18 Essential Ingredients for Vegan Baking

Many people are intimidated by vegan baking because so many ingredients seem irreplaceable: butter and milk, egg wash, and the eggs themselves, to name just a few. Vegan baking also brings challenges that many chefs don’t intuitively know how to handle, such as split buttercream or the wide range of plant-based milk choices.

While it’s true that baking throughout the ages has historically involved a lot of animal products, it doesn’t have to. In fact, the notion of veganism traces back at least two millennia. And Chocolate Depression Cake, so named because it was a dessert free of both dairy and eggs — both in shortage during the Great Depression — has remained a favorite today.

“The biggest misconception about vegan baking is that the baked goods won’t taste as good as sweets made with animal products,” says Stephanie Kondrchek, the recipe developer behind Steph Sunshine. “While there may be a few recipes that are hard to recreate with vegan ingredients, the vast majority of baked goods can be made equally delicious as (or more delicious than) their non-vegan counterparts!” Chowhound spoke to several experts to get the best advice, resulting in these 18 ingredients to stock if you want to rock your vegan baking life.

If you’ve ever followed a reality cooking show, chances are good you’ve run across aquafaba. “This magical chickpea liquid whips up like egg whites, making it perfect for meringues, macarons, and even fluffy pancakes,” explains Connie Edwards McGaughy, recipe developer and creator of The Carrot Underground. While you can buy shelf-stable aquafaba powder to keep on hand in your cupboard, you can also just use the drained liquid from a can of chickpeas — yes, really. It works as a leavener and thus can help you replace eggs in a variety of recipes, including vegan meringues. All you have to do is strain out the beans, reserve the liquid, bring it to room temperature (if necessary), then whip it up with cream of tartar, sugar, and vanilla. Bake at a low temperature, and boom: lighter-than-air cookies.

It’s worth noting, says Stephanie Kondrchek, that a lot of recipes work just fine without eggs. “In my muffins, pancakes, and cookies, I usually don’t use any egg replacer at all, because I’ve found that makes no difference to the taste or texture.” In some cases, though, you really do need a good egg replacer. For instance, says Angelica Rose, chef and founder of Tearoom Bambi, who often works with Poptop Events, “For a vegan cream cake, I think aquafaba is the best choice. It creates a fluffy sponge which complements perfectly with soft vegan cream for subtle sweetness.”

Eggs work as both binders and as leaveners to fluff up baked goods. For vegan bakers, both flax seeds and chia seeds serve as a replacement for eggs as a binding agent. “I love working with chia seeds and flax seeds,” says Odette D’Aniello, founder of Dragonfly Cakes. They’re reliable as egg replacers and they bring added nutritional benefits to the table. “I use these in cookies as the color blends in well with the cookie dough,” she says.

To make a flax or chia “egg,” Connie Edwards McGaughy instructs to combine 1 tablespoon of ground flax or chia with 3 tablespoons of water, describing, “it forms a gel-like texture that acts as a fantastic egg substitute in muffins, cookies, and breads.” Make sure to wait a few minutes for it to firm up into a gel.

Next up on the list of critical vegan baking ingredients: butter and shortening. “Vegan butter generally works anywhere you’d use regular butter,” Stephanie Kondrchek says. This is good news, because if butter is the only non-vegan ingredient in your recipe, you can make a direct swap. “You’ll typically want to use the stick-type of vegan butter, not a vegan butter spread, for most types of baking, unless the recipe says otherwise.”

The same can be true of shortening, which, along with butter, provides structure and depth in pastries, frostings, and flaky pie crusts, according to Connie Edwards McGaughy. Make sure to sample different brands to find the ones you like, as these ingredients vary significantly in their flavor and effectiveness. “You will need to trial and error before finding the right product for a particular dish,” Angelica Rose says.

Here’s another pro tip: Using vegan butter can help your bright baked goods turn out more colorful because the lightness of the vegan butter (as compared to dairy butter) allows natural coloring or food dye to come through closer to its natural hue.

