Learn how to make the Best Ever Vegan Waffles! Nice and crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. Plus, they’re easy to make and use ingredients you likely already have in your pantry!
These truly are the best vegan waffles I’ve ever had. Perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, as a proper waffle should be. Plus, they’re easy to make, require only 1 main bowl, and use ingredients you likely already have in your pantry!
I’ve left plenty of room for substitutions so you can use what you have on hand. Make them fresh for Sunday morning brunch, or freeze a batch and pop them in the toaster for a super quick, delicious breakfast.
If you’re a waffle enthusiast like me, you’ll want to try my pumpkin waffles or my gluten free waffle recipe.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Ground flaxseeds – To make the flax eggs. Or simply omit the flax eggs and increase the oil. Works perfectly!
- Soy milk – Use coconut, almond, cashew, or any other kind of non-dairy milk in replacement of the soy milk.
- Apple cider vinegar – For perfectly risen, fluffy waffles. You can substitute this for lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Flour – You may make these waffles with all white flour, a mix of whole wheat and white, all whole wheat or even gluten free.
- Baking powder
- Granulated sugar – You could also use cane, raw, coconut, or brown sugar.
- Melted vegan butter or oil – Melted coconut oil, canola oil or vegan butter all work here. For oil free, you can substitute applesauce but they won’t be as crisp.
- Vanilla extract
How to make vegan waffles
Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is simply an overview with photos.
Start by preheating your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This is the best way to get perfect waffles every time! This waffle iron is my favorite because it makes more shallow waffles (not Belgian waffles) and the batter never sticks. Prepare your flax egg and vegan “buttermilk”.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Next, add in the flax egg, vegan buttermilk, melted butter or oil, and vanilla. Stir until just combined with a large wooden spoon (don’t over mix!).
- Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray (unless the waffle iron is truly non-stick). Pour some batter onto the hot iron. The amount will vary depending on your waffle iron, I used about 3/4 cup per waffle.
- Cook as directed until the waffle is golden brown on both sides. Don’t try to remove the waffle before it’s cooked, or it will stick!
Can these be made gluten free?
You can use spelt flour or a gluten free mix instead of white flour to make turn this into a gluten free recipe. Alternatively, use my recipe for Vegan Gluten Free Waffles.
Toppings and add ins
Load your waffles with a ton of toppings, if desired. You could drizzle them in maple syrup, whipped cream, vegan butter, lemon curd, fresh berries, sliced bananas, vegan Nutella, slivered almonds, or caramel drizzle. If you really want to make this into a savory meal, make my vegan “chicken” for maple syrup-drenched vegan chicken and waffles!
Customize your waffle batter with tasty add-ins. I recommend using:
- Dairy free chocolate chips
- Sliced bananas or strawberries
- Peanut or almond butter
- Blueberries
- A hint of cinnamon
- Pumpkin spice
Tips for the best waffles
- The batter should be fairly thick. If it’s too runny, add a few tablespoons more of flour. If it’s too thick, add a little more water.
- Don’t over mix the batter. Mix until everything has just combined for the lightest, fluffiest waffles. If there are lots of lumps, just let the batter rest for 10 minutes so they can dissolve.
- If you’re not ready to serve the waffles immediately, keep them in a warm oven (200ºF) until you’re ready to serve. This will keep them crispy and hot.
How to store leftovers
Wrap the leftover waffles individually or seal them in a container. Store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze the waffles, place as many as you can in a freezer-safe bag. They freeze very nicely and will last for up to 3 months.
Pop the frozen or chilled waffles in a toaster until they’re warmed through and crispy.
Want more sweet and simple vegan breakfast recipes?
- Simple Vegan Pancakes
- Vegan French Toast
- 1 Bowl Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Vegan Chocolate Pancakes
- Vegan Banana Pancakes
Best Ever Vegan Waffles
Ingredients
Flax Eggs (see notes for alternative)
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
- 1/2 cup water
Vegan Buttermilk
- 3 1/2 cups soy milk
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
The Rest
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour* or a mix of whole wheat and white flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup melted vegan butter or coconut oil, or other oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Make the Flax Eggs: In a small bowl, combine the ground flax and water. Stir, and set aside to thicken.
