How To Swap Out Egg Whites With Pumpkin Puree

Whether you're a vegan or you're just allergic, there are many different swaps when it comes to cooking or baking with eggs. Tofu and JUST Egg will do the trick when you're craving a scramble or an omelet, while ground flax and chia seeds or even mashed bananas come through for your baked goods. Just take a peek at Tasting Table's round-up of the absolute best egg substitutes, and you'll see that, in this day and age, there's an egg alternative suitable for just about any recipe — even one that just calls for the whites.

If your recipe calls for egg whites, you can swap out each one with ¼ cup of pumpkin puree. The substitution works as a binder and a mild leavener in everything from cookies to quick breads, brownies, and cakes. It won't, however, work in recipes that rely on achieving a dense texture, such as a pound cake. Before you use it, you should note that it will turn whatever you're making a nice shade of orange.

Not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling, pumpkin puree works in more than just your fall desserts. While it should not only be reserved for your autumnal baking recipes, it does work best alongside warm flavors like cinnamon, caramel, and apples. On its own, pumpkin puree has a sweet and savory flavor that naturally complements the flavors of chocolate, vanilla, maple, and brown sugar. Depending on the number of eggs your recipe calls for, the flavor of the puree is likely to come through, so it's likely best to keep these flavors in mind when you're using it as a substitute in your baked goods.

Knowing this, a few recipes come to mind. Given that maple is a complementary flavor, waffles and pancakes are a couple of obvious contenders that could benefit from a bit of pumpkin puree instead of eggs. Plus, it will help them avoid coming out too dense. Other possibilities include cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, and snickerdoodle cookies — but that's only the start.