Say good-bye to tasteless frozen waffles from a box and helllllooooo to the crispy grain-free waffles of your breakfast dreams.
Leggo that Eggo and get yourself some of these Crispy Grain-free Waffles instead.
Seriously, you just have to make these waffles. And once you do, I guarantee you’ll never buy another waffled cardboard disk in a cardboard box again. This. This are what waffles are supposed to taste like.
Light, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. The smell of vanilla and coconut milk while they’re baking is utterly intoxicating. A smell that’s un-mistakenly waffle. These are the grain-free waffles you’ve been looking for. No more soggy almond and coconut flour concoctions trying to pass as a real waffle. This here is the real crispy grain-free waffle deal.
First things first. Get a waffle iron.
If you don’t already have a waffle iron and having been ‘making do’ with pancakes, now is the time to treat yo’ self to one. I use (and swear by) the All-Clad Stainless Steel waffle iron. It’s an investment at $129.95 but I’ve had mine for over 8 years now and it’s still going strong despite weekly use. I love it’s easy to clean non-stick surface (the new version is teflon, in case you’re wondering) and the dial that lets you select your desired degree of doneness. When I’m making these, I set my iron to about ‘4’ for the waffles we’re going to eat right away, then turn the temp down to ‘2-3’ for those we’re going to freeze and then reheat. We reheat ours in the waffle iron set to ‘1’ so they’re perfect. No more dry waffles with burned edges from the toaster.
When it comes to waffles, people are generally of two camps: the big, fat Belgian waffle folks and those who like their waffles thinner and crispier with more surface area for spreading on the toppings. This thinner style is often referred to as a ‘French’ waffle. You can probably guess which camp I’m in.
That said, if you’re a Belgian waffle devotee or if that’s the waffle iron you have, then by all means – fire it up and make some crispy grain-free waffles. They’re delicious no matter what shape you make them.
Egg-free and Dairy-free
This little egg allergy of mine is such a downer. It means that things like pancakes, waffles and French toast are pretty much off the menu for me since eggs are in most recipes (at least most grain-free and gluten-free recipes). Until now. Hello waffles, I’ve missed you.
To replace the eggs you’d normally find in a waffle, this recipe uses ground flax seed mixed with water to create a viscous gel that acts as a binder.
1 flax egg = 1 Tbsp. ground flax meal* + 3 Tbsp. warm water.
Mix well to combine and allow mixture to stand until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
* May substitute ground chia seeds for flax meal, if desired.
Removing the egg and the dairy also makes them vegan-friendly. But you can use whatever ‘milk’ you have on hand – they work equally well with dairy and non-dairy milks. The important thing is that you add the apple cider vinegar to the milk to make a ‘faux buttermilk’ whose acidity will react with the baking powder to create a lot of rise when these waffles are baked. This is what gives them that soft interior while maintaining a crispy exterior.
Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter (or whatever the manufacturer’s directions recommend for your iron) onto the preheated waffle iron, being careful not to overfill. You don’t have to spread the batter to the edges, that will magically happen for you once you close the lid. The All-Clad Classic iron that I use has a light that turns green when it’s ready to make a waffle, red while it’s cooking then green again when it’s done. It also has an audible so you don’t have to watch for the light to turn green.
And now, for the toppings.
At our house we like these crispy grain-free waffles served up with pure grade B maple syrup and fresh fruit when it’s in season. So in the summer that might be fresh berries or melon and in the winter it’s either home-canned apple or pear sauce or this low-sugar, 3-ingredient Cherry Chia Jam that requires no cooking or canning. Of course, you can eat them with whatever your heart desires.
And don’t forget about waffle sammies.
One of the best things about these waffles (besides their vanilla-scented, slightly sweet, crispy-yet-tender character) is that they’re also delicious when they’re not hot off the iron. That makes them the perfect vehicle for your favorite nut butter and jam. If you want a more savory option, leave the maple syrup out of the recipe (and toss in a pinch of garlic powder or some chives) and they’ll make the perfect ‘bun’ for your next burger or turkey sandwich.
Make your own toaster waffles.
Place extra waffles (if you’re lucky to have leftovers) on a wire rack to cool completely then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, separating layers with a sheet of parchment paper, if needed. Place in freezer until completely frozen then transfer to a zip-top bag for storage.
To reheat waffles, either place them back into the preheated waffle iron until hot or arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet then cover with foil. Place pan in the oven set to 350ºF for 12-15 minutes or until heated through. Or, if you can’t wait that long you can take your chances with the toaster, just be sure to keep an eye on them. A wasted waffle is a terrible thing.
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Crispy Grain-free Waffles
These are the grain-free waffles you’ve been waiting for. Light, crispy and perfectly golden brown. Top with pure maple syrup and fresh fruit for the most heavenly breakfast you can imagine.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Paleo, Vegan, Grain-Free
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely ground almond flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill or Honeyville)
- 1 cup tapioca starch/flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2 Tbsp. flax meal + 6 Tbsp. warm water (may substitute 2 large eggs)
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla (such as Simply Organic)
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
Instructions
- Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions.
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, tapioca starch and baking powder. Whisk or stir to combine well.
- In a small bowl or coffee cup, whisk together flax meal and warm water. Set aside until thick and egg-like.
- In a small bowl or large measuring cup, almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Allow to sit while you melt the coconut oil on the stove or in the microwave.
- To the almond milk and ACV mixture, add flax meal, maple syrup, vanilla and finally, the melted coconut oil. Whisk well to combine and quickly add to dry ingredients (because coconut oil will start to harden and clump if you don’t)
- Stir batter just until combined. Using a ¼ cup scoop (or size recommended by manufacturer), pour batter onto preheated waffle iron and cook until golden brown.
