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    Home » Recipes » Resources » Baking Guides

    How to Make a Vegan Egg Wash for Baking

    Published by Gwen Leron on January 12, 2018 (Updated December 4, 2018)

    5 from 6 ratings
    »
    18 Comments

    This page may contain affiliate links. Click to learn more. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
    Jump to Recipe
    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, sitting on a cooling rack that were brushed with a vegan egg wash before baking.

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    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
    Fresh rolls just out of the oven sitting in a baking pan, rolls were brushed with vegan egg wash before baking.

    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
    • How to Make Vegan Buttermilk
    • Coconut Raisin Vegan Scones
    • Easy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

    How to Make a Vegan Egg Wash for Baking

    An overhead image of hot cross buns in a pan, fresh from the oven.
    Print Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 6 ratings

    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 minutes
    Cook Time:1 minute minute
    Total Time:3 minutes minutes
    Author: Gwen Leron
    Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Servings: 1
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tablespoons unsweetened dairy-free milk (I use almond but any plant milk will work)
    • 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!
    Baking GuidesHow ToGluten-FreeNo Nuts AddedOil-FreeMaple Syrup

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      How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust
    • Image shows a small mason jar filled with vegan buttermilk, half of a fresh lemon sits beside the jar.
      10 Minute Vegan Buttermilk (2 Ingredients!)
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    • Two mason jars of aquafaba on a white table, a white bowl of dried chickpeas sits to the left of the jars.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 6 votes

      Did You Make This Recipe or Have a Question About It? Cancel reply

      If you’ve made this recipe and loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a comment and star rating. Your ratings help others discover my recipes so they can enjoy them, too. If you haven’t tried the recipe yet but have a question, feel free to ask, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you so much for your support!

      Sincerely,
      Gwen

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      Recipe Rating





    1. Alice says

      August 05, 2024 at 5:10 pm

      Will the oil make toppings stick or is it only for browning? I’m looking for a non sweet option for bagels as an alternative to egg wash.

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        August 08, 2024 at 2:50 pm

        Hi Alice, yes, the oil should work fine to make the toppings stick. Just make sure to lightly press the bagels into your topping to help them settle in.

        Reply
    2. Kit says

      March 29, 2023 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      Hiya! Would love to use this for apple pie. Is it possible to use cashew milk instead of almond milk to give the same golden result? thanks! <3

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        March 29, 2023 at 4:42 pm

        Hi Kit! Yes, any type will work. I hope your apple pie turns out amazing!

        Reply
    3. Danielle says

      March 24, 2021 at 4:07 pm

      Thank you! Your recipes are amazing! I always have oat milk on hand, could I use it insread of almond milk? Thank you in advance!

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        March 25, 2021 at 10:00 am

        Hi Danielle, yes, oat milk would work just fine! And thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the recipes 🙂

        Reply
    4. Sherryl van says

      November 07, 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 08, 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
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. 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
    8. 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
    9. Karen Badzik says

      March 04, 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 06, 2018 at 4:43 pm

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

        Reply

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