- Make the Vegan Buttermilk: In a large measuring cup or bowl, measure 3 1/2 cups of soy milk. Add the apple cider vinegar, stir a little with a spoon and set aside to curdle.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
- Add the flax eggs, vegan buttermilk, melted vegan butter/oil and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined with a large wooden spoon, being careful not to over mix. The batter should be fairly thick, if it's too runny add a few tablespoons more of flour. If it's too thick, add a little more water.
- Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray. Pour the recommended amount of batter onto hot waffle iron, and cook until the waffle is golden brown on both sides.
- Serve immediately, or keep in a warm oven (200 degrees F) until ready to serve. Top with fresh berries, coconut whip, vegan butter, maple syrup and anything else you desire!
Video
Notes
- I recently discovered that you can make these waffles without flax seeds. Omit the flax eggs and increase the oil to 3/4 cup. Works really well, but they are slightly less crispy.
- May use coconut, almond, cashew or any other kind of non-dairy milk that you wish in place of the soy milk.
- For gluten free waffles, simply substitute an all purpose gluten free flour.
- For oil free, you can use applesauce instead of oil, but they won’t be as crispy. Melted vegan butter, melted coconut oil or a neutral flavored oil all work.
- These waffles freeze beautifully. To reheat, simple pop them in the toaster until warmed through and crispy. I always have waffles in the freezer!
- These make 8-9 large Belgian waffles, but if you have a smaller square waffle maker, they make around 22 waffles.
Nutrition
*This recipe was first published October 2018 and has been updated with improved photos and writing.
Hi, Nora, thank you very much for sharing your yummy recipes. I tried this vegan waffle the very first time two days ago. The batter turned out a bit to thick, so I added a bit of warm water to make it easier to pour into my waffle maker. The taste and texture turned out very good. I tried it plain at first. I realized that it tasted a slight hint of saltiness, so I thought it’d a good idea to make a sandwich with it. Today, I toasted the leftover waffles with some shredded vegan cheese and added vegan ham and lettuce to make a sandwich for my son after school. He loved it very much. Because the tastes of waffles is quite neutral, I could easily make it on the sweeter side by spreading vegan nutella on it. It also tasted great?
Hands down the BEST vegan waffles! Since becoming vegan (5mon now) My life has been all about experimenting with new recipes. This one is the winner! Personally, I like to add more milk than water, and since the batter tends to be a bit thick I usually add an additional 1/2 cup of milk. Thank you for all your recipes!
You’re welcome! And thanks for the great comment!
Thanks so much for this recipe!
Being a long-time vegan, I crave a good waffle now and then, but don’t have the opportunity to get them at restaurants… plus I just don’t like the frozen “vegan” waffles from the grocery stores. I got a Dash mini waffle maker as a gift a few days ago and was excited to give it a try. (Note: This mini waffle maker makes the cutest 4-inch waffles!) I did a Google search for “best vegan waffle recipe” and saw your “Best Ever Vegan Waffles” page right away. Having never made waffles before, I found that your recipe was easy to follow… and I even made some substitutes. For instance, I used a combination of melted vegan butter (Earth Balance) and coconut oil, unsweetened almond milk (instead of soy milk), and just King Arthur’s organic All-Purpose flour (w/o whole wheat flour). They came out GREAT and were so delicious!!!! An added bonus: Even by cutting the recipe in half, I still have plenty of extra mini waffles to freeze and enjoy at a later time when the craving hits.
Thanks for the comment! I’m so glad they came out great!
These are the best waffles! I used a combination of oat milk and rice milk. I also used half coconut oil and half Earth Balance. They are delicious and freeze really well. They come out crispy in the toaster oven after having been frozen.
So glad you enjoyed them! Our family loves them too!
This recipe is great! We love adding in bananas and chocolate chips too.
Those sound like good additions!
Began buttermilk, could it be done with coconut milk? My son is allergenic to sky and currently drinks rice milk but I don’t believe that rice milk has enough fat to reach the buttermilk consistency.
Thanks
Yes, coconut milk will work. Almond milk, hemp milk and oat milk would work as well. Thanks!
Have you made these with oat flour?
I haven’t tried that myself, it could work but they might be very delicate I’m not sure. A mix of regular (or whole wheat) flour and oat flour would likely work better.
