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, theyโre easy to make, require only 1 main bowl, and use ingredients you likely already have in your pantry!
Iโve 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 youโre a waffle enthusiast like me, youโll 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 (donโt 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 โchickenโ 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.
- Donโt 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 youโre not ready to serve the waffles immediately, keep them in a warm oven (200ยบF) until youโre 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 theyโre 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.ย
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.ย
- 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.ย
- 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.
These taste delicious! Only thing we had a problem with was they came apart in our waffle maker. We sprayed the waffle maker each time, so I’m not sure what happened. But they still were delicious!
I’m glad you enjoyed them still! Waffle makers vary a lot. But make sure you have it on a high enough setting, because if it’s not getting cooked enough, it may not come out as easy and could fall apart. Also spray it very well if it tends to stick (I have a really good non-stick one, I don’t even really need oil at all). Hope that helps!
I’ve made this quite a few times now, fantastic recipe. To up the nutritional value I replace the coconut oil with extra virgin olive oil, I add 1/2 cup of hemp hearts, and they come out great!
Hi Misha. I’m glad this recipe works great for you! Thank you for sharing!
Literally better than any non-vegan waffles Iโve ever made! I followed the recipe almost exactly except I halved it & ย I didnโt have any whole wheat flour so I just used all all-purpose flour and I used grape seed oil instead of coconut because it was easier than melting butter or coconut oil! OMG!! I will NEVER not use this recipe!! My kids loved it, I froze the leftovers and reheated some in the toaster today and they were perfect!! Iโm so impressed ๐ย
Hi Marcee. Thank you for the wonderful review! My children love these waffles as well. Thank you!
These were great! Perfect texture and sweetness. ย I used virgin coconut oil and you can definitely taste it, so Iโm going to try a different oil next time. They were still great. I have been using your blog for almost every meal. Thank you for the amazing recipes!ย
Hi Kim. I’m glad you liked the waffles. They are always a hit in my home! Try refined coconut oil, as it has zero coconut flavor. You are welcome, and I thank you for trying my recipes!
Can this batter be made the night before and left in the refrigerator until they are cooked in the morning? Or would it be better to leave the wet and dry separate and then mix them together in the morning?
I think it would work fine to refrigerate the batter overnight, but I haven’t tried it.
Amazing ?ย
Iโm not a vegan, but I made these for my son, daughter in-law and grandkids who are vegan. These are the best waffles Iโve ever tasted. ย I doubled the recipe and made them in a Belgium waffle maker. Ended up with 18 huge waffles. Glad you said they freeze well. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
You’re welcome!
Absolutely a new family favorite! I have made it twice this week. ย We all loved these waffles so much! I didnโt have the pastry flour so used all purpose as a sub, and used vegan butter instead of coconut oil. ย Will definitely triple the recipe ย and freeze so the kids can have them through the week!ย
I like to make extra too for the kids! So glad you like them!
Sub’d oat flour for wheat and they were perfect!
Would regular whole wheat flour or more white flour work in place of the pastry flour?
Yes, I often make them with more white flour, but whole wheat works too.
Crispy and fluffy waffle perfection.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhmazing! Just made these this morning to keep testing my new waffle iron and now I’m putting all other vegan waffle recipes away. This one is the best, hands down. Thanks for another winning recipe, Nora!
You’re welcome!
This is by far the best recipe I have made. I just added chocolate chips.ย
Thank you! Yum, chocolate chip waffles…
Just wow! Iโve never made waffles before & they came out perfect ? I used coconut sugar as I didnโt have any granulated. ย Fantastic recipe thank youย
You’re welcome!
The best waffles I ever made. Delicious recipe!
Thanks!!
Love love love these waffles! My parents are vegan, so these are perfect to make my parents a special breakfast!
That’s so great!!
Is it possible to make the batter ahead of time for a camping trip?
I see below that the batter keeps well for three days!
I’m pretty sure that would work, yes!
These waffles ARE theee BEST ย waffles! ย They are so crisp on the outside and perfectly tender and sweet on the inside. ย We donโt use oil, so I subbed plain unsweetened coconut yogurt (same amount) and it worked wonderfully. Otherwise, I followed the recipe to a T. I have now made many of your recipes, including your cashew mayo, egg salad, and cole slaw to name a few. They are always spot on and get rave reviews from picky non- vegan eaters. Iโm always so excited when I search for a new recipe and your blog comes up. Thank you, thank you! ย ๐
I’m glad to hear yogurt worked well to replace the oil if needed. I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes, that is wonderful to hear!
I was quite impressed with how these turned out. Probably the best vegan waffle I’ve ever had. Thank you for providing such an easy, yet high (satisfaction) yielding recipe.
BTW – 1/2 recipe is likely more than enough for 2 people.
Thank you so much! I’m happy to hear that.
These waffles really are the BEST waffles! They are light and fluffy. This recipe makes a lot of waffles and the batter holds up for at least three days. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!ย
You’re welcome! Thanks for the comment!
Is the sugar for taste or texture?
Mostly for taste, you could leave it out if you want.
We just made these, didn’t change a thing in the recipe. After 5 years of searching, I have found the perfect waffle recipe. We added a side of hash browns and “chicken” ? thank you sincerely for this recipe
You’re so welcome!
These waffles are beyond delicious!!! They instantly brighten my day, we make sure our freezer is always stocked with your waffles, we canโt get enough!ย
I do the same thing. I love to freeze a bunch of them.
These were awesome. I did alter ingredients a bit. I used oat milk(no vinegar) and I added some spices that I like. I usually swap applesauce for the oil, but didn’t this time. So glad I left the oil in. Made the texture amazing. These freeze well too!
I have just made vegan waffeles at the first time and I have chosen your recipe. It turned out great. Thanks a lot Nora!
I’m so glad, thank you!