Anna Olson’s Top 5 Vegan Baking Substitutions

To replace milk, I prefer almond milk because it’s got a nice fat content — it resembles 1 or 2 per cent milk. As a second option, I’d choose soy. Rice milk isn’t good for baking (it’s like baking with water).

Coconut oil works better than any other fat because it stays solid at room temperature, so it behaves like butter in baking. When you’re switching over, remember: butter is 80 per cent fat and coconut oil is 100 per cent fat. In shortbread cookies or cakes, you’re not going to notice the difference., but if you’re doing pie dough, you’ll find the dough can be crumbl. You have to reduce the oil and increase your water to compensate for the 20 per cent liquid (found in butter).

I use flax eggs when making (vegan) cookies. I wet flax seed with a little apple juice or even a little water, and that sets things. I use that more for cookies or brownies — things that don’t rise up a lot.

For eggs, whether it’s butter tarts, cheesecake, or even cake batter, I use soft or silken tofu. For every one egg, use 2 ounces of silken tofu, because it’s pure protein. You can purée it or whisk it — it whisks down easily. I make these butterless, eggless butter tarts, and no one notices the difference!