The Best Egg Substitute To Use For Vegan Ice Cream

Eggs aren't the first culprit ingredient that vegans think of when they're debating ice cream substitutions, but a lot of recipes call for them. Full of fat, protein, and emulsifiers, eggs are utilized in traditional, non-vegan ice creams to create an even smoother and creamier texture as well as an even thicker, richer body. But they also serve extra practical purposes: reducing the ice cream's tendency to melt and improving its stability. They do, however, come with a catch — one that could make a vegan substitute the preferred option for every ice cream variety, dairy or not.

As Tyler Malek, the head ice cream maker and co-founder of Salt & Straw explained to Tasting Table, "We rarely use eggs even in our dairy-based ice creams just because the egg flavor can be obnoxious based on the recipe we're trying to write." Instead, he recommends using xanthan gum, which is just one of many different binding agents but is especially good at emulsifying ingredients and preventing them from separating. This makes it particularly advantageous as a substitute for the eggs in your ice cream since it serves the same purpose of reducing melting and improving stability.

Flavorless and odorless, xanthan gum will also be considerably less obnoxious in your recipes. That's why it's used in all of Malek's vegan recipes found at Salt & Straw's January vegan menu series — binding together vegan flavors like bananas foster with candied pecans and death by chocolate, coconut cake with pineapple jam, and marionberry oatmeal cobbler.

Paired with the absolute best non-dairy milk substitute for rich homemade ice cream, xanthan gum gives vegans the power to make an ice cream shop-quality frozen dessert at home. But if you have a Salt & Straw near you, that might not be necessary. Salt & Straw has dedicated a portion of its menu to vegan options since its early days, so no matter what time of the year, you'll have a selection of vegan-friendly flavors to choose from. But January at Salt & Straw is extra special, because it's the time of year that the ice cream chain celebrates Veganuary — a world-wide movement to raise awareness about the benefits of veganism during the month of January and a time when more people than ever embrace vegan options.

In what it calls its Dairy Free Decadence Series, Salt & Straw puts out its most innovative dairy-free flavors during the month of January, both as a celebration and as an example of the magic that can come from experimenting with plant-based ingredients. The flavors are all inspired by classic American desserts, providing the perfect opportunity for vegans and non-vegans alike to discover just how delicious (and familiar) dairy-free ice cream can taste. This year's flavors utilize Tyler Malek's go-to dairy-free bases, including coconut milk and house-made oat milk, and combines them with his recommended egg substitute, xanthan gum, to achieve a decadent, dairy-free ice cream base.