Milk is among the easiest non-vegan baking ingredients to substitute, because there are so many plant-based versions available on the market today. “Most non-dairy milks should work in most baking recipes,” Stephanie Kondrchek says. “I personally like to use almond milk because most brands are pretty similar in their consistency, so I get consistent results.”

Different plant milks have different properties, though. For instance, Connie Edwards McGaughy says, “Unsweetened soy milk is a go-to for its protein content, which helps with structure, but almond, cashew, and oat milk are creamy replacements for recipes that would use whole milk. Rice milk works well in recipes that require a lighter texture. Full-fat canned coconut milk is ideal for rich desserts like cakes and frostings.”

Be especially wary of coconut milk, which is quite thick. Although that’s great for, say, mousses and frostings, it can go south when you sub it in for regular milk. It’s not generally interchangeable, though, so let the recipe be your guide.

Many baked goods rely heavily on other types of dairy besides milk and butter. Two of the most important vegan baking ingredients to source are vegan cream cheese and sour cream. You’ll commonly find either, or both, in recipes for cheesecakes, pie fillings, biscuits, breads, cakes, and frostings.

While there do exist decent substitutes on the market, Stephanie Kondrchek says they vary quite widely in terms of both taste and texture. “So if you see a recipe that’s calling for one of these ingredients, try to look for the same brand that the recipe’s author used to get consistent results,” she advises, “or try to find a recipe that uses simpler ingredients instead of these substitutes.” The same goes for vegan yogurt and vegan condensed milk, she adds.

Oils are among the most common vegan baking ingredients, as they add flavor and moisture and help to emulsify other ingredients — i.e. blend together ingredients that ordinarily wouldn’t mix. Vegetable and coconut oils are both vegan, but you have to use them with intention.

Coconut oil, for instance, often has a strong coconut flavor, which is a plus in a coconut-based dessert, but something to watch out for in others. If you’re going to add it to baked goods and don’t want that coconut flavor, Stephanie Kondrchek advises using refined coconut oil, which is much milder. It behaves unlike other vegetable oils, as Connie Edwards McGaughy explains that “it solidifies when cooled, making it perfect for chocolate coatings.”

You can also use coconut oil to make your own vegan butter, by combining it with plant-based milk, vinegar, salt, and vegetable oil. If you’re going to do this, Kondrcheck says you should definitely use refined coconut oil, but warns that “it shouldn’t be used as a 1:1 replacement for baked goods like cookies, because it’s missing the water that vegan butter contains.”

Home chefs might mistakenly assume that vegan recipes have to be gluten-free, but that’s not the case. Thankfully, your standard all-purpose flour is vegan even if it isn’t gluten-free. “All-purpose flour is the most versatile choice for vegan baking, but whole wheat, spelt, oat, and almond flour can add unique flavors and textures,” Connie Edwards McGaughy says. Whatever type of flour you choose, make sure to use an accurate hand. “Baking often relies on precise chemical reactions, so always measure carefully and follow mixing instructions,” she says. “I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale. They are inexpensive, easy to use, and are a home baker’s best friend.”

If you want to cut yourself a bit of a break, Angelica Rose suggests trying self-rising flour. It’s vegan but, because it contains baking powder and salt, will help make up for missing eggs. On a final floury note, you shouldn’t assume that boxed cake mixes are vegan. They may contain dehydrated animal products such as milk powder.

Like flour, baking soda and baking powder are critical vegan baking ingredients that don’t distinguish between plant-based and regular recipes; they’re the same no matter what. However, they do become more important in the absence of eggs. “Baking powder and baking soda (aka bicarbonate of soda) are essential leavening agents in vegan baking, helping baked goods rise by creating air bubbles,” Angelica Rose explains. “Baking soda requires an acid (like vinegar or lemon juice) to activate, while baking powder contains its own acid and works independently.”