- Serve with pure maple syrup or a generous schmear of Cherry Chia Jam.
Notes
Stored cooled waffles in a covered container or in a sealed zip-top bag on the counter for up to 2 days. May also be frozen for longer storage. Reheat frozen waffles in a waffle iron set to low heat.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large waffle
- Calories: 269
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 404mg
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
What’s you favorite waffle toppings? Let it all hang out and share your most loved toppings in the comments below.
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Ann says
We are trying to make these and while they taste delicious, they are sticking to the waffle maker and we have only crumbles. The waffle maker is well oiled and has worked fine with other recipes. We even tried adding extra oil to the batter but it didn’t change the result. Any ideas on what went wrong?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Ann- I’m sorry to hear about your waffles sticking. I’ve not had that problem to that degree though when I use the flax gel (vs. 1 egg) they do stick more because they are less pliable using the flax. If you can eat eggs, try making them again using 1 large egg in place of the flax gel. They should release much easier.
Carmel says
Hi Jessica, I want to try these and have everything on hand except the tapioca starch/flour. Can I sub regular AP flour, semolina flour or another type of flour? Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Carmel,
According to this article, http://www.livestrong.com/article/522938-how-to-replace-tapioca/ – you can replace the 1 cup of tapioca with ½ cup rice or potato starch (to keep them gluten-free) or 1 cup all-purpose wheat flour (contains gluten), though I’ve not tried either.
I’d love to hear how they turn out for you!
Jim says
Hi Jessica,
We made these waffles this morning and they were delicious! We couldn’t find tapioca starch so we substituted Arrowroot starch and they came out perfect with no sticking issues. We have the same All-clad waffle maker that you used for the recipe. Perhaps the sticking issue with previous comments is simply the type of waffle maker.
These waffles were tasty with almond butter, maple syrup, egg, turkey…many choices. Yummy!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Jim! I’m so glad you enjoyed them. I think there’s something to your observation about the type of waffle iron – temperature, type of coating, etc. as they seem to work great for some and not so great for others and I’ve tested them, literally, about 100 times.
Jen says
Oh a whim I used Arrowroot starch. It worked great!
Shannon Mosier says
My husband helped me make these for breakfast this morning, I made a couple adaptions as to the ingredients I had on hand and what I can have. I used unsweetened hemp milk instead if almond, I also added natural almond flour so their was the pretty brown specs of skin throughout them. I cannot have vanilla extract, so I left that out, to give it more flavor I used buttery flavored coconut oil. I didnt have any problems with them sticking. They are very good, very hearty, next id like to try them with quinoa or hazelnut flour. I would definitely recommend these! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Great use of substitutions, Shannon! I’m so glad you enjoyed them. I’ve made them with hazelnut flour before and they were fantastic. I’d love to hear how they work with quinoa flour if you make them again.
Angela says
I as well had a horrible time with these sticking. I can’t use egg instead of flax seed because of allergies. My non-stick waffle maker was well oiled. So I tried to salvage the recipe using a ceramic non-stick skillet, diluted the mix a little, and tried to make pancakes. Stuck so bad I had to soak them off, as with the waffle maker. I followed the recipe exactly so I’m wondering what I am doing differently to have such different results. Maybe my waffle maker gets too hot? Looks like it would have been a delicious recipe though if I could get it to work. If anyone has some suggestions about the sticking, I would try again.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Angela,
I’m sorry to hear that your waffles stuck so badly! Mine are a little hard to remove (both when I make them with and without eggs) but they never get really stuck and mangled like yours did. It could be that the temp of your iron is too hot – mine has a temp control knob so I keep it on the lower end. You could also try spraying the pan with spray oil before adding the batter – I’ve been using the Chosen Foods spray oils and love them (either the avocado oil or oil blend are great). Other than that, I don’t have any other thoughts – perhaps someone else has a hack that’s worked for them?
Mandy says
I just made these & the first time they completely stuck and fell apart too. However the next ones worked! my waffle iron was set on 400. The first time I oiled the iron with avocado oil since I ran out of spray oil. I spread them like you would a normal waffle across the iron. I also only let them cook 4 minutes- it was a disaster.
The second time I didn’t oil the iron. I didn’t spread it across the full iron (square one) and put it in very thick over just one area. I also cooked them much longer. When I opened to check it actually formed the waffle shape and was good- my gluten / dairy allergic toddler loved them.
Substitutions – I didn’t have tapioca flour so I subbed in half the amount of coconut flour. It was super thick so I ended up adding around 1/4 cup more milk.
Thanks for the recipe!
Mandy says
Forgot to add that I subbed unsweetened applesauce for the maple syrup. I’m not sure if that’s also why they ended up so thick!
★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
I do believe that, combined with coconut flour in place of the tapioca flour, is what made your batter so thick.
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Mandy,
Glad to hear you found a way to make them work despite the substitutions and that your toddler gobbled them up. We do test our recipes numerous times (I’ve made this one weekly for about 3 years now) so when the recipe is followed as written you should have a good result.
Jamie says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am on an extremely restricted diet due to breastfeeding an allergic baby, so I often miss out on old favorites. These have been SUCH a lifesaver! I definitely don’t feel like I’m missing out when I get to make these. They are so perfectly crisp and lightly sweet. Well done!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
You are sooooooo welcome! As a fellow mama who’s been through the nursing-the-highly-allergic baby I can totally relate!
I’m so glad you found a recipe that you love and can feel good about eating (and have baby feel good too) – I remember how frustrating it was when everything seemed to be off limits and I was always so hungry.
Thanks for taking the time to share this – all the best!
Victoria says
How many waffles does this recipe make?
Stacie Hassing says
Hey Victoria! Great question. This is really going to depend on the size of your waffle iron. This recipe makes 8 waffles for the waffles used in the photos. If you make too many you can throw the in the freezer to enjoy later.
