The Easiest Whole Grain Waffles EVER (gluten-free & dairy-free!)

This healthy waffle recipe is gluten free and dairy free without using weird starches or flours. They taste amazing, come together quickly and make great leftovers!

I absolutely love waffles (waffles over pancakes, who’s with me?) and could eat them a.m or p.m., all day, every day. But many waffle recipes are loaded with processed white flour and sugar. Not to mention, sugar first thing in the morning isn’t the best idea.

While I don’t eat gluten-free anymore, this recipe is gluten-free friendly! In the past, I tried lots of gluten-free waffle recipes, and unfortunately, many of these use starches like arrowroot powder, potato starch, and tapioca starch. While these ingredients help make waffle recipes gluten-free, these starches can actually spike your blood sugar –which is something I definitely don’t want to happen (nor should you!).

Other healthy waffle recipes use nut-flour-based, which tastes fantastic, but often leave me with a stomach ache given the high-fat content. With all of these special requests, I just wasn’t finding what I was looking for online or in the cookbooks. So I decided to create my own homemade waffle recipe since I couldn’t find one out there that fits the bill for all dietary needs: gluten-free, dairy-free, AND sugar-free.

Luckily, I came up with a waffle recipe that doesn’t use weird starches or flours that cause blood sugar crashes OR feel heavy on the stomach.

The Best Healthy Waffle Recipe

What Makes Waffles Whole Grain? 

In order to tick all the boxes, I decided to use simple oats in this recipe, which give these waffles an amazing texture that’s as light and fluffy as a wheat waffle but without the gluten. Not to mention the fiber content is perfect for keeping you full for longer. Win all around.

These whole-grain waffles taste delicious (a mandatory!) and are super easy to make. I do have a gluten-free buckwheat waffle recipe that’s amazingly delicious but it’s a pretty bold flavor! Plus, I know buckwheat isn’t as accessible (or desirable) for everyone as oats are.

That’s why I want to share this healthy, whole-grain waffle recipe that tastes amazing, comes together quickly, is healthy, and makes excellent leftovers! What more could you want?

Can waffles be healthy?

Absolutely!!! Using whole-grain vs. processed white flours makes them a great breakfast option since you get a good dose of healthy carbs and fiber. Fiber not only helps keep your digestive system working properly, but it also helps with satiety. That means you feel full longer than with recipes using fiber-stripped flours (like all-purpose flour).

Since these don’t have sugar in them, they also lend themselves well to a savory combination. (Just be sure to leave out the cinnamon and vanilla!) One of my favorite combos is topping it with avocado, a fried egg, and hot sauce!

Also, experiment to find your preferred texture. You can make this recipe two ways: blend it up, or leave everything whole. I have a friend who prefers her waffles with a smoother texture (more like a traditional waffle), so she uses a blender to make these. However, I prefer to leave the oats whole because it gives it a hearty, chewy texture, so I just mix it up in a bowl. It’s really up to you and how you prefer the recipe!

Healthy Whole Grain Waffle Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Yield: 2 waffles

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats (be sure to buy certified gluten free if you have celiac)
1 Tbsp coconut flour (you can use any flour here but coconut flour works well if you need gluten-free)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt
1 egg, whisked
1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (so it doesn’t curdle your egg!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional: ¼ cup of crushed walnuts

Instructions

Step 1

Heat your waffle iron. I use the highest setting on mine but experiment with what works for yours.

Step 2

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (rolled oats, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt)

Step 3

Add in the wet ingredients (egg, almond milk, coconut oil, vanilla).

Step 4

Once all ingredients are in the large bowl, whisk until well mixed. The waffle batter should be quite thick.

Step 5

Spray your waffle iron with non-stick spray.

Step 6

Scoop half the waffle mixture into the iron and spread out with a spoon.

Step 7

Cook until they are browned and crispy – usually, it’s longer than the time allowed for your waffle iron’s default setting.

Step 8

Pop your waffle out of the iron and place it on a covered plate to keep the waffle warm (if you’re making your second waffle)

Variations

Add-Ins

If you want to make some fun and extra-tasty waffles, try adding some of these ingredients in your waffle batter: nuts (crushed walnuts are delicious), blueberries, hemp seeds, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, strawberries, and sliced banana.

