by Raquel Smith
My husband and I have always been homemade waffle people. Starting with one of the first batches that I ever made, a sourdough-style recipe from King Arthur Flour, we fell in love.
Unfortunately my sourdough starter has fallen by the wayside lately, so I’ve had to come up with other recipes to satisfy us. That’s okay, because these are much easier to make, don’t require a starter, and only take 10 minutes to throw together!
My mother recently gave us a Belgian waffle maker, the kind that flips over to cook. I was pretty nervous to try it, I must admit. We had always made the thinner kind before, and I was a bit worried that the batter wouldn’t rise up to fill the upper nooks and crannies.
But it worked! We soon discovered that’s actually what the flippy feature is for!
These waffles have really good flavor. The first time we made them, I think I ate my fill just nibbling at the cooked ones in the kitchen before we even sat down to eat. They’re so good on their own, you don’t really need much syrup to make them tasty.
But, when you do top them with a bit of butter or vegan margarine, drown them in real maple syrupto fill in all of those little squares, and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar, they become downright irresistible.
They’re also delicious with fresh berries sprinkled on top, a scoop of homemade vegan ice cream, or maybe a dollop of coconut whipped cream.
And these aren’t just for vegans; I guarantee your friends and family who do consume dairy and eggs will find nothing to complain about with the taste or texture. They’re light and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, made with almond milk and with a slight nutty taste thanks to the ground flax seed.
Plus, this awesome vegan egg replacement adds healthy omega-3s that you wouldn’t find in regular waffles. Just make sure you use seed that is ground rather than the whole version to make your flax egg. Since seeds can spoil quickly, I like to buy a big bag and store it in the freezer, scooping out a tablespoon or two at a time when I ned to add it to a recipe.
You’ll also notice that there’s a little bit of apple cider vinegar in this recipe. Mixed with the almond milk and allowed to sit for about 5 minutes, this serves as a buttermilk replacement. Adding an acid like apple cider vinegar to your batter will react with the baking powder, creating a fluffier finished product.
According to our calculations, one batch makes about 5 Belgian waffles and feeds 2-3 people. If you don’t eat as much as we do, then you could get away with feeding one batch to 4 people.
Or just make two batches, throw the extras in the freezer, and have tasty pre-made breakfasts ready for the next week! Heat them up in the toaster before serving, and they’ll be delicious. This is what I usually do – there can never be too many waffles around here.
Ever.
Crispy Vegan Belgian Waffles
- Author: Raquel Smith
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 waffles 1x
Description
This vegan Belgian waffle recipe is full of healthy and tasty ground flax seeds and whole grain flour! So good right off the iron, and even better topped with maple syrup and powdered sugar.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
- 5 Tbsp water
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp vegan granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- 5 Tbsp vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron.
- Combine the flax seed and water in a small bowl to make a flax egg. Set aside.
- Combine the almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a measuring cup, and set aside.
- Add the flours, baking powder, salt, and sugar to a medium bowl and mix well.
- Melt the margarine in the microwave in a heatproof medium-sized bowl. Slowly add the almond milk mixture to the butter, whisking vigorously while you pour it in. Add the flax mixture and the vanilla, and mix well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well, until few lumps remain (but don’t go too crazy).
- Cook the waffles according to your waffle maker’s instructions.*
- Eat right away, or let cool on a wire rack and freeze in an airtight zip-top bag for future enjoyment!
Notes
My waffle maker uses a heaping 1/2 cup of batter per waffle. I try to spread the batter all over the iron to get the best shape.
My iron will often indicate that the waffles are done well before they are actually ready. These take about 4 1/2 minutes each to cook with my iron on medium-high. I suggest figuring out how long your iron takes and set a timer so you will know when to check it.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast
For even more vegan egg replacement options, check out our informative post on egg-free baking. And if you’re interested in trying your hand at growing your own flax at home, our friends at Gardener’s Path can help you to get started.
What about you? How do you like your waffles? Be sure to let us know in comments below and please rate this recipe!
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Photos by Raquel Smith, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Raquel Smith on May 30th, 2014. Last updated: May 5, 2020 at 13:40 pm.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Raquel Smith
Raquel is a whole foods enthusiast, an avid mountain biker, and a dog lover. She works by day at Food Blogger Pro and formerly maintained her food blog "My California Roots" (now merged into Foodal).