Dana P. says
Made these this morning! Since hubby is grain free for health reasons, we were able to use eggs and buttermilk and butter. I also added a bit of cinnamon and tsp of cane sugar. These came out amazing!! Texture and all were just like the flour counterpart I’d made earlier! Taste, of course, was a bit different but still very good!! Saving this! grain free recipes can end up a disaster with sticking to pans, etc, or falling apart. I was holding my breath when I opened the waffle iron, and was very happy when they were fluffy and came off easily! We will make again for sure!! Thank you!!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Dana,
So glad these were such a big hit at your house. They’re a regular on our meal plan – often for dinner on busy nights. I always double the batch then freeze the leftovers so my kids can pop them back into the waffle iron for a minute to rewarm them on busy mornings.
Christina says
I don’t eat grain free exclusively, but I have started to cut out most wheat. I was looking for something I could use to make avocado toast and came across this recipe. I wanted a savory waffle, so I omitted the maple and vanilla. I also added some hemp hearts for extra protein and texture. The waffle is perfect to make ahead and toast throughout the week to add avocado, tomatoes or even tuna salad. I do recommend using a different oil if making a savory one, as the coconut can be a little overpowering for a savory meal.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Whoa! That sounds amazing! We’ll have to try 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Melissa says
I made these this morning! I mixed wet, minus coconut oil, then dumped in dry. Whisked all well then slowly tempered in the coconut oil at the last. Whisked well again and cooked in my ceramic belgian wafflemaker. They turned out SUPER CRISPY and very airy. Almost like they had a million bubbles inside that crisped and crunch when you bite down.
Overall, a good go to when you run out of eggs, which is why I found this recipe in the 1st place!
★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Melissa,
I love your description “…a million bubbles inside that crisped and crunched when you bite down.” And now I want waffles 😉 Thanks for sharing your experience!
Whitney says
I just made these and they are delicious!!!!!!! I have been craving a traditional waffle, but needed it to be paleo-friendly. These were perfect! Thank you for this amazing recipe.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hooray!
Thanks for sharing this – so happy to hear you were able to get your waffle fix!
Laura says
Hey there.
Thank u so much for that recipe. I was full after like 1 1/2 waffles but ended up eating almost 4 of them cause they are crazy delicious. I spread sum cashew butter and blueberry Jam on it….hmmmmmm
Instead of the flaxseeds I used an egg and I used homemade cashewmilk. I had no problem with sticking waffles.
I used one of the heart shaped irons.
I think net time I’ll try substituting part of the coconut oil with sum cashew butter (also homemade).
Thank u heaps. I think that have been the best paleo waffles I had so far.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Laura,
Everything about this makes me soooooo happy – especially the part about homemade cashew butter. Mmmmmm…. I’m so happy to hear that you loved these waffles – that’s a huge compliment as there are so many Paleo waffle recipes out there.
Cheers to more waffles in your future!
Kathryn says
Hi, I’m excited to try this but have a question on the coconut oil. In the ingredients list, you say it’s a half cup of melted coconut oil. You then say to melt the coconut oil later on in the instructions. Did you measure it in liquid form then reheat it when it came time to use it when you stirred it into the other wet ingredients? I think coconut oil measurements can vary depending on whether you measure it in its solid or liquid form. Also, how many eggs would you say I could sub in for the flax? Based on the amount of flax in the ingredients list, it looks like it would be two eggs but it looks like some of the reviewers have only used one egg and it’s turned out fine. Just want to make sure I get this right. I’ve messed up many Paleo waffles in my day!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Kathryn,
You’re right about the amount of coconut differing in the solid and liquid states, however, I’ve found that the difference is usually too little to have any real impact on the final product.
I measure the coconut oil in the solid form then melt it and it’s works like a charm every time.
You’re right about the eggs – it would be 2 eggs to replace the 2 Tbsp. of flax meal. One would probably work fine but 2 would give you a fluffier (and softer) waffle.
Hope that helps!
Olivia says
These are AMAZING! Most paleo waffles I’ve tried have been pretty gross but these were stellar. And my husband approved them too! Thank you! I’ve made them twice already 🙂
I did use eggs because I didn’t have flax and I used palm shortening (from a sustainable source) instead of coconut oil.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Olivia,
Thanks for your kind words! I’m pretty partial to these too and often double the recipe to have a stash in the freezer (which I then reheat in the waffle iron because it brings back all the crispy goodness)
So glad you both loved them and thanks for sharing your substitutions – it’s super helpful for other readers.
Ella says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have a little more with multiple severe allergies and this recipe is perfect for her. Everyone enjoys these in family! Thank you!!!
Jessica Beacom says
YAY, YAY, YAY!!
Hearing this makes me so happy!
Becky says
If using eggs, would I need to decrease the amount of baking powder? Thanks and I cannot wait to try these!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Becky,
If I use eggs (which I do for my kids to give them a little extra protein) I don’t change the baking powder and they turn out great.
Hope that helps!
Cayla says
These are great! They turn out super crispy and very waffle-like. I really enjoyed them! I used real eggs instead of flax, and seperated them so that I could whip the whites and fold them in at the end. The first one stuck a lot, so I re-greased. The second one stuck as well, but I was able to carefully peel it off.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Cayla,
So glad you loved them! Mine stick from time to time, too. Haven’t figured out the secret sauce to getting them to not stick every time but even if one falls apart (usually the first one) they’re still might tasty.
Stacey says
I used oat milk in place of almond milk, and used cashew flour in place of almond flour. These turned out amazing. So perfectly crisp with the perfect chew. Made sure my waffle iron was sprayed generously with coconut oil–no problems with sticking. I also cooked at a medium heat. Thank you for an awesome waffle.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Yayyyyy! Glad you loved them. Thanks for sharing!
