Eggs, flour, sugar, butter... These are the essential ingredients in baking, right? Not always, as these egg-free recipes prove (in the most delectable way). From cookies to cakes, and including plenty of completely plant-based treats, here's how to bake brilliantly without cracking a single egg.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover 30 egg-free bakes that taste fantastic – counting down to the one we love most of all.
So easy to make that the whole family can get involved, these zesty biscuits are great to whip up whenever you get a craving for something sweet. Cut the dough into any shape you like and feel free to experiment with milk chocolate decorations – whether you like them drizzled, half-dipped or completely enrobed.
Get the recipe for orange, poppy seed and chocolate biscuits here
A clever twist on a traditional fruit crumble, this tasty number features a marzipan and orange flower crust. The floral, almondy base is the perfect foil for the sweet, caramelised peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots in the filling. Serve it warm, with a generous dollop of crème fraîche, and everyone will be very happy indeed.
A clafoutis is a French-style dessert that sees fruit cooked in batter, almost like a Dutch pancake. This one makes a star of quinces, which add a pleasant piquant taste, but you could use peaches, cherries or apricots instead. The caramel base, meanwhile, gives the vegan dish a lovely sweetness. You could also make a refreshing yogurt sorbet to go with it.
While soft cookies often contain egg, other biscuits are ideal for eggless baking. These Florentines have a fun snap and are wonderfully chewy, with no eggs in sight. Golden syrup and brown sugar create a deep caramel taste, with zesty orange and a little sweet heat from the crystalised ginger. Dip them in dark and white chocolate for a pretty finish.
This hearty, comforting pear and prune cobbler is wonderfully tasty and extremely easy to make. It uses tinned pears and prunes and requires just 15 minutes of hands-on time to prepare the crumbly biscuit dumpling topping. Serve it with generous amounts of vanilla ice cream or double cream for an indulgent treat.
Packed with oats, banana and dried fruit, these energy-boosting bars would make a fantastic breakfast, post-gym snack or lunchbox treat. All the ingredients need to be stirred together and spread evenly in a baking tin before being baked until golden. They’re great for the whole family, including babies and toddlers; just grind up the seed topping (or leave it off entirely) to make them safe for little ones.
This unique-looking layer cake features a rather unusual ingredient: avocado. Don’t dismiss the idea until you’ve tried it, though – the fruit adds a rich, creamy sweetness to the icing (as well as a vivid splash of colour). The vegan sponge, meanwhile, makes clever use of apple cider vinegar and almond milk, which adds moisture. Sliced kiwis are the ideal topping for this fabulously fruity little number.
This chocolatey take on a classic French biscuit is made with spelt flour for a soft, crumbly texture and a slightly nutty taste. There’s no need for whisked eggs to get a deliciously airy, dreamy cookie. Whisking the dry ingredients together adds air – and leaving the dough with a sandy texture before adding the chocolate creates a light bite that melts in the mouth.
Chocolate and orange are a winning combination, and here the flavours work together in an easy, egg-free cupcake recipe. There’s no fiddly frosting or elaborate decoration to worry about; once baked, the cupcakes are drizzled with melted chocolate and garnished with zesty orange rind for a simple yet delicious treat.
Taking chocolate chip cookies in an altogether more grown-up direction, these chocolate, pistachio and cardamom beauties are packed with flavour and texture. They take mere minutes to prepare, and the result is utterly satisfying – the cardamom adds a lovely underlying warmth, and the chunks of vegan dark chocolate and chopped nuts provide richness.
Get the recipe for chocolate, pistachio and cardamom cookies here
Both eggless and dairy-free, these berry crumble bars are a summery treat that would be right at home in a picnic basket. And, making use of frozen forest fruits, they’d make a great accompaniment to a hot drink in colder weather, too. Portable and deliciously buttery and fruity, they’re ready to be eaten anywhere and everywhere, whenever you get a craving for something sweet.
This tasty bake owes its name to the coconut milk and chunks of tinned pineapple threaded through its batter, and it's a great low-sugar alternative to a traditional cake. We think it'd be delicious sliced, toasted and served with a piping hot cup of coffee for breakfast or as a mid-morning treat.
Technically, no baking is required for this classic British pie with a modern herby twist – but we’re happy to call mixing and refrigeration baking, if you are. A biscuity base and layers of banana, caramel and cream come together to create a dessert that’s always a winner. The rosemary caramel in this version might sound unusual at first, but trust us: it really works.
You don’t need eggs to make a tasty tart case, and the pastry for this one contains oat flour, which gives it a wholesome, slightly rustic texture. The recipe below suggests a classic filling of sweet, juicy peaches and tart blackberries, but you could use whatever fruits you fancy.
