Baking with eggs isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. If you can't find any at the supermarket at the moment, due to the current shortage, we’ve got plenty of ideas for cookies, cakes, puddings and desserts you can make without them. From plant-based treats for vegans to cakes that use alternative ingredients to help them rise beautifully and a bonus recipe for eggless eggnog - here's how to bake without cracking a single egg.
It’s possible to make brownies without eggs or dairy, and these fudgy espresso brownies prove it. They contain olive oil and dark chocolate chips to give a moist texture. Cocoa powder and coffee in the batter intensifies their rich flavour.
This hearty and comforting pear and prune cobbler is extremely easy to make. It uses tinned pears and prunes, and requires just 15 minutes of hands-on time to make the crumbly biscuit dumplings to go on top.
This dense dark chocolate and salted caramel cake is a sweet and rich dessert. It needs nothing more than a dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream to accompany it.
There are a few steps to making these peanut butter caramel puddings. But once you get the hang of baking with egg substitute aquafaba (the water drained from a can of chickpeas), you’ll find it's easy. The recipe also teaches you how to make peanut butter caramel and a sophisticated dark chocolate sorbet.
You don’t need eggs to make a tart and the pastry for this one contains oat flour which gives it a wholesome texture. You can fill it with whatever fruit you fancy. Sweet peaches complement tart blackberries, and the contrasting colours look fabulous.
These delicate and crisp cardamom cookies are a lovely, light treat. They’re buttery and there’s a hint of spice, but it’s not overpowering. Ground pistachios on top add texture and look great.
Crumble is always an excellent idea but particularly when you don’t have the ingredients to bake a cake. This one is filled with juicy plum and apple pieces, and the golden buttery crumble melts in your mouth. You can make it in one big dish or individual ramekins.
You only need three ingredients to make these dainty shortbreads: butter, caster sugar and plain flour. For warmer days, the accompanying recipe for wonderful watermelon and pomegranate granita is a great idea.
Treat yourself to a batch of biscotti accompanied by grown-up espresso crème caramel. The biscotti are fruity and nutty, and keep for ages. The espresso crème caramel miraculously requires no eggs, just full-fat coconut milk.
A clafoutis is a French dessert with fruit cooked in batter, almost like a Dutch pancake. This one is caramelly and contains tart pieces of quince fruit. You can also make a refreshing yogurt sorbet to go with it.
As a change from traditional cake, tiramisù is light, creamy, rich and decadent. Soak sponge fingers in coffee and brandy, then assemble with mascarpone and cream in attractive layers in a glass dish.
This is called piña colada bread because it contains chunks of tinned pineapple and coconut milk. It makes a lighter alternative to cake – and we think a chunky slice is perfect with a morning coffee.
Aquafaba (chickpea water) helps form the base of this crunchy vegan meringue and silky coconut milk makes a creamy filling. This recipe has a tropical fruit theme, with tinned pineapple and kiwi, but you could go for a different take with blackberries, blueberries and strawberries.
Another no-bake beauty, banoffee pie (similar to banana cream pie in the US) is a British favourite. Crushed biscuits make the base, the rosemary caramel is an easy blend of condensed milk, butter and sugar, and all you need to go on top is bananas and cream.
A twist on traditional fruit crumble, this version has a marzipan and orange flower crust. It goes wonderfully with the caramelised peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots, plus a dollop of crème fraîche.
Did you know eggs aren’t essential to making cookies? These crisp and chewy biscuits have so much texture and are made with flour, oats, desiccated coconut, butter and golden syrup.
In this chocolate caramel tart recipe you’ll learn how to make a vegan caramel sauce and chocolate ganache. There’s no need to fiddle around making pastry when you can buy it ready-made.
This aromatic cheesecake has a crumbly base made from crushed pistachios and digestive biscuits. It's topped with a pillowy, perfumed mix of cream cheese, clotted cream and rosewater.
Craving classic choc chip cookies but no eggs in the cupboard? No problem. Agave and maple syrup help bind the mixture to make gooey, chocolatey treats. You can play around with the flavours – add white chocolate chunks and dried blueberries or milk chocolate and toasted pecans.
The classic drink for festive get-togethers, eggnog is about as Christmassy as it gets. And, despite what the name suggests, it's perfectly possible to have a delicious version of eggnog without the egg. The perfect egg-free treat for the holiday season: creamy, festive and completely vegan.
Get this plant-based eggnog recipe here