Chrissy says
I halfed the recipe since I only had 1 egg and I must say they are so crispy! But you have to eat them right away because they turn soft quickly. Since I don’t use sugar, jams, honey or maple syrup, I eat my waffles plain. These didn’t have enough flavor for me so I’ll be trying out various combos of: cinnamon, almond extract, flaked unsweetened coconut, lemon extract and/or zest, poppy seeds, nuts and other extracts. But overall I love them! Thanks for sharing! (This won’t let me rate the recipe…)
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Chrissy,
Thanks for sharing your experience! They do tend to get soft as they cool down especially when you use eggs (vs. flax eggs) so we reheat them in the waffle iron at our house (either from room temp or frozen) and they crisp right up again. I love the idea of adding different flavor extracts since you don’t use any toppings. I’ve done them with lemon extract, lemon zest and poppy seeds and they were incredible. Cacao powder and cinnamon are also great additions. I’d love to hear what combos you come up with!
Abby Dew says
Hi! I do not like coconut and I am new to cooking with health in mind (veggie oil vs. coconut oil). I am wondering if the coconut oil will add a coconut flavor? Thank you! 🙂
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Abby,
The coconut oil will add a very mild coconut flavor (assuming you use ‘virgin’ coconut oil). You can use ‘refined’ coconut oil which has no scent or taste.
Hope that helps!
Lynn says
These are awesome! I like crispy waffles and these are crispy. I used an egg since we do not have egg allergies in our house and I used 1tsp of coconut sugar in place on the maple syrup. Mixed dry ingredients together first, then whisked in almond milk and eggs, lastly added coconut oil. I had a slight problem with them sticking, but I used a butter knife to loosen around the edges and they came out easily. Thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Awesome! So great to hear and good to know you can substitute an egg for the flaxseed gel.
Stacey says
I previously commented on these delicious waffles. I made them again, but added mashed sweet potatoes and oat milk as needed to thin out the batter. These still turned out fantastic, with the perfect crisp and chew. This mix did stick a little, but they did not fall apart. A little prying with a fork is all it took to loosen the waffle.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Love the sounds of this! Now I’m inspired to share an egg-free Sweet Potato Waffle recipe 🙂 Thank you!
Amy says
I made these with eggs, buttermilk and butter. These are wonderful! My husband likes them better than wheat flour waffles because they do get amazingly crisp. I’m pretty impressed too.
I ate grain free for a few years and then stopped when I had my baby. I’m trying to get back into it now and these waffles will really help. Thank you!!
Stacie Hassing says
You’re so welcome! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe and those sound like perfect additions!
Kim says
These stuck terribly to my waffle iron as well. Tried using my pancake pan and didn’t have any luck there either. From what I could salvage from the waffle iron and pancakes, they taste really good! So I’m disappointed I couldn’t make it work. I doubled the recipe so I could have enough for kids during the week so I needed to find a way to use the batter. I ended up making flat “cookies” on a silpat in the oven. While I didn’t discover an alternative that I’d repeat in the future, I couldn’t bear the thought of washing all those ingredients down the drain.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Kim,
I’m sorry to hear that your waffles stuck so badly. Other readers have noted some sticking (as have I from time to time) but nothing this extreme. Outside of oiling the iron before using next time, I’m not sure what else I can say to help. Sorry!
Bonnie says
First time I made these they were awesome! Thick batter and delicate removing from waffle pan. Last time I made them they turned out dense (thick), and very crumbly. If I add more vinegar to milk or more baking powder would that make them fluffier? We like the airy fluffy texture that I haven’t been able to get. I’ve tried other recipes and didn’t like them compared to this one. And regular recipes are plain.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Bonnie,
I’m glad you love the taste of these waffles and are determined to trouble shoot them to get a fluffier texture. It may depend on your waffle iron. I have a ‘French’ waffle iron that makes thinner waffles so they cook quickly and the steam fluffs them up without making them soggy (which could happen if you use a Belgian waffle maker that takes longer to cook the waffles). You may also need to add more liquid – especially if your batter is really thick- which would then generate more steam. I’d hesitate to add more baking powder and vinegar right off the bat as that will affect the flavor. Hope that helps!
Kelsey says
Just made these with waffles and they turned out great!!! I used 2 cups of Bob’s Paleo Mix to sub for the 3 cups of almond/tapioca flour in this recipe. The rest of the ingredient quantities remained the same, except I left out the maple syrup and vanilla completely. Since others commented that these stick a bit, I was cautious when removing from the waffle maker: I cooked longer than usual to make sure they were nice and crispy and once I got the edges lifted, they popped out without any major hassle. My husband LOVED these waffles. We topped ours with avocado, tempeh bacon, greens and a carrot/ginger/miso dressing. We will definitely make these again, thank you!!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
I LOVE the way you made these savory! And good to know that the Bob’s Paleo Mix was a good substitute for the other flours. I’ve been wanting to experiment with that flour blend and now after reading this you’ve inspired me to try my hand at some other paleo/vegan goodies.
Caroline says
I used eggs and coconut milk instead of flax and almond milk and these are DIVINE! I crisped it up under the grill too. So so good. Thanks for the recipe!
Jessica Beacom says
Yeahhhhhhh!! Thanks for sharing!
Bonnie says
I think I know the problem. I’m using a Belgium waffle maker, not a regular waffle maker. I will let the coconut milk n eggs though.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Bonnie,
That may be the issue. I didn’t have good luck with the Belgian-style waffle maker either – they stuck but were still tasty!
bonnie says
Could be. I just do t have the kitchen storage space I need so I was trying not to buy another waffle maker but might end up doing so
Chris says
Hi there, I made these for the first time today, followed the directions exactly, and they were a disaster. They stuck to both sides of the waffle maker, and the waffle just peeled apart. I oiled both sides very well, and I’ve used this waffle maker many times before and never had any issues. I read a few other comments with the same issue. What’s going on?
