When it comes to comfort foods, donuts are pretty high up on the list for many people. They are a universal snack, loved by many people all over the world.
While we know that doughnuts are not the epitome of health when it comes to snacks, many people often wonder if they are vegan.
If you’re here, you probably want to know if donuts contain eggs, like other similar pastries? Good question, keep reading to find out the answer.
Are There Eggs in Donuts?
A typical donut recipe in most countries will in fact contain eggs. A common recipe for jelly donuts includes dry yeast, water, milk, butter, sugar, eggs, salt, flour, jelly and oil. This particular recipe calls for three egg yolks and one egg white whisked; others have other formulations.
If you are averse to eggs, fortunately there are some recipes that do not call for eggs. These often require substitutions. In India for instance, eggless donuts are popular.
Because eggs help donuts rise and contribute to the fluffy airy texture, any substitute must offer similar properties while not altering the taste of the pastry.
Best Egg Substitutes For Donuts
There are different egg substitutes that can be used when making donuts. Below, we highlight the 4 best ones to use.
Vinegar & Baking Soda
One of the most popular substitutes for eggs in donuts is vinegar and baking soda. Pastry chefs suggest replacing each egg in the recipe with 1 tablespoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of vinegar. You will need to combine the vinegar and baking soda separately before adding them to the other ingredients.
Applesauce
Another suggestion is to add applesauce. For this substitution you would replace one egg with a quarter cup of applesauce. Avoid using sweetened apple sauce as this could spoil the taste of the product by making it too sweet.
Soy Yogurt
A third option is plain or soy yogurt. A quarter cup of yogurt replaces an egg. If you are vegan, then another great option is ground flaxseed. One tablespoon of flaxseed replaces an egg. Simply mix the flaxseed in 3 tablespoons of water until it becomes thick. Whisk into mixture as you would your eggs. Many vegans love flaxseed as it is not only nutritious, but adds an earthy nutty flavor to pastry or baked goods.
JUST Eggs
If you are vegan, and are looking for something that’s closer to natural eggs, then there is a great vegan substitute called JUST Eggs. It has a very similar texture to eggs, but will have a plant based flavor. Still, it should give similar results to natural eggs.
Wrapping it up
So, the question has been answered. Conventional donuts do generally have eggs as a main ingredient. Eggs add flavor and contribute to the fluffy delightful texture that donuts have.
Eggs are however not mandatory in donuts and there are many substitutes out there that you can try if you’re just not feeling the eggs. You should expect however that there will be a trade off with most substitutes.
Whether it’s the flavor, texture or general appearance, substitutes generally will not perform as well as the original ingredient. Still try out a few and see what works best for you!
