18 Egg-Free Desserts, Because Eggs Are Ridiculously Expensive Right Now

No eggs, no problem.

By
Genevieve Yam
Headshot of Genevieve Yam
Genevieve Yam
Culinary Editor
After graduating from the International Culinary Center, Genevieve cooked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Per Se. Prior to joining Serious Eats, she was an editor at Epicurious. She grew up between Toronto and Hong Kong and is a graduate of the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She currently lives in New York with her husband and two cats.
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The Serious Eats Team
The Serious Eats Team
At Serious Eats, we’re a team of self-proclaimed food nerds who are ever-curious about the “why” behind cooking. The staff has worked in restaurants, test kitchens, bakeries, and other notable publications, bringing extensive culinary and editorial expertise to the table.
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Published February 11, 2025
A slice of banoffee pie.

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Egg prices are soaring in the United States: The New York Times recently reported that the price of eggs is 37% higher than a year ago, the result of a widespread egg shortage caused by avian flu. You've likely noticed this at your grocery store; for the past two weeks, my local supermarket has been sold out of eggs, and last week, our associate visuals director Amanda spotted a dozen eggs retailing for $12 at her neighborhood bodega.

If you're craving something sweet but can't find eggs or simply don't feel like breaking the bank, not to worry—there are plenty of delicious egg-free desserts you can whip up. Below, you'll find our favorite eggless confections, including a cozy apple crisp, an easy one-bowl shortbread, and a five-ingredient British banoffee pie.

  • Shortbread Cookies

    Overheav view of shortbread cookies with coffee

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    White whole wheat flour gives this one-bowl shortbread an earthy, nutty flavor while keeping the dough tender, and plenty of butter ensures that each bite has a pleasantly crumbly texture that melts in your mouth. Plus: The dough takes just five minutes to make.

  • Whipped Banana Ice Cream

    Overhead view of banana ice cream

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    You can make our creamy banana ice cream with just one ingredient—but a couple of pantry ingredients make it so much better than any other "nice" cream. For extra smooth, custardy ice cream, briefly soften and slice your frozen bananas before puréeing, then use a food processor to whip the fruit.

  • Vegan Chocolate Brownies

    20190227-vegan-brownies-vicky-wasik-13
    Vicky Wasik

    With aromatic cocoa butter for richness and flavor, plus a toasty, nutty hint of malt powder to help with browning in a nondairy formula, these fudgy vegan chocolate brownies taste as good as they look.

  • Rice Krispie Treats

    Overhead view of a square rice krispie treat

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    A box of cereal, a bag of marshmallows, a few tablespoons of butter, and salt are all you need to make these classic treats. A generous hand with salt balances the sweetness of the marshmallows, while brown butter adds rich, nutty flavor.

    Continue to 5 of 18 below

  • Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

    Side view of cake

    Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

    It's time to bring back this retro cake, which takes just 10 minutes to prep and relies on a classic condiment—mayonnaise!—for its moist, fudgy texture.

  • Easy Edible Cookie Dough

    Overhead view of edible cookie dough

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    All of the pleasure of eating raw cookie dough, with none of the food poisoning risk! This five-minute recipe makes enough for one or two people, depending on if you feel like sharing.

  • Banoffee Pie

    Banoffee pie on a plate.

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    This low-effort dessert with gooey dulce de leche, sliced bananas, and whipped cream is a British classic—and is one you can make without a single egg. Simmering canned condensed milk for an extended period of time is a hands-off way to create a thick, dark dulce de leche, and topping the banoffee pie with unsweetened whipped cream helps to offset the sweetness of the filling and bananas.

  • Knickerbocker Glory

    Side view of Knickerbocker glory

    Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle

    It may be cold outside, but that's not stopping us from digging into an ice cream sundae. Featuring vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and a fan wafer, the knickerbocker glory is a British classic—and is exactly what we need to brighten our day.

    Continue to 9 of 18 below

  • The Best Apple Crisp

    20140929-apple-crisp-vicky-wasik-24.jpg
    Vicky Wasik

    Apple crisp is easier than pie, and this one might taste even better. Here, a mixture of firm, tart apples and softer baking apples produces a filling that's balanced in both flavor and texture. Topped with a crumbly mixture of toasted pecans, sugar, lemon zest, and grated nutmeg, this apple crisp is what we turn to when we want a cozy dessert that tastes like pie but comes together in half the time.

  • Millionaire's Shortbread

    Side view of millionaires shortbread

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    With layers of tender shortbread, rich caramel, and dark chocolate, millionaire’s shortbread is a luxurious confection worth making at home. Cooking the butter, sugar, and heavy cream to 235ºF (113ºC) results in butterscotch that's satisfyingly chewy and not too firm or runny, and a topping of dark chocolate helps offset the sweetness of the filling.

  • Eggless Chocolate Mousse

    20171023-chocolate-mousse-vicky-wasik-20.jpg
    Vicky Wasik

    Repeat after me: five-ingredient chocolate mousse! No eggs or gelatin are required, just plenty of good-quality cocoa powder, sugar, milk, and cream.

  • Cornflake Marshmallow Treats

    Overhead view of cornflake crispies

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Rice Krispies treats get all the love, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret: cornflake crispies are better. Corn’s naturally sweet and earthy flavor profile lends itself well to desserts, making it a fun, versatile ingredient to use in puddings, ice cream, cookies, and more

    Continue to 13 of 18 below

  • Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies

    20180927-brown-butter-shortbread-cookies-vicky-wasik-6
    Vicky Wasik

    Brown butter, toasted sugar, and malted milk powder make a shortbread cookie that's as tender and meltingly rich as a French sablé, but extra toasty and caramelized.

  • Vegan Meringue Cookies

    aquafaba-cardamom meringue cookies on a blue plate on a pink background

    Nik Sharma

    Turn aquafaba—the cooking liquid of beans and legumes like chickpeas—into an eggless "meringue." Light, pillowy, and crisp, these cookies taste exactly like their non-vegan counterpart.

  • Banana Split

    Side view of banana split

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Three very large scoops of ice cream complete with fudge sauce, caramel sauce, and strawberry sauce—plus plenty of whipped cream, chopped walnuts, and a maraschino cherry. The banana split is a classic for a reason, and one that will make you feel like a kid again.

  • Easy No-Bake Cheesecake

    20170526-no-bake-cheesecake-vicky-wasik-18.jpg

    A no-cook, no-bake cheesecake is the perfect dessert if you don't feel like turning on the oven...and if you don't have any eggs.

    Continue to 17 of 18 below

  • Homemade Jell-O Style Chocolate Pudding

    20111231jellospoon610.jpg
    Sarah Jane Sanders

    Creamy, silky chocolate pudding that's even better than the store-bought stuff.

  • Khao Niao Mamuang (Thai Coconut Sticky Rice)

    20160323-mango-sticky-rice-vicky-wasik-5.jpg
    Vicky Wasik

    This Thai dessert of glutinous sticky rice, seasoned with salty-sweet coconut milk and served with tender, fragrant slices of mango is simple, delicious, and comforting.

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