Also, I tried to give the recipe a rating, and it just fills in all 5 stars, there seems to be no other option. Unless I’m doing something wrong, this is not a 5 star recipe.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Chris,
I’m sorry to hear your waffles were a disaster and that you found the recipe to be a disappointment.
Chris says
Hi Jessica, I apologize if my comment was a bit abrasive, I was a bit frustrated at the time of my failed waffle making. I was very much looking forward to these waffles, and would like to try them again if you could give me some insight as to why they may have not worked. I’ve used my waffle iron several times, and it’s never stuck the way these did, even with very well oiling. It seemed to be the sticking that ultimately pulled the waffle apart. It was quite a task even to peel/scrape the waffle off both halves of the iron. The pieces were crispy and still tasted good though. Any ideas? Thanks again for sharing your recipes, I should have cooled down a bit before posting a scathing comment. 🙂
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Chris,
No worries, though I do appreciate your kindness and grace! The only thing I can think to do would be to either use a different fat to oil the waffle iron (so if you’re using coconut, try ghee – or even grapeseed oil which though it’s not my favorite oil it does seem to create a more non-stick surface sometimes – depending on they surface it’s used on). The other idea would be to lower the temperature of the iron, if you can, so that it takes longer for the liquid in the batter to create steam which may help them not stick.
Other than that, I’m stumped without having the batter and your iron in front of me. I hope that helps! 🙂
Connie says
I don’t have a waffle maker (yet). I’m wondering if I could make these as pancakes?
I’m also wondering what would be the best substitute for coconut oil in these? I am highly sensitive to coconut.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Connie, we have not tried making this recipe into pancakes. We do however have a pancake recipe very similar to this one and you can find that here: https://therealfoodrds.com/paleo-vegan-pancakes/
Enjoy!
Connie says
great, thanks!
Stacie Hassing says
You could substitute melted ghee or unsalted butter.
Connie says
We are dairy free. Today I’m going to try Avocado oil. We’ll see how it goes.
Bonnie says
I would think butter or type of oil.
Kay says
Trying out waffle recipes on the web and liked that these turned out so well! However I’m very macros minded. Allergies to egg and various grains while simultaneously searching for a low(er) fat recipe. Any hints or advice? Thank you.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Kay,
Because of the delicate balance between the grain-free flours and the flax ‘egg’ I can’t say with any certainty how replacing some of the fat with say, a banana, would affect the final result. You can try decreasing the coconut oil by 25% which may make them less crispy but shouldn’t interfere with the overall texture/chemistry of the waffle. You can then recalculate the macros using MyFitnessPal to see if fits your macros better.
Maria says
5 stars! I haven’t always liked the taste of healthier recipes, but this one tastes the way I always wanted waffles to taste. Just takes a bit to get used to the grainier consistency, but that happened for me a long time ago. I used ingredients I had on hand like a nut flour blend, arrowroot powder, almond coconut milk blend, eggs, and I used 1/4 cup ghee and 1/4 cup coconut oil for a more buttery flavor. I didnt need to grease the waffle iron, but I used coconut oil spray for that for a crisper waffle. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Maria!
Christina says
Thanks for the paleo waffle recipe! They were nice and crispy, but a little too oily for our taste. Have cut the oil to half and are happy with the result. Cheers from New Zealand
★★★★
Christine T says
We just made them and they were excellent. We did use eggs and half coconut oil, half ghee. They were light and crisp. We have tried several paleo recipes and this if the first one that is actually crispy. We made 1 1/2 times the recipe (growing teenage boy to feed 🙂 ) and had some left overs.
Thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★
WendyMac says
We just made them and they are great! I swapped the coconut oil for avocado oil as my son doesn’t digest coconut very well. I brushed the waffle iron with avocado oil also. They only stuck on the bottom and a fork and some tongs got them right out. I have a breville Belgian waffle maker and set them on classic medium. Thank you for the recipe. It’s always a challenge to find things that we don’t have to make major modifications to because of our food sensitivities (grain, dairy, eggs, soy, and coconut). As you probably know, results are always questionable if you change ingredients. Your recipe turned out just as promised and my husband and kids are thrilled! We can have waffles again! It’s actually my husband’s birthday today and this is what he requested for breakfast. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Wendy,
Oh! This makes me sooooo happy reading this. I totally know how you feel when you find a recipe that brings something back to your family table that’s been missing. My husband also requests these for his birthday every year – topped with homemade strawberry ice cream. He says it’s just like when he was growing up only a 100 times better.
Jessica Parisi says
The taste of these waffles is simply amazing. We are dairy, egg and gluten free so I struggle to find a recipe that works for us. I was very excited when I found this recipe. Sadly, they entirely stuck to the waffle iron no matter how much I piled them or what temperature I put them on. I tried many different options and it all came out the same. Terrible waffles half stuck to the griddle and half falling apart. I struggled to keep them to feed to my hungry kiddies! I will not be trying this recipe again. I think perhaps with egg it will be better. Rear taste and smell but not possible with flax eggs as a waffle. Def does NOT look like the picture. Thanks anyway 🙂
★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Jessica,
Sorry to hear you had such an issue with the waffles sticking. It seems that with some waffle irons they stick and with others, they don’t so unfortunately I’ve not been able to nail down a sure fire trick that works for everyone. If you do make them again using eggs or other substitutions and they turn out – we’d love to hear what you did so others can learn from your experiments as well.
Priscilla says
If I’d like to use eggs instead of the flax concoction for the waffles…about how many eggs do you recommend? Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Priscilla,
You’d want to use 2 large eggs (1 Tbsp flax meal + 3 Tbsp water = 1 egg). I’ve updated the recipe card to reflect this in case anyone else had the same question.
