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Waffles feel like the ultimate breakfast treat, don’t they? My vegan waffles recipe brings you the comfort you crave with dairy and egg-free swaps that make this a plant-based alternative. This has been tested until I could confidently dub it the best vegan waffles around!
My favorite part about making waffles is freezing them to have throughout the week. Since waffles require a special appliance, I often double the recipe and then toss the finished extras in a freezer-safe bag to grab throughout the week.
Just toss in the toaster to reheat when you’re ready!
Table of Contents
How to Make the Best Vegan Waffles
Traditional waffles are light and fluffy due to the gluten, eggs and dairy milk. While my recipe makes a denser waffle, It doesn’t lose the fluff due to the vegan buttermilk I add. To keep the batter moist without eggs, I add unsweetened applesauce.
Using a mixture of flour gives the best flavor and texture. I use part whole wheat flour and part oat flour to ensure I end up with the right texture.
Finally, I use coconut sugar instead of refined sugar to give it a richer flavor and cut down on the sugar content.
Waffle Toppings
Let’s be honest. Who here makes waffles just to bury them in toppings? I do! Here are my go-to toppings:
- Almond butter with healthy granola
- Coconut whipped cream and fresh berries
- Nut butter and strawberry chia jam
- Maple cashew cream
- Slow cooker applesauce
How do you like to top your waffles? I choose the toppings based on how hungry I am and if I need to take my breakfast to go or am able to enjoy it sitting down.
How to Make Vegan Buttermilk
Learning how to make dairy-free buttermilk changed the way I bake. It turned my flattened pancakes into fluffy clouds. It turns this recipe into the best vegan waffles I’ve ever had!
To make ‘buttermilk’ take your favorite plant-based milk (can be store-bought or homemade) and add in 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar. Stir it in lightly then let it sit for five minutes. You know it’s ready when you get a curdled effect. So easy!
Vegan Waffles FAQs
Traditional waffles are NOT vegan. In my recipe, I swap in oat milk and unsweetened applesauce to replace the animal products. The result is a super fluffy, tasty waffle where you don’t miss the dairy or the eggs!
You can in a pinch, yet you’ll lose a lot of fluff. Instead, use plant-based milk (whatever you have on hand works!) and add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Let this sit for five minutes and you’ve got yourself vegan buttermilk!
Replace the dairy milk with plant-based milk of your choice (I use oat milk) and replace the eggs with unsweetened applesauce to turn your waffles vegan. Top with cashew cream or coconut whipped cream for a vegan-friendly breakfast.
Plant-Based Breakfast Options
While I love starting my day with a green smoothie, I know not everyone does… and I like having other options for brunches, special breakfasts or holidays. Here’s my list of loved recipes:
- Savory Breakfast Bowl
- Breakfast Smoothies
- Cereal Bars
- Steel-Cut Oats
- Baked Oatmeal
- Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Muffins
- Homemade Protein Bars
- Gluten-Free Crepes
- Vegan ‘Yogurt’ Parfaits
- Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
I can’t wait for you to try this vegan waffles recipe. Will you leave a rating and review to let me know how you enjoyed them? And don’t forget to tag @SimpleGreenSmoothies on social media to share the waffle love!
Vegan Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups oat milk
- 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
Instructions
- Mix oat milk and vinegar then allow to sit for five minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients to milk and ACV mixture and mix well.
- Use waffle iron according to appliance settings and measurements.
- Top with your fresh berries, cashew cream, banana and almond butter, etc.
Equipment
- waffle maker
Notes
- If you don’t have oat flour on hand, you can easily make it with your blender. Just add one cup of old-fashioned oats to your blender and blend on high until fine powder forms.
- Each waffle maker is different so make sure to read instructions before pouring the batter in to ensure you don’t overfill yours.
- Swap oat milk with the plant milk of your choice.
- Swap coconut sugar with the natural sweetener of your choice.
I made these this morning. I made my own oat flour. I used “Not Milk” for the plant based milk. I had frozen some apples off my tree last fall & I blended those for the applesauce. They were too thick for my upright waffle iron so I added more plant milk. They tasted very good although they weren’t as crispy as I would normally like my waffles. Maybe they would have been more crispy if I had baked them more.
Could I use almond flour instead of whole wheat to make them gluten free?
Absolutely, that’s a perfect idea.