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Home » Instructional » How to Make a Vegan Egg Wash for Baking

How to Make a Vegan Egg Wash for Baking

By: Gwen Leron Published: January 12, 2018 Last Updated: December 4, 2018 12 Comments

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Wondering how to make a vegan egg wash for baking? This post will give you a few ways you can make vegan egg wash substitutes for your sweet and savoury baked goods.

When we make baked treats, the major things we want to be sure we get right are the taste and the texture. But another part of the equation is how it looks—we do eat with our eyes first, right? This is why I’m showing you how to make a vegan egg wash for baking so you can make all of your baked goods look almost too pretty to eat.

Almost 🙂

Fresh rolls just out of the oven on a cooling rack that were brushed with a vegan egg wash before baking so they are golden on top.

What is the Point of an Egg Wash?

The main point is to give your finished product that beautiful golden brown colour. It’s not mandatory, but it’s nice to have rolls or buns with those pretty golden tops.

Your vegan egg wash can also be used as a way to make toppings stick, like grainy turbinado sugar or sesame seeds or to make edges stick together if you’re making something like hand pies.

There is a whole scientific explanation on how and why food browns with and without things like vegan egg washes (it’s called the Maillard reaction), but I won’t bore you with all of that.

If you are interested, though, like I was, you can read the Wikipedia page on the topic.

What Can Be Substituted for an Egg Wash?

There are several ways you can make a vegan egg wash for baking, but my go-to for sweets is maple syrup and non-dairy milk, mixed together.

Agave syrup can also be used in place of the maple syrup but since I always have maple syrup on hand, that’s what I use.

A tablespoon of maple syrup being poured into a white bowl to make a vegan egg wash.

Just mix the two ingredients (see below for proportions), brush onto your recipe, and bake.

Vegan egg wash being brushed onto rolls with a blue silicone brush.

Other alternatives you can use for a vegan egg wash:

I have always had the best results from using the non-dairy milk + maple syrup mix, but if you don’t have maple syrup or agave on hand, you can also use the following on their own:

  • aquafaba
  • soy milk
  • almond milk
  • coconut milk
Overhead shot of fresh rolls just out of the oven sitting in a parchment lined baking pan, rolls were brushed with a vegan egg wash before baking to give them their golden tops.

Those are all the ways you can make a vegan egg wash for sweet baked goods, but how about savoury baked treats? What can be substituted for an egg wash in those cases?

How to Make a Vegan Egg Wash for Savoury Baking

If the recipe browns on its own as it bakes, you can brush on a little neutral flavoured oil when it comes out of the oven to give it that finishing glow, as I do with my whole grain vegan spelt rolls. (<– click that link to see what they look like).

For things that need a little help browning, you can brush with coconut oil or aquafaba before baking, to give it the perfect finish.

If you like this recipe, you may also like these:

  • Vegan Hot Cross Buns (those are the buns you see in the images on this page!)
  • How to Make a Flax Egg (A Vegan Egg Substitute for Baking)
  • How to Whip and Use Aquafaba
  • Coconut Raisin Vegan Scones
  • Easy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

How to Make a Vegan Egg Wash for Baking

Golden topped rolls that were brushed with a vegan egg wash before baking, sitting in a parchment lined baking pan on a light brown wooden table.
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

How to Make a Vegan Egg Wash for Baking

Learn how to make a vegan egg wash for all of your sweet and savoury baked goods.
Prep Time:2 minutes
Cook Time:1 minute
Total Time:3 minutes
Author: Gwen Leron
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 1

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use almond)
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Instructions:

  • Stir non-dairy milk and maple syrup together.
  • Brush onto your rolls, bread, or any sweet baked good that needs golden finish.

Recipe Notes:

  • This recipe works nicely for sweet baked goods, see above for suggestions on what you use for savoury baked goods.
  • If you don’t have maple syrup, you can use agave nectar in its place.
  • Recipe can be halved for smaller batches of baked goods.
  • Nutrition info is for the unsweetened almond milk + maple syrup recipe above. Count is for the entire recipe but note that most baked goods don’t need the entire amount. Learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 21mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Calcium: 60mg
Did You Make This Recipe?If so, please share a picture with me on Instagram! Tag @delightfuladventures and hashtag #delightfuladventures. I can’t wait to see!

Filed Under: Diet, Gluten-Free, How To, Instructional, Nut-Free, Oil-Free 12 Comments

Comments

  1. Sherryl van says

    November 7, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    5 stars
    Yes, I’ve made another recipe of YOURS…. Soooo DELISH‼️
    These came together so nice & easily too👌👌👌It will be worth a couple extra lbs as I’m truly enjoying the baking & eating experience in such a time as this election week….. Yummy comfort food 😋👍

    Reply
    • Gwen Leron says

      November 8, 2020 at 11:38 am

      Comfort food was definitely a necessity this past week 🙂 I’m glad you were able to find some on my site to get you through, Sherryl 🙂

      Reply
  2. E says

    April 26, 2020 at 7:45 pm

    5 stars
    Used this on a sourdough babka today. Worked very well, thank you!

    Reply
    • Gwen Leron says

      April 28, 2020 at 4:12 pm

      Sourdough babka sounds delicious!! So glad this worked for you 🙂

      Reply
  3. JW says

    September 10, 2019 at 3:22 pm

    Exactly what I was looking for to finish off some vegan apple turnovers! Can’t wait to try later today, thanks SO MUCH!

    Reply
    • Gwen Leron says

      September 10, 2019 at 4:55 pm

      You’re welcome! Let me know how things turn out 🙂

      Reply
  4. Leslie Mereminsky says

    May 30, 2019 at 9:40 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for the great recipe. Will the bread be sticky due to the maple or agave syrup?

    Reply
    • Gwen Leron says

      May 30, 2019 at 9:59 am

      Hi Leslie, you’re welcome! And no, the mixture is not sticky at all and after whatever you are making has baked, the tops will not be sticky 🙂 Let me know how things go!

      Reply
  5. Kristin says

    January 12, 2019 at 9:48 am

    5 stars
    I used this method for a loaf of cardamom bread. It turned out amazing! Thanks.

    Reply
    • Gwen says

      January 14, 2019 at 9:37 am

      Yay! I’m so glad it worked well for you, Kristen! Thanks for your note 🙂

      Reply
  6. Karen Badzik says

    March 4, 2018 at 11:45 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the great post – I was actually wondering what might give vegan baked goods a nice golden brown. Keep up the great work!

    Reply
    • Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says

      March 6, 2018 at 4:43 pm

      You’re very welcome, Karen! Glad you find the info helpful 🙂

      Reply

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Photo of G. LeronHi! I’m Gwen and if you’re looking for easy-to-make, delicious plant-based and gluten-free recipes you’ll want to make over and over again, you’ve landed in the right place! Read more…

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