Louise says
Thank you for this wonderful egg-free waffle recipe that actually makes really crispy waffles. My husband and I loved them! I have made them twice already and both times they were perfect. They did not stick at all in my waffle iron. The second time I made them I could not have sugar so I just added more almond milk instead of the maple syrup. I am making them again this morning and will freeze the extras for another day.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thank you, Louise!
We love hearing feedback about this recipe as some have had great success and others have not (which leads me to believe that it may be related to the waffle irons being used and not the recipe).
Here’s to many more waffles in your future!
Hank says
Why do they stick sooo much to the iron??? We used coconut oil to coat iron.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Hank,
Unfortunately based on the apparent love/hate relationship our readers have with this recipe (based on the comments) these waffles either stick (and badly, at that) or they don’t stick. The only conclusion I can come to is that it’s related to the waffle iron – either the surface coating or the temperature. Sadly, I don’t have an answer for ‘why’ yet as they’ve never stuck to my waffle iron.
Chris Taylor says
These are awesome. I subbed half hazelnut flour so then I felt obligated to add some cacao powder to the last batch. Should have added a little more milk, too, but they were still amazing.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
OMG. That has decadent amazingness written all over it – I need to try that next time!
Meike Glaser says
I just made these. Omg where have you been all my life almond waffles? So crispyand marzipany!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So great to hear you love these waffles! 🙂
Tiffany K says
I made these tonight as Breakfast for Dinner. I was a few sprinkles shy of filling up my cup of almond flour so I subbed with a little coconut flour. And I used egg since it isn’t a dietary restriction for us. (No sticking in the waffle iron). I thought they were perfectly amazing alone and didn’t require any extra sweetener. My kids wanted a little honey because they aren’t aware waffles can be eaten without it, thanks to my husband.
My 5 year old said she liked them and I replied, “you like my dinner?!” She said, “Yes, for the first time ever!! So thanks for giving me a meal my kids will finally eat 😉
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
This makes us smile! Thank you so much for sharing that this was a winning recipe with you and your family! 🙂
Rachel says
Just made these, best waffles I’ve made and the perfect texture!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
We love hearing from our readers when they make a recipe and love it! Always makes our day so THANK YOU!
Melissa Stell says
I just found your recipe as I have just completed a 6 wk challenge and am continuing with the grain and dairy free eating plan. These turned out perfectly and so good—very light and crispy. I used eggs as I am not restricted from using them. I had absolutely no issues with sticking and I used a Belgian waffle maker as that is all I have. I did use a good amount of avocado oil to coat the waffle maker prior to making each waffle.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So great to hear this recipe was a success and that they didn’t stick for you!
Cindy Teasley says
Wow!! These are delicious. I followed your recipe exactly and loved the results. They are so sweet I could literally just eat them as a cookie! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Cindy,
We’re so thrilled to hear that you loved these waffles.
Alessandra says
So good! I did sub dairy milk and eggs, so they weren’t vegan. I really like the recipe, used a small Belgian waffle maker so it cooks 3 small waffles at a time. I froze them and enjoyed 3 for breakfast, used the toaster to reheat and they were crispy.
Mel says
Thank you for this recipe! Have been searching for the perfect pancake recipe since going gluten free. I don’t like the texture of almond meal in pancakes but it’s perfect for waffles! I found a great waffle maker at a thrift shop. Your recipe is my new favourite weekend breakfast. 🙂
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Mel! I’m so thrilled to hear you love these waffles – and great job scoring a waffle maker at the thrift store!
Marie Nicole says
This recipe is amazing! I was nervous about substituting eggs with flax meal but I’m so glad I did. These are amazing! Thank you for posting this.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thank you, Marie! We’re so happy that you enjoyed them.
Ron says
Fantastic recipe! Just FYI for anyone looking to make this low carb/keto-friendly, we tested subbing out the cup of tapioca starch with Modified Wheat Starch (loads of extra fiber!), and the maple syrup with Lakanto maple syrup, and they came out perfectly! Yum!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Ron, so great to hear you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for noting the successful substitutions you made!
Susannah says
THE absolute best grain free waffles we’ve tried!! My 6-yr old son, who always asks for pancakes instead, exclaimed, “wow, these are delicious!” Thank you for this recipe!! I’m so glad finally to have a waffle go-to!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So happy to hear you enjoy these waffles and found a recipe that your 6-year old approves of! 🙂
Ping says
Hi Jessica, I have type 2 diabetes, is there any way to substitute tapioca starch/flour which has high carbs content.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Ping,
I haven’t tried substituting anything for the tapioca starch entirely, though you may be able to reduce the amount of starch (say by 1/2 or 2/3) and still get a pretty good waffle. Let me know what you try if you tinker with the ratios of starch:almond flour or if you find something to replace it entirely.
Stacy says
I substituted 1/2 cup of rice flour for 1/2 of almond flour for extra density; also used Avocado oil instead of coconut oil. There was a bit of sticking on the waffle iron, but a slow open and a fork seemed to do that trick. Next time I might try chia seeds (egg replacement) instead. Any luck with with that change?
Yummy waffles. My 16 month old son loves them!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Stacy,
I’ve used both ground chia seeds and flax meal for this recipe and both worked well. The chia seeds so make the waffles a little grey which is why I usually opt for golden flax meal.
Mickey says
Made these a couple weeks ago, about to make some more!! I subbed almond extract for vanilla, and used Lakanto monkfruit syrup, and these tasted like candy, absolutely amazing. I had the worst experience with coconut flour waffles, and was suuuuuper paranoid, so I left them in for a while before taking them out. But they were perfect in my Belgian waffle maker. I kept them in the freezer and reheated using the toaster oven at work, they tasted fantastic. I use peanut butter and either banana or sunflower seeds.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Mickey,
I’m so glad you loved these! I love the idea of using almond extract and thanks for sharing your tip about using monkfruit syrup in place of the maple syrup for all of our readers who are looking to cut the carbs a bit.
