These classic paleo waffles are crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, freezable, and family approved! Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, and easy to make.
Everyone has a “waffle memory”, right?! Special comfort foods usually involve special memories, and, when it comes to recreating paleo versions of old favorites, these memories are my motivation!
Now, for me, my memory involved Eggo toaster waffles rather than anything homemade, but memories are memories (and those Eggo waffles are pretty darn delicious, too.)
And, the waffles weren’t a breakfast memory, either. They were a second dinner/dessert for me when I was about 10 or 11 years old. Don’t worry, I’ll explain.
In 4th grade my family made a move from Queens (NYC) out to the suburbs (Long Island) and my mom had a much longer commute as a result.
Most nights she would come home somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30, and when she sat down and ate dinner, I sat down with her and ate waffles. Toaster waffles, drenched in pancake syrup (of course) became my hang-out-with-mom comfort food, and I believe the ritual lasted at least a year.
I’m not sure when or why it ended, but I can’t think about waffles now without remembering my second-dinner-waffle-ritual. It’s sort of a bittersweet memory, and makes me feel grateful for the gift blogging has given me – being able to work from home and be with my kids!
Anyway, since there’s no way I’ll ever be buying Eggo waffles again, I’ve been wanting to create really delicious, classic, homemade paleo waffles that my kids and husband actually like. Bonus if you can freeze them (you can!!) and toast them like the Eggos 🙂
I tested this waffle recipe about 6 times before feeling like I really had the final version. Luckily, they’re super easy to make, so 6 tries didn’t even kill me. In fact, since they’re freezable, nothing had to go to waste, not even the “fails”.
My goal was this – great taste (just sweet enough, not too much coconut flavor) and great texture (crisp outside, soft fluffy inside.)
During my Google research regarding making perfect waffles, I learned that many recipes will have you separate your eggs, beat the whites until stiff peaks form, and add them to the batter last.
I tried this with my last batch to see if it made a difference, and I did notice that the waffles came out lighter in texture, but not by a whole lot. Since it’s an extra step that adds to your prep time and requires an electric mixer, I would only do this if you NEED to make sure you do everything possible to get crispier, lighter waffles.
Otherwise, you can simply add the whole eggs to the batter and skip the instructions to beat the egg whites. The higher fat content in this waffle recipe, versus a pancake recipe, seems to be responsible for getting that highly desired crispy outside!
So, as for the kids, they actually only got to eat the frozen version (re-toasted, of course!) since I did all my testing during school hours. The result? Even my pickiest (the little guy) LOVED them. Phew!! I was almost scared to have them test, so much at stake! I hope you guys are ready for waffles, whether it’s breakfast, weekend brunch, or second dinner, or whenever you feel like it. Let’s go!
Classic Paleo Waffles {Grain Free, Dairy Free}
Classic Paleo Waffles {Grain Free, Dairy Free}
These classic paleo waffles are crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, freezable, and family approved! Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, and easy to make.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs room temp, separated**
- 1/2 cup organic coconut milk full fat or light
- 6 Tbsp coconut oil refined, melted and cooled to almost room temp
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder *see note to make paleo corn free baking powder, if desired
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
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In a mixing bowl or large measuring cup, combine all the dry ingredients
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In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks**, coconut milk, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla, then pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix by hand until well combined.
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If separating the eggs, beat the egg whites on high speed with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form, then fold egg whites into batter to combine.
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Heat your waffle iron and brush it well with coconut oil (I love this brush!)
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Pour batter into the center of iron, gently spreading just a bit before closing. Cook waffles according to your waffle iron’s instructions. This recipe will make about 4-6 servings but may vary depending on your iron. I use this round one and love it - no sticking!
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Serve with optional toppings such as berries, nut butter, coconut whipped cream and additional maple syrup. Enjoy! *See note about freezing for later use.
Recipe Notes
*You can freeze the cooked waffles and toast them in a toaster, toaster oven, or regular oven if you want to make these ahead of time.
**I’ve made these waffles with and without separating the egg whites and yolks, and the difference in texture is fairly minimal if you choose not to separate the eggs and beat the whites. If not separating, simply whisk together the whole eggs with the wet ingredients.
Nutrition
What I Used To Make My Classic Paleo Waffles:
Want More Delicious Paleo Breakfast Treats? Try One of these!
Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes {Nut Free}
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes {Nut Free}
Banana Blueberry Breakfast Cookies {Vegan}
Pecan Cranberry Orange Muffins
Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bake {Sugar Free, Vegan}
Maple Pecan Banana Breakfast Bake {Vegan}
Sweet Potato Apple Breakfast Bake {Whole30}
Tell Me!
BEST waffle toppings?
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Made this, LOVE THIS!!! So excited I found something my whole family likes. Going gluten free is so hard but finding recipes like this makes life a little easier!! Thank you so much! Now I am off to find a gluten free sandwich bread recipe!
These were fantastic. A bit of work but so worth it.
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve made this recipe or served it to friends – it has become a staple in our house! So perfectly crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Made these for Father’s Day, and they were a 5 plus star!! I added 1 cup of blueberries and used butter instead of coconut oil. Yum!! Even my gluten loving son said they were great!
Yes, best Paleo waffle recipe I have tried! Easy on my stomach to digest. Thank you!
Love this recipe! Thank you! These waffles are delicious, and they freeze well. I just pop them in the toaster for a quick breakfast!
This Recipe has been my “go-to” for waffle Sunday’s for quite a while now. They are perfect and I have made up to 6 “batches” at a time to feed a crowd.
What would you say I should alter to make this into a pancake mix?
Thank you for the amazing recipe!
Is there a substitute for tapioca flour? New to Paleo cooking and not sure what works. Thank you
Hi Dee, arrowroot can be used a sub for tapioca in some recipes, (not sure if it would work in this one, haven’t tried). Hope this helps!
I had been making another waffle with cashew, but lacked the crunch. Came across this recipe and made it last Saturday. This is the best waffle recipe I have come across and whipping the egg whites took hardly anytime. This recipe makes enough to have for several morning when you’r pressed for time. These are awesome with the coconut butter I made with cinnamon and stevia.