Making a crumble is always an excellent idea, particularly when you’ve got a glut of fruit to use up. This one is filled with juicy plums and tender apples – and the topping, meanwhile, has a fantastic texture and just the right amount of sweetness, all thanks to a mixture of oats and demerara sugar.
Sweet and spicy with a dark chocolate drizzle, these doughnuts – inspired by the flavours of the Caribbean – are ready in no time. Cooked like churros (by piping the dough into hot oil), they have a satisfyingly crisp outside and a fluffy interior. Cinnamon, cayenne and orange mingle with vegan dark chocolate for a taste sensation that's totally free of eggs and dairy.
These delicate cardamom cookies are a lovely light treat. They’re beautifully buttery, and there’s a hint of spice about them, but it’s certainly not overpowering. A scattering of ground pistachios and almonds on top adds texture – and it looks great, too.
Along with sugar, whipped aquafaba (chickpea water) serves as the base for this stunning vegan meringue – and silky coconut milk makes a creamy, indulgent-tasting filling. This recipe has a tropical fruit theme, with tinned pineapple and kiwi the stars of the show; however, you could take a different route and pile it high with blackberries, blueberries and strawberries instead.
For the ultimate egg-free dinner party dessert, why not treat yourself (and your guests) to a batch of biscotti accompanied by grown-up espresso crème caramel? The biscotti are fruity, nutty and crunchy, and they'll keep for ages, too. The espresso crème caramel, meanwhile, doesn't require eggs – just full-fat coconut milk.
Tarte Tatin has never been easier than with this recipe, which makes use of ready-made puff pastry. Shop-bought pastry doesn’t usually contain egg; however, if going egg-free is important to you, make sure you check the label. A minimal ingredient list means you only need apples, sugar and butter to throw this dessert together. Not only that, but it’s ready to come out of the oven in 30 minutes – the perfect last-minute pudding!
Even the most insatiable of sweet tooths will be satisfied with these fudgy flapjacks. Chewy, creamy and with the warming flavour of cardamom, they’re a delightful teatime treat. Both the flapjack base and fudge topping are simple to make, and a sprinkle of toasted almond flakes adds a final golden touch.
As this recipe demonstrates, eggs are by no means essential when making biscuits. These crisp, chewy treats have masses of flavour and texture, all thanks to a winning combination of rolled oats, desiccated coconut and golden syrup. Leave the biscuits to cool completely before devouring them with a hot drink.
Despite being made without eggs or dairy, this stunning chocolate and caramel tart tastes wonderfully decadent. The recipe will teach you how to prepare a vegan caramel sauce that’s also great trickled over ice cream, as well as a rich chocolate ganache. There’s no need to fiddle around making pastry, though – buy a block of ready-made vegan shortcrust instead, and save yourself the time and hassle.
This dense dark chocolate and salted caramel cake is rich, sweet, utterly delicious – and entirely egg-free. A good scattering of sea salt flakes on top enhances the sweet and salty combo, and you could use it in the caramel too, if you prefer crystals of salt laced through it. Serve it in elegant slices with a dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream on the side.
Craving classic choc chip cookies, but want to stick with the 'no egg' theme? Not a problem here. Agave and maple syrup help bind the mixture to make these deliciously gooey, chocolatey bites. You can play around with the flavours, too – why not try adding white chocolate chunks and dried blueberries, or milk chocolate and toasted pecans?
What could be cuter than these kitty doughnuts from The Great British Bake Off’s Kim-Joy? You don’t need to be an expert decorator to transform these ring-shaped treats – they’re dipped in chocolate, and the finishing touches simply include almonds, sprinkles and either more chocolate or royal icing. A vegan version of the dough means you can ditch not just the eggs, but also the milk and butter.
With its light and airy sponge, creamy filling and generous layer of berry jam, this cake has all the hallmarks of a traditional Victoria sponge – yet it's entirely eggless. The buttercream filling is also dairy-free, so it’s the perfect bake to serve at a plant-based birthday party or afternoon tea.
As these fudgy espresso brownies prove, it’s very possible to bake brilliant brownies without eggs. Olive oil and dark chocolate chips give these squidgy squares a lovely moist texture, while a mix of cocoa powder and coffee intensifies their rich flavour.
For the most indulgent of sweet treats, it has to be millionaire’s shortbread. Featuring a crumbly biscuit base, gooey caramel (made with pitted dates and Biscoff Spread), and a thick, crisp layer of chocolate, these little squares have it all – and they also just so happen to be made without eggs and dairy.
There are a few steps involved in making these peanut butter caramel puddings; however, once you get the hang of baking with egg substitute aquafaba (the water drained from a can of chickpeas), you’ll be well on your way. This vegan recipe also teaches you how to make peanut butter caramel and a sophisticated dark chocolate sorbet.
Get the recipe for peanut butter caramel puddings here
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Last updated by Laura Ellis.