Bread/baking recipes that require egg, but not yeast?

April 6, 2020 2:20 PM

Are there any good bread (or baking) recipes that don't require yeast, but do require eggs, either for chemical or flavoring purposes?

Like most of us are experiencing, it's impossible to find yeast in supermarkets anymore, due to Coronavirus hoarders. We are quickly running out of our fresh bread reserves, and want to start making it from home.

The rub is that my daughter (2.5 years old) has an egg allergy, and part of the regimen for helping her break her allergy is feeding her baked goods containing eggs in them every day. We usually give her Brioche for these purposes, but I can't make homemade Brioche, since we don't have yeast.

Are there any good alternative breads (or anything requiring baking) that don't need yeast to make, but also require eggs as one of the ingredients?

posted by melorama to Food & Drink (26 answers total)

Best answer: Irish soda bread is delicious and doesn't use yeast.
posted by nantucket at 2:24 PM on April 6, 2020

Response by poster: I should also add that the egg needs to actually be baked with the rest of the recipe for the duration of the baking, and not simply added at the end as an egg wash for coloring, for example.
posted by melorama at 2:25 PM on April 6, 2020

Best answer: Muffins and loaves like banana bread, pumpkin bread, and corn bread. Or if it doesn't specifically have to be *baked* - waffles or pancakes.
posted by needs more cowbell at 2:29 PM on April 6, 2020 [12 favorites]

Dutch babies/puff pancakes.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 2:30 PM on April 6, 2020 [2 favorites]

Best answer: If you have tapioca flour on hand, you can make pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread).
posted by needled at 2:32 PM on April 6, 2020

First, you can have your own yeast in just a few weeks if you want!

For now, though, you'll want to look into any number of quick breads, most of which have at least one egg. They use chemical leaveners (baking powder/soda) to provide lift instead of yeast. I haven't tried this one, but it looks to be relatively neutral and not ridiculously sweet (and you can notch down the sugar).
posted by General Malaise at 2:32 PM on April 6, 2020 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Unfortunately pancakes and waffles are a no-go, according to our allergist.
posted by melorama at 2:33 PM on April 6, 2020

Best answer: Popovers!

But yes any rich-ish quick bread will work.
posted by mskyle at 2:34 PM on April 6, 2020 [4 favorites]

How are biscuits? I had a similar problem—plenty of eggs around, no yeast, and made these. I’ve made three batches in the past 9 days. They’re delicious, quick, and easy, and I haven’t gotten tired of eating them every day. They warm up nicely in a toaster oven!
posted by brook horse at 2:41 PM on April 6, 2020

I know here in Ask you're supposed to just answer the question being posed, but can you make your own yeast? A friend tried this out over the weekend and it totally worked.
posted by queensissy at 2:42 PM on April 6, 2020 [3 favorites]

Irish Brown Bread. I've not tried this one, but any quick bread will be made with baking powder (not yeast) and most will have eggs. There are savory ones as well as sweet.

If you have beer, you can make Beer Bread. I'm sure you can add an egg to this - it would just be a bit richer. Maybe reduce the beer/butter slightly.

You can also make corn bread.
posted by hydra77 at 2:51 PM on April 6, 2020

Best answer: How about cookies? Baked goods that don't require yeast but do use eggs. If you want slightly healthier cookies maybe make oatmeal ones. Yeah they're probably not healthier but you can tell yourself they are.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 3:04 PM on April 6, 2020 [2 favorites]

There is flaxseed focaccia but I am not sure if this would be palatable to a little one.

I have personally found the eggs a bit overwhelming in this particular recipe and would reduce by a third if not more. It’s also ok toasted.

