Simple and delicious vegan gluten-free waffles that are crispy on the outside and soft & fluffy on the inside. Our family's favorite waffle recipe! (Oil-free with a nut-free option as well.)
These vegan and gluten-free waffles are egg-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and have no cholesterol. Plus each one has about 9 grams protein.
They are fluffy, so satisfying, and delicious!
It is a great way to start the morning (or treat yourself to breakfast for dinner).
They are lightly accented with cinnamon and vanilla and perfect topped with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or whatever toppings you love.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Waffles
For the wet ingredients you will need:
- Plant milk: Use your favorite dairy-free milk. We like homemade cashew milk, but oat milk, unsweetened almond milk, or soy milk will all work great.
- Ground flaxseed: You will use 2 tablespoons which helps bind the ingredients together.
- Pure maple syrup: Optional, but we enjoy the added sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Or also a touch of almond extract if desired.
For the dry ingredients you will need:
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: Bob's Red Mill makes a great gluten-free flour blend.
- Almond flour: I use Bob's Red Mill super-fine almond flour. See notes below for nut-free options with oat flour.
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon: I use 1/4 teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon, but add more as desired.
- Salt: I use fine-grain salt for this recipe.
Want a cozy, autumn twist? Check out these delicious Vegan Pumpkin Waffles as well!
Customizing
We have tried many different variations and combinations over the past few months, and this is simply our personal favorite texture. However here are some options for customizing:
- Gluten-free flour options: I use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour. You can use 1 cup oat flour + 1 cup almond flour, but we found them to be slightly crumbly this way.
- Nut-free version: Omit both the almond flour and all-purpose flour, and use 2 cups oat flour for your base. We find this results in denser (but still very tasty!) waffles.
The batter also works very well as a pancake mix.
Preparing
You will simply whisk together the batter in a large bowl, then pour each serving on your pre-warmed waffle maker.
We use a large 7-inch round Belgian waffle maker (non-stick), so you may find the recipe yields more waffles if using a smaller waffle iron.
Feel free to use cooking spray, vegetable oil, or vegan melted butter if needed to prevent sticking on your own waffle maker.
Serving
Serve with maple syrup, fresh berries, or fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, sliced banana, etc.
Freezing: I have not tested these as a freezer meal, but I suspect they would do well. I'd suggest allowing them to cool completely, then place in a freezer-friendly airtight bag or container with lid. Then toast from frozen in a toaster or toaster oven when ready to enjoy.
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan breakfast recipes or gluten-free recipes.
Vegan Gluten-Free Waffles
Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups plant milk
- 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
- 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (optional)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Dry ingredients:
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour*
- 1 cup almond flour** (super-fine)
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Turn on and preheat your waffle iron to desired setting. (We set ours medium to medium-high.)
- In a small bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Whisk and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Stir well.
- Add wet ingredients to dry, and whisk until just combined.
- Using a 1/2-cup measuring cup, scoop out batter and place in the middle of waffle iron. (No need to overfill it - we find it cooks better when we don't push the batter all the way to the edge.)
- Close and let cook 5-7 minutes or until steam has completely stopped. Be sure not to open during cooking!
- When fully cooked, carefully remove waffle and continue process with the remaining batter.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
If you are enjoying this vegan gluten free waffles recipe, also check out:
- Strawberry Waffles
- Tofu Scramble with Spinach & Tomato
- Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
- Creamy Banana Matcha Smoothie
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Kim
I tried this recipe without the ground flax seed because I didn’t have it on hand. Tried making Belgian waffles and after cooking 12 minutes the center was not cooked and the exterior was very brown. Can I leave out the almond flour or what is your thought on the uncooked center? I used my husband's full fat milk thinking it would make them fluffy. I am not dairy free but usually drink almond milk. Thanks.
Kaitlin
Hi Kim! If you left out the flax seed, that would definitely alter the mixture & consistency. I use flax for a binding agent (it's a great egg substitute in baking). The full fat milk could have affected it as well, as I've only used dairy-free milk to test these.
Also to consider is your waffle maker. Someone mentioned these didn't work well but then realized it was because their waffle maker wasn't very good quality. Then the recipe worked great with a better one.
But I'd start with including the flax seed, sticking to dairy-free milk, and trying the recipe as written first! Please let me know how it turns out if you do! 🙂
Rob
I made these waffles today; I followed the recipe exactly and they were so delicious. I've tried so many recipes in the past two years that didn't work and did not taste good. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Kaitlin
Hello Rob! Absolutely thrilled to hear you found a waffle recipe you enjoy! Thanks a lot for taking the time to leave such a kind review - it's very appreciated. Have a great weekend! -Kaitlin
Jan
Do you know if I could make the batter the day before and leave in the fridge overnight to make waffles the next day? Btw, I love these!! I used gluten free flour and mixed oat and brown rice flour instead of almond flour.
Kaitlin
Hi Jan! I haven't tried preparing the batter in advance, but I'm guessing it'd work great. Just be sure to store it in the fridge as you mentioned, and give it a stir before using the next day. So glad to hear substituting oat + brown rice flour for almond flour works well. Thanks very much for sharing your kind and helpful feedback!
Tammy and Lonny Kainz
Ok. Definitely the waffle maker. I had to leave waffles on for 2 minutes longer even after the waffle maker alarm went off stating it was done.
Kaitlin
Glad you figured it out! Thanks for sharing your feedback, Tammy.
Amélie
Just made these waffles and I like them, first gluten-free treat success in a while, so thank you!
Kaitlin
Hi Amélie! That's wonderful to hear. Thanks so much for giving them a try and sharing your kind feedback!
Tammy
Followed directions. Mine were doughy in middle, as if not cooked all the way through. Could be the $10 waffle maker I purchased from Walmart.
Katie
We made these waffles last weekend and absolutely loved them! Do you know if these would be freezer friendly?
Kaitlin McGinn
So great to hear, Katie! I haven't personally tried freezing these, but waffles generally freeze quite well! I'd suggest letting them cool completely on a wire rack first. Then stack them in a freezer-safe bag or container with parchment paper in between so they don't stick together. (When reheating, maybe try putting them in a toaster on a low setting a couple times so they don't burn.) Would love to hear if you give it a go!
Andrea
I made these waffles for my family! Everyone loved them. 🙂
Kaitlin
That's awesome, Andrea! So glad you all enjoyed. Thanks for the kind feedback!