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!

close up of a waffle with butter and syrup on it

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.

syrup being drizzled on stack of vegan waffles, red towel in background

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
stack of waffles on a white plate with red towel and blueberries on wood backdrop

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”.

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
  2. 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!). 
  3. 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.
  4. 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!
collage of how to make waffles, step by step in the waffle iron

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.

syrup drizzling on tall stack of waffles

Want more sweet and simple vegan breakfast recipes?

square image of waffles with butter and syrup, close up
4.96 stars (181 ratings)

Best Ever Vegan Waffles

How to make the Best Ever Vegan Waffles! Nice and crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 large waffles

Ingredients 
 

Flax Eggs (see notes for alternative)

  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
  • 1/2 cup water

Vegan Buttermilk

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

  1. 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.
  2. May use coconut, almond, cashew or any other kind of non-dairy milk that you wish in place of the soy milk. 
  3. For gluten free waffles, simply substitute an all purpose gluten free flour.
  4. 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.
  5. These waffles freeze beautifully. To reheat, simple pop them in the toaster until warmed through and crispy. I always have waffles in the freezer!
  6. These make 8-9 large Belgian waffles, but if you have a smaller square waffle maker, they make around 22 waffles.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!

*This recipe was first published October 2018 and has been updated with improved photos and writing. 

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Read my full disclosure here.

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Comments

  1. Once again you hit the mark perfectly! You are my favorite for any vegan recipes. I did 1.5 cups of white flour and 2 cups whole wheat and brown sugar it they were delicious. I added raspberries and mangos for toppings.

    1. HI Beverly. I really appreciate your supportive and encouraging words! Your waffles sound really delicious! Thanks for your fabulous review! I appreciate you using my recipes! Happy cooking!

  2. For four people there was enough for another day. I refrigerated the remainder for the next day in a quart jar and they were as tasty on day two.
    It does call for a lot of oil, which does make them crispy, so I’ll try using part applesauce next time.

  3. Haha, I realized it’s Belgian, not Belgium waffles. Anyway, I used my Belgian waffle maker with this recipe and it was fine. Although, it will probably be better in a classic . The taste was great!

  4. I make waffles as an excuse to funnel maple syrup into my mouth and these are the perfect vessel for that! I used lemon instead of vanilla since I was out of vanilla. These are great!

  5. Hello, will this recipe work in Belgium Waffle maker. I searched for vegan Belgium waffles, started making your recipe, then realized it was for a classic waffle.
    Thanks

  6. Love these, I keep them stocked in my freezer for me and my kiddo. If I wanted to add protein powder, should I sub anything out? Add more milk?

    1. Thanks for your wonderful review, Jay! You might need an extra splash of milk, but only if the batter looks a bit dry.

  7. Excellent recipe! I’m not even vegan, but I didn’t have any eggs so I specifically looked up a vegan recipe. These waffles were soooo fluffy and delicious. I ended up mashing in a banana to the batter and it was all the better. My kids loved it and so did I.

  8. I love this recipe. I add applesauce instead of oil for extra nutrition. Why does the flour in the batter not mix well? There are clumps of flour. I always sift.

  9. My favourite waffle recipe ever!! They’re so good. We often make them and freeze and they taste fresh. We love adding chocolate chips or blueberries sometimes too.

    1. I love having waffles in the freezer! Thanks for your fabulous review! I’m