent flavor to baked goods. It also creates a delightfully spongy texture to cakes and pastries. Butter is also used to allow baked goods to rise evenly while adding sweetness to your favorite desserts.

If the recipe calls for a natural spice or flavor, you can use olive oil or untoasted sesame oil as a substitute for butter in gingerbread or spice cookies. You can also use raw coconut oil to add thickness to chocolate cakes and smoothies. Vegan shortening can work as a butter substitute for cookies and pie crust.

2. Substitute for Milk

Milk adds richness and a creamy flavor to baked goods, particularly cakes and pastries. Thankfully, milk is the easiest ingredient to substitute in vegan baking! You can replace milk with full-fat soymilk to add richness to cakes and cookies or almond milk to impart subtle sweetness to pastries. You can also use coconut cream and vanilla flavored non-dairy milk as a substitute for milk in vegan baking. Nondairy milk usually comes in various flavors but if you are committed to replicating the flavor of plain milk, always choose vanilla flavor.

3. Substitute for Eggs

In baking, eggs are used to bind all ingredients together. They are also used to add moisture and density to baked good. Eggs can also act as a leavening agent, allowing baked goods to rise evenly as they bake.

Eggs are fairly easy to replace in vegan baking. You can use ground flax seeds to add beautiful textures to baked goods. Mixing about a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with three tablespoons of water is equal to one egg. You can also replace eggs with mashed banana and applesauce. This works great especially if you are making cholesterol-free baked goodies! We also recommend using soy yogurt, pureed black beans, and baking powder + vinegar + baking soda as a substitute for eggs.

4. Substitute for Honey

Honey is a natural sweetener in baking. It helps develop a beautiful golden brown on baked goods, and retain the moisture of pastries.

Any type of sweet, viscous liquids can be used to replace honey. Maple syrup, rice syrup, agave nectar, and molasses are just a few perfect substitutes for honey in vegan baking. These substitutes add sweetness to baked goods while providing browning effects too.

5. Substitute for Cream

In baking, cream is used to create a fluffy, smooth texture in baked goods. Cream also adds richness and silken quality to cheesecakes and cakes.

You can use coconut milk and coconut cream as a vegan substitute for cream. You can also use cashew milk as a replacement for cream. Just blend one-part cashew nuts with one part water until smooth. Finally, you can also use non-dairy creamers as a substitute for cream in vegan baking!