Toppings

I love it with a little melted Earth Balance & pure maple syrup. Or just peanut butter and maple syrup drizzled on top make a wonderful combination, too. (The homemade coffee vanilla peanut butter from Run Fast Eat Slow is especially delicious on this!)

Dairy-free Milk

I use unsweetened original flavor almond milk since I don’t want the extra sugar or vanilla flavor found in so many almond milks! If you feel the same, be sure to check the ingredients list on your dairy-free milk, as a lot of brands add sugars or flavorings that can impact the taste of your waffles (and make them more sugary than you intended).

Flours

I used a little coconut flour in this waffle recipe to help bind it, but you could easily sub protein powder or wheat flour (note: this will classify your recipe as a wheat waffle rather than a gluten-free waffle). But overall, a tablespoon of this extra flour is such a small amount that it’s pretty forgiving no matter what you substitute it with.

You could also sub the coconut flour with cacao powder if you wanted to make chocolatey waffles for the kiddos –or yourself.

Savory Waffles

Like I mentioned previously, if you leave out the vanilla extract and cinnamon, these waffles can turn into a delicious, savory meal in no time. Just add toppings like avocado, leafy greens like spinach or arugula, olive oil, fried eggs (or sunny side up), and roasted butternut squash. The sky’s the limit on how to eat a savory waffle.

If you try this savory variation out, let me know what toppings you used in the comments! I am always looking for new meal inspiration.

Waffle Iron

There is a huge variety of waffle irons you can use that all have different heat settings, which might make your waffle come out slightly different than mine. Here’s the waffle iron I used – I love the deeper pockets you get with a Belgian waffle maker!

Leftovers

This recipe makes two waffles, so if you only eat one and save half of the batter, you can quickly make another the next morning. Or, you can cook all the batter and just pop one in the fridge for the next day. They reheat beautifully in the toaster and even the toaster oven if you have one.

A trick I learned is to reheat it in the microwave before popping it in the toaster, so you get it warm inside and crispy on the outside.

Crispy Waffles

If you LOVE crispy waffles (but your waffle iron isn’t getting you those crispy results), try popping your waffle straight into the toaster right after cooking it! Just don’t burn it.

Did you love this recipe? Let me know in the comments below!

The Easiest Whole Grain Waffles EVER (gluten-free, dairy-free!)

• Author: Teri from A Foodie Stays Fit
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 2 waffles 1x
• Category: Food
• Cuisine: Waffles

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Description

Easy Whole Grain Waffles (gluten free AND dairy free!)

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup rolled oats (be sure to buy certified gluten free if you have celiac)
• 1 Tbsp coconut flour (you can use any flour here but coconut flour works well if you need gluten-free)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (so it doesn’t curdle your egg!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

   

• Optional: ¼ cup of crushed walnuts

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Instructions

1) Heat your waffle iron. I use the highest setting on mine, but experiment with what works for yours.

2) Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (rolled oats, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt)

3) Add in the wet ingredients (egg, almond milk, coconut oil, vanilla).

4) Once all ingredients are in the large bowl, whisk until well mixed. The waffle batter should be quite thick.

5) Spray your waffle iron with non-stick spray.

6) Scoop half the waffle mixture into the iron and spread out with a spoon.

7) Cook until they are browned and crispy – usually, it’s longer than the time allowed for your waffle iron’s default setting.

8) Pop your waffle out of the iron and place it on a covered plate to keep the waffle warm (if you’re making your second waffle)

Enjoy!

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Notes

I love it with a little melted earth balance & pure maple syrup, or with peanut butter and maple syrup. (The homemade coffee vanilla peanut butter from Run Fast Eat Slow is especially delicious on this!)

I use unsweetened original flavor almond milk since I don’t want the extra sugar or vanilla flavor in many almond milks!

Keywords: Breakfast, waffles, snack

Here’s the waffle iron I used – I love the deeper pockets you get with a Belgian waffle maker!

Let me know if you try this healthy waffle recipe! And If you try any variations or toppings that you love, be sure to share! I’d love to hear and try it myself!

Get Cookin’

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• Buckwheat Waffle Recipe
• Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bake