Lisa Sommers says
This is a lovely recipe. I do not like to make substitutions for a new recipe, especially fiddly things like waffles, but I found we were sadly low on maple syrup and needed to save it for topping the waffles. I was afraid they would stick, but we had no choice, so we held our breath and used coconut palm sugar. They came out wonderfully. Crisp on the outside, but light and fluffy. They didn’t stick or tear, though they did take more work to pop off the iron than our typicical gluten free sprouted grain recipe. We will be using this again. Thanks for the work that went into finding the proper ratios!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Lisa,
Thank YOU for such a great review and for sharing how the coconut sugar worked for you. I’m so glad you enjoyed these!
Sam der says
I feel as this was a big wast of my food and time it stickes to the waffel maker, pancake maker and my skillet.
Rachel says
I tried a couple substitutions and shouldn’t have (cornstarch instead of tapioca, because that’s all I had, and a mashed ripe banana in place of the oil). I made a huge mess in my waffle maker, even after adjusting my greasing technique and the temperature/duration of cooking.
On the bright side, the batter tasted amazing even with the subs and I was able to salvage it to make some perfect pancakes in the skillet. So if you, like me, created a disaster, try turning it into pancakes!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Rachel,
I’m sorry to hear you had such a mess on your hands! But happy to hear this was one to those ‘Happy Kitchen Accidents’ that turned out to be delicious!
Sue Murray says
These were totally amazing!!!!!!!!!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Super great to hear!
Corinna says
Very good! I did make them with the eggs and everybody thought they tasted great. They were surprised when I told them what they were made from. My husband is very old school when it comes to his food and raved. Love that the sugar came from the maple syrup. I didn’t ha e any issues with sticking. Thank you for a more healthy option for my families breakfast.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Awesome! Glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
Cat says
I never leave comments.
Also, most paleo / low carb / grain free breads and recipes suck balls.
But I don’t understand this recipe. HOW ARE THESE SO GOOD?! No, I mean it, I don’t understand how these work. Genuinely amazing.
I literally stood over my waffle maker and was flabbergasted.
I DID substitute some things but pretty much analogically to your ingredients. For anyone reading this, maybe it helps you: I used Bob’s unmodified potato starch (your original quantities for all these substitutions), real buttermilk, real eggs.
I used a little erythritol for a hint of sweetness. No vanilla. REFINED coconut oil that I whipped with the eggs. No maple syrup.
And mine did not stick at all. I didn’t use any spray either.
So, so, so good. I cannot.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Cat! So great to hear the waffles turned out for you. They are really quite delicious! We also appreciate you for sharing the substitutions you made and providing feedback that could be helpful for others who plan to make this recipe! Thank you.
Cathy says
I’m sorry but I was not impressed I had to throw everything away
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Cathy,
I’m sorry to hear this recipe did not work for you.
Vel says
Made these, totally loved them, nice and crispy. I used eggs instead of the flax seed meal.
Paige W says
Thank you!!!!! These are seriously delicious and such a treat for those us who can’t have eggs, gluten or dairy. I will be making threes for many years to come.
Stacie Hassing says
Awesome!!! We love hearing this.
Shannon says
The one time I would break down and eat flour used to be for waffles. Not anymore! Even my grain eating husband loves these! Thank you!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Awesome!!! Love hearing this.
Nomita says
It was so delicious. Loved the texture and my kids said it was the best waffles ever! Win win😊
★★★★★
Vanessa says
These were delicious! I did use 1 cup of arrowroot powder instead of tapioca and eggs instead of flax. I also added butter instead of coconut oil. Just make sure you don’t get them too brown otherwise they taste like burnt popcorn. 🙂
Stacie Hassing says
Awesome! And thanks for sharing the changes you made!
Bernadette says
I’ve made these a few times now and they are a hit! I add one mashed banana to my mix making them even more delicious and flavorful. The great thing I love about this recipe is that any leftover mix I have can be refrigerated for at least up to a week and the waffles come out even more crispy the second time around. Making these again this morning subbing coconut flour for the almond flour as I am out. I hope they turn out just as good. Thanks for a great recipe!
Jessica Beacom says
Wow! I love the idea of adding mashed banana. I had no idea you could refrigerate the batter that long and still have a great waffle – thanks for the tip! Do let us know how the coconut flour works – I’m guessing it may yield a softer waffle but I’m curious as I’ve not tried them with coconut flour.
Bernadette says
Update: I was out of almond flour so I subbed coconut flour. These did not come out very well using coconut flour. I tried! 🙂 I won’t do that again! Great recipe as is.
Joy says
These tasted so good, but they stuck SO bad 🙁 I tried spraying the waffle iron with avocado oil, then I tried no spray, I tried cooking them longer, cooking them shorter, heating the iron hotter. No matter what I did, each waffle was a disappointing sticky disaster. It took me longer to scrape each waffle off of both sides than it did to cook them! I have no idea why this happened, but can only conclude for some reason that my waffle iron didn’t like this recipe. Sad, because it really does taste amazing! If you figure out why they stick so bad for some people and have suggestions, please update us. I’d love to try them again if I can figure out some adjustments to make 🙂
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Joy,
I’m so sorry to hear that these stuck for you (and for others). We’ve tested them repeatedly using many of the ‘tricks’ you did and for us, they don’t stick. I can only guess that it’s the waffle iron itself. We’ll keep trying them and update the recipe if we find a no-fail trick because as you said, they are so delicious.
