What Can You Use Instead of an Egg Wash on Baked Goods?

If you have no egg to brush over savory rolls, layered pastries, or cookies, milk or a milk-and-butter mixture gives the closest shine; for a darker brown, yogurt can be used, while sugar syrup gives a lightly sweet glaze. If none of these is available, baking the dough without a wash also gives an edible, though matte, result. How do you glaze with milk and butter? Although it does not exactly imitate the golden color from egg yolk, a thin brush of milk over the dough gives it a light sheen and gentle browning in the oven. Adding a few drops of melted butter to the milk deepens the color and adds a light crispness to the surface. This mixture gives results closest to egg, especially on savory rolls and buns; the same method can be used with plant-based milk, though the result will be a little paler. For which baked goods does yogurt work better? Since yogurt is thicker than egg, brushing it on creates a more noticeable, darker brown, which is why it is preferred especially for Turkish sesame rings and some types of cookies. If you thin the yogurt with a few spoonfuls of water before brushing, it spreads more easily and evenly. Adding a pinch of sugar to the yogurt mixture also speeds up browning. When should you use a syrup glaze? Brushing a thin layer of sugar syrup onto cookies and sweet baked goods after baking creates a sweet surface with a shine close to that from egg; this method is a practical solution especially for people with egg allergies. If the syrup is brushed onto warm dough, it absorbs faster and leaves a thin, polished layer on the surface. A mixture of honey and a few drops of hot water can produce a similar consistency as a substitute for syrup. Whichever alternative you choose, brushing on a thin, even layer prevents a thick coating of liquid from running during baking and causing spots in the oven; a paper towel can also be used instead of a brush to leave a thin layer. Can you bake without any glaze? If time is limited or you do not have a suitable ingredient on hand, baking the dough without a glaze is also an option; compared with an egg wash, the result will look more matte and pale, but there will be no problem with its flavor or doneness. This method can be used especially for savory rolls with a noticeably spiced or cheesy filling, since the appearance of the top is less important. Finally, whichever liquid you choose, oven temperature also affects the shine; baked goods cooked at 180–190°C / 355–375°F develop more noticeable browning and shine than those cooked at a lower temperature. Baking with both the upper and lower heating elements on also strengthens the color on the surface; in ovens that heat only from below, the top stays paler. In that case, turning on the oven’s upper heating element briefly during the last few minutes of baking can add more browning to the surface.