Note that when it comes to a proper rise, temperature matters … a lot, Connie Edwards McGaughy says. Use a thermometer to ensure your oven is properly calibrated, and note that older oven doors may lack tight seals, which can let heat out. Also, “For those who live in altitudes above 3,500 feet, you might need to adjust your baking temperature and time to allow your baked goods to rise properly,” McGaughy notes.

When it comes to vegan baking ingredients, oats are an underrepresented superstar. They’re naturally gluten-free (assuming they come from a facility that doesn’t also process gluten-containing products, so you should always check carefully if you’re dealing with someone who has a true allergy). They also come in a huge range of forms: steel-cut oats, oat groats, quick-cooking and instant oats, old-fashioned rolled oats, and oat flour, adding up to an impressive repertoire of potential vegan baking ingredients.

While some gluten-free flours have a strong flavor (buckwheat or spelt, say), oats are pretty neutral, just as wheat flour is. While she uses organic all-purpose flour for cakes, Odette D’Aniello prefers oat flour for cookies. Even better news: You can grind oats into flour yourself for a fresher result.

If your first thought when reading that heading was, “Sorry, what? Vegan sugar and alcohol?” then you’re not alone. Most people don’t think twice before assuming that both sweeteners (aside from honey) and booze are naturally free of animal products, but that’s not necessarily the case.

“The main ingredient vegans should double-check is their sugar. In many parts of the world (including the U.S.), sugar may be processed using animal bone char, making it not vegan,” Stephanie Kondrchek says. “To avoid this, you should look for sugar specifically marked vegan, or in the U.S. you can look for organic sugar, which cannot be legally processed with bone char.” This is true for all types of sugar, she continues: white, brown, and powdered or confectioner’s sugar. You’re safe with beet and turbinado sugar, however, which are always vegan.

Booze brings similar challenges, because the filtration processes may include animal products. Not ones you’d expect, either. Think fish bladder and egg whites, as well as more obvious ingredients — dairy and honey, for instance. Since these often don’t make it onto the label, you should research your products at Barnivore, a vegan booze guide. “They regularly contact brands to find out about their manufacturing processes, so the list is kept up to date,” Kondrchek says.

An easy way to vegan-ify your sweeteners is to choose whole foods that come from plants, such as maple syrup and agave nectar. While these are excellent substitutes, you can’t just sub them in for sugar willy-nilly. “Maple syrup is a liquid, so it might not work well in every recipe,” Stephanie Kondrchek says. “Maple syrup is also less sweet than sugar and has its own distinct flavor.” It’s excellent, though, in quick breads and glazes, says Connie Edwards McGaughy.

Agave brings its own caveats, Kondrcheck adds. It’s quite a bit sweeter than sugar, for one thing, so you’ll have to adjust the amounts if you’re substituting yourself. And being a liquid, it may not work well texturally as a sugar replacement.

Fruit often offers properties that work well for vegan baking. “Applesauce and bananas add moisture, natural sweetness, and structure, reducing the need for added fats,” Connie Edwards McGaughy says. Plus, it’s a great egg replacer for yeast doughs, such as those used in donuts or cinnamon rolls, Stephanie Kondrchek says.

You have to be a little more careful with bananas, though, as they don’t have a neutral taste. Odette D’Aniello warns: “Some people don’t like bananas as much as I do. It often overpowers the flavor.” When she’s worried about that, she’ll use applesauce instead, since it’s much subtler. On the plus side, bananas, like applesauce, add moisture and sweetness, so you don’t need as much sugar or sugar substitute in your recipe.

If you’re looking for creaminess and protein, you can’t do much better than nuts or nut butter. “Peanut, almond, or cashew butter add creaminess, richness, and a protein boost to cookies, brownies, and cakes,” Connie Edwards McGaughy says. Stephanie Kondrchek also recommends raw cashews. When soaked in water for roughly 10 minutes and then blended, they create cashew cream, which she describes as a silky mixture that is “perfect when you need a creamy texture and mostly neutral flavor for recipes like cheesecakes and frostings.”