There are also the muffin family, which generally requires eggs and baking powder but no yeast and can be made sweet or savoury, options are endless.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:07 PM on April 6, 2020

Best answer: Scones
Non-bread breads like banana bread and pumpkin bread

The recipes I've linked to are ones I've tried and liked.
posted by wryly at 3:19 PM on April 6, 2020

Cream puffs! Lots of eggs, no yeast, delicious, allows for small servings.
posted by shadygrove at 3:51 PM on April 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

To go a little more off-road, maybe cheesecake (or my slightly more difficult but infinitely more delicious preference: Japanese cheesecake, which is essentially a cheesy soufflé).
posted by past unusual at 4:07 PM on April 6, 2020

Best answer: Mail takes *forever* from Maine to Hawaii, but I have yeast. Not a lot, but I started a batch with 1/2 a packet and am keeping it going, so I can spare one of my precious packets. It is not hard to keep it going, and not hard to make flatbreads on the stovetop. Or contact tavella.
posted by theora55 at 4:32 PM on April 6, 2020

Best answer: I love Bon Appetit's Best banana bread - generally use yogurt or a combination of yogurt and sour cream, but really I love any banana bread so be sure to look for quick bread recips that take advantage your available ingredients. I have also have made quick breads with jarred mango (I also did a mango version with coconut oil and coconut yogurt). The only yeast I have is in a jar, which seems not as a good as mailing an envelope. I would be happy to see If I can get a yeast packet(s) and mail to you if you're still hoping to make brioche, mmmm, brioche.
posted by dawg-proud at 5:13 PM on April 6, 2020

Basically, any kind of quickbread (muffins, biscuits, pancakes, soda bread) and most kinds of cakes are often made with self-rising flour instead of using yeast. You can add baking powder (and salt, if it’s an American recipe) to regular flour to make it self-rising.

(Don’t over-mix the batter!)
posted by Huffy Puffy at 7:18 PM on April 6, 2020 [1 favorite]

I've made a habit of checking internet sources for flour and yeast, and yeast has been showing up on Amazon for the last week. This is not to say that it's actually available, but it does look like it.

I made cornbread using a simple Betty Crocker recipe off the web. Not as butter intense as some southern recipies. I'm also wondering if pasta, homemade or not, would serve your need.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:09 AM on April 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I made these British-style scones recently and they were great - not too sweet and easy to make (I normally don't bake at all).
posted by randomnity at 7:45 AM on April 7, 2020

Best answer: Seconding Popovers. Also the related Oven Pancake (which seems to be better known as: Dutch Baby. Martha Stewart's recipe is a little more elaborate than mine, which is limited to flour, milk, eggs, sugar and salt.) This is known as Yorkshire Pudding in the UK.
posted by Rash at 8:22 AM on April 7, 2020

What about sourdough brioche? You can make a sourdough starter really easily with just flour and water pretty much -- takes a week or two, but I imagine you'll still need it then!
posted by caoimhe at 8:46 AM on April 7, 2020

This walnut quick bread is excellent!
posted by quatsch at 3:31 PM on April 7, 2020

On the yeast shortage, two thoughts: There's a recent post on the blue about making your own yeast. I recently made a starter from beer, which took off right away, and a starter from a potato, which was much slower to start but is chugging along nicely now. Keep starters fed, find uses for the discards, and you'll have a practically limitless source of yeast. Second, if you have a local restaurant supply shop, they may still have flour and yeast. It may be a 1lb or 2lb vacuum sealed bag, but it's far more economical than the little 1/4-oz packets, and you can surely find a neighbor or friend to split it with. I also wouldn't worry too much about yeast expiration dates, especially if the package is sealed. While rummaging in the pantry, I found a stash of Red Star packets with a "Best By" date of 2016, and they all proofed just fine. Yeast also freezes well; as long as it's kept in an airtight container in the freezer, the shelf life is basically limitless.
posted by xedrik at 4:48 PM on April 7, 2020

If you want yeast, search for "SAF" or "Instaferm" dry instant yeast. Comes in one pound packages and keeps more or less indefinitely in a jar in the freezer. Bonus is that you don't need to hydrate or "prove" instant yeast. Just chuck it in. People don't seem to be buying these and I see them for sale online for circa fifteen dollars.
posted by slkinsey at 5:30 AM on April 8, 2020 [1 favorite]