These waffles are super tasty and easy to make and I LOVE that they can be frozen. Bonus: my two year old gobbled them up! Thank you Nora
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you all enjoyed them. 🙂
tasted very good but the batter was very runny. is the recipe correct? 2 cups of flour to 3.5 cups of soy milk?
The recipe calls for 2 cups of all purpose flour and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, but you could use all regular flour if you want (so 3 1/2 cups total). Hope that helps!
This recipe is wonderful. I used a bit less of the granulated sugar and also used 1 tablespoon brown sugar pls 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. I replaced the coconut oil wirh unsweetened applesauce. I made this at least once a week Thanks for this healthy recipe.
Could you make the batter the night before and refrigerate??
Yes, you can make it the night before. You may need to add a little water in the morning because it will thicken. Enjoy!
These are the best waffles I’ve ever made. Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside. I froze them and they reheat perfectly. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you love them!
I made this exactly as the recipe said. The waffles came out great, fluffy inside and slightly crispy on the outside. They also freeze well and I have reheated them a couple times now for a quick breakfast. Will make again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the waffles, thank you!
Very good waffles. A definite keeper! I halved (Only two of us) the recipe and added a teaspoon or so of corn starch for extra crispiness. Also subbed vegetable oil as that’s what I had. Kid has already eaten three.
I’m so glad you like them!
Perfect waffles! I was a bit distracted this morning by hungry children while making the first batch and accidentally left out the baking powder and whole wheat flour! All 6 kids happily gobbled up the batch before I realized my mistake. The second batch was MUCH better! Ha! I subbed applesauce for half of the oil and used 1/4 cup sugar and loved the results. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m glad the kids enjoyed! 🙂
I replaced all of the flour with my favorite gluten free blend (SarahBakesGFree.com) and these were perfect! I kept everything else as written. Thanks!
What is the conversion to make an egg a flax egg? I’m keto so trying to make my favorite keto pancake recipe egg free. It’s already dairy free. Trying to incorporate more vegan options and recipes. I am not sure if I will ever be 100% vegan I would like to up plant based recipes while decreasing the meat I eat. Thank you.
That’s great Katie! To replace 1 egg, mix 1 tablespoons ground flaxseeds with 2.5 tablespoons water. Let thicken a few minutes, then add to recipe. Hope that helps!
Could you use all white flour?
Yes, you can!
I would like to add to the compliments that are stated above. These waffles are easy/fun to make as well as delicious. My husband is not vegan, however he eat two helpings, expressing how great they taste. Thank you, for another great recipe!
Thank you Sunnie!!
I am dairy and egg free because of breastfed baby’s allergies – craving waffles, found this recipe.
These waffles are even better than the non-vegan waffles I used to make. Omg. So. Good. Taste is on point. Texture perfect. I added some cinnamon but otherwise this recipe is brilliant. Going to put some homemade apple butter on them tomorrow morning. Thank you for making me able to indulge my waffle craving! I even toasted one up and had it with cashew milk ice cream tonight.
Delicious and easy to make. The whole family loved them. Thank you.
I have to come back and compliment this recipe again. It is such a hit with my family. I did sub applesauce for the oil this time and added some Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips to the batter. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
Thank you! I’m so glad it’s a hit even with applesauce instead of oil!
fluffy and delish
These waffles are seriously amazing!! My husband and I are not vegan and prefer this recipe to any other waffle recipe we have tried. So many friends and family have asked us to share where we got this recipe because they all love them as well.
Terrific recipe. I made up an apple compote to serve atop: Sliced apples, unpeeled. dried cranberries, hazelnut pieces, honey, vegan butter, touch of lemon zest. Yum!
Perfect waffles! I usually double any recipes I use so I have leftovers to freeze. As soon as I saw this call for 3.5cups flour total I just had to try it. I was a little hesitant at first due to the sugar and oil, but divided amongst eight large 4-square waffles doesn’t end up being much per square. I might try to sub applesauce for at least half the oil next time. Thank you Nora!!
Thanks Ashley! You can certainly use less sugar if you want, and I have made them with all applesauce instead of oil before. They turned out okay, just not as crispy or delicious. Half oil/half applesauce would probably be better. Glad you enjoyed them! I love freezing waffles, too and I often even double my own recipe. They go so fast in my house.