Sun butter, made from sunflower seeds, and tahini, made from sesame seeds, are two other ingredients you might see in vegan recipes. They’re both buttery, rich, flavorful, and packed with emulsifying fat that can help whip brownies and cookies into shape.

Tofu may seem like an unlikely baking ingredient, but in fact, it has some pretty amazing properties for vegan recipes. “Tofu can be used as a base for creamy fillings, like cannoli filling or cheesecake,” Stephanie Kondrchek says. You can also use it to make mousse by mixing it with sugar and cocoa powder, or use it for a pumpkin pie.

Although we often think of silken and extra-firm tofu as being on the opposite ends of the spectrum, it turns out you can combine the two to get silken extra-firm tofu. It has a lovely structure that supports your pie or cheesecake fillings without developing a curdled texture that comes from blending actual firm or extra-firm tofu. Magical? Yep, pretty much, and a protein infusion to boot.

Acid is useful as a vegan baking ingredient in so many ways. For instance, Stephanie Kondrchek says that you can use both lemon juice and vinegar to create a tangy effect if you’re skipping sour cream or cream cheese. Also, both make cakes and cupcakes extra-fluffy when you combine them with baking soda, Connie Edwards McGaughy says. Indeed, an acid is often needed in combination with baking soda, which “has a strong taste if not neutralized with acid,” Angelica Rose warns. “Therefore adding just the right amount is important to avoid [an] unpleasant aftertaste, often described as bitter or soapy.”

Both vinegar and lemon juice can help you make vegan “buttermilk” as well. When you mix either with a plant-based milk, it will thicken slightly. While it doesn’t look like your classic cow buttermilk, the liquid will react with baking soda to create a fluffy final product.

No baker’s repertoire is complete without chocolate amidst their vegan baking ingredients. The good news, Stephanie Kondrchek says, is that “Cocoa powder and cacao powder are generally vegan, so you won’t need to make any adjustments there.” However, there are a few caveats when using cocoa powder in any recipe.

For one thing, Angelica Rose cautions, cocoa powder should be sifted with flour and dissolved with warm water before you mix it with other ingredients. Also, “Oil in chocolate prevents the sponge raising so try not to overmix.” Lastly, Connie Edwards McGaughy recommends opting for Dutch-process cocoa powder when you can. Its smoother taste is beneficial to the final result of most recipes, “but be sure to pair it with baking powder rather than baking soda for proper leavening,” she warns.

Baker’s chocolate, chocolate bars, chocolate chips, and cacao nibs are all key for many vegan baking recipes. When seeking out the best products, “Always check that your chocolate is dairy-free, as many brands contain milk solids,” Connie Edwards McGaughy cautions. The easiest way to do this is simply to look for a vegan label on the package. 

While dark chocolate might masquerade as vegan, Stephanie Kondrchek notes, “remember that non-organic sugar might not be vegan, and sometimes animal products are hiding under names like ‘natural flavors.'” Also, Connie Edwards McGaughy says, “When melting chocolate, use a double boiler or microwave in short intervals to prevent burning.” This is true for non-vegan recipes as well, by the way.

Sweet potatoes make for a great vegan baking ingredient, for a number of reasons. They’re full of natural sweetness, says Connie Edwards McGaughy, but they also offer structural benefits, helping to keep your baked goods sturdy. Because they add moisture as well, they reduce the need for added fats, she continues, and their natural creaminess does double duty as a replacement for both eggs and oil. Pumpkin, with its starchy creaminess similar to sweet potatoes, also works, Odette D’Aniello comments.

Their rich, creamy, almost fudgy texture makes sweet potatoes well-suited to recipes such as chocolate tarts, pumpkin pie, blondies, cookies, and muffins. If you’re willing to stretch the definition of baking to desserts in general, sweet potatoes work quite well when making fudge, caramel, and ice cream, too.