Amanda Romey says
As a person who can’t eat gluten nor eggs I had high hopes for these waffles. I am not a picky eater at all and having food allergies makes me even more open to healthy things as I have forgotten what gluten, eggs, and processed sugar even tastes like. Also, I live in a country where the ingredients are hard to find and when available very expensive. But I was so excited to give it a run… to my dismay they weren’t great and stuck to the waffle iron so badly that I gave up and spent hours cleaning my waffle iron.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Amanda,
I’m sorry to hear that these waffles did not meet your expectations. We do have another gluten-free/egg-free waffle recipe here that you may enjoy: https://therealfoodrds.com/gluten-free-blender-waffles/
Aileen Choate says
Excellent waffles! I made these because they said crispy and the waffles turned out exactly as described. I usually make flour, yeast Belgian waffles; however, these waffles surpass any waffles I have ever made from scratch or in a box. Thank you for sharing.
Jessica Beacom says
Wow! Thank you, Aileen – that’s so great to hear. It’s not easy to beat a good yeasted Belgian waffle made with all-purpose flour.
Aileen Choate says
Making the second batch of crispy waffles. Husband loves them. Decided to make your chia cherry jam. Thank you again.
Sudha says
Hello I tried the recipe. Came out good but the taste of the baking soda was overwhelming. How can I reduce that.
★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Sudha,
You can simply cut the amount of baking soda in half.
Holly Higgins says
My favorite waffle! These turned out amazing!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thank you! We’re so glad you loved them.
Andy says
Hi Jessica,
I’m sorry, but something is terribly off with your recipie. It doesn’t work.
★
Jessica Beacom says
I’m sorry to hear that these did not work for you.
Misty Whitehead says
How do you think the batter would do in the fridge overnight if I wanted to pre make it for my kids to cook their own waffles in the morning (while I’m out running 😁)?
Jessica Beacom says
The batter can be made the night before though you may need to add a little extra liquid to the batter in the morning depending on how much it has thickened overnight.
Robert Maddalena says
Substituted avocado oil for the coconut oil. The waffles turned out fantastic, were more crispy and tasted better than any box mix I have ever used. I also had a small problem with the waffles sticking to a well-oiled waffle maker, but I could get the waffles to release without a whole lot of effort, and the waffles did not crumble. Saving this recipe for sure. Easily 5-stars
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
I’m so glad you loved these waffles!
Alicia says
This is a great recipe! The whole family eats them, 3 & 5 yr old selective eaters!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
AWESOME! Love hearing that.
Diane M. says
These are Absolutely Wonderful. Light, Crispy and Delicious!
I added toasted walnuts (folded in gently at the end) and made them on my belgian waffle maker.
I used 1/2 c per and it gave me 9.
Jessica Beacom says
I love the addition of walnuts! Thanks for sharing how you made them and the yield you got.
Ruth says
These are seriously some of the best waffles I’ve ever had including traditional!! I used chia which gave a nice pliable center and a truly crispy outside. Nice and thick and cooked evenly. Absolutely the best recipe.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Ruth! So glad you love them as much as we do!!
Sarah says
This recipe was so good and I’m grateful for the vegan option! I’ve been doing my best to avoid gluten and most grains lately, and these were so easy to make and very crispy. I didn’t have any issues whatsoever with sticking, and I just used a quick spritz of spray oil; I suspect that those who had issues may have waffle irons whose nonstick coating is a bit older or worn out. These also stayed crispy even after sitting out for awhile, whereas most waffles tend to get a little soggy after awhile.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Sarah, for your comment – I’m so glad you loved them. I agree that the sticking issue may be related to either worn out non-stick coating of the type of coating. I’m so glad you loved them!
Aimee says
These tasted good but made my waffle iron stick together like glue. I had to pry it open. I used coconut oil spray on the iron. Not sure what happen. I almost had to throw the iron away!
Ginny says
Even my family members who can eat gluten loved these better than our favorite go-to gluten based waffle recipe that we’ve been making for years. So excited to find a great gluten-free waffle recipe that my whole family can enjoy! Thank you!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
WOW! This might be the best comment we’ve ever gotten – thank you! That’s saying a lot because I remember how amazing ‘real’ waffles were before I had to give up gluten. Glad you love them!
Lauren in Austin says
Thank you for developing and publishing this recipe! I had been on prilosec for over 20 years for acid reflux. I cut out wheat from my diet and my reflux went away. But I get a craving for pancakes or waffles every now and then. This is marvelous!
I made it with regular milk and egg, and added some Himalayan pink salt. It came out absolutely delicious! Perfect crispy texture, slightly sweet. I halved the recipe and it made 2 very large 4-part waffles in my Oster waffle iron, and it took 1 cup of batter each. (A full recipe would have made 4.) They are VERY filling, due to higher fat content, but also far more satisfying than wheat waffles. WIN on all counts. I am thrilled. Thank you!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! We’re so thrilled that you LOVE these waffles as much as we do. Thanks for sharing your substitutions and congrats on kicking acid reflux to the curb with a simple diet change!!
Denae says
I have made these twice! Delicious, and my whole family loves them! Thanks so much!
★★★★
Laurie says
Great recipe! These came out crispy yet fluffy and also filling. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
That’s great to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
Harsha says
Dear Jessica,
Could you help me with the nutritional values of this?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Harsha,
The nutritional values are listed underneath the recipe for your convenience.
Jennifer says
We love these!! So yummy. Do you know if there’s a way to make this low carb? Replacing the tapioca with something less starchy? My uncle eats a low carb diet and I’d like to make them for him. Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jennifer,
Although we haven’t tested them this way, you might be able to use almond flour in place of the tapioca but you’ll probably have to use eggs rather than a flax egg to help them hold together. If you do try making them low-carb we’d love to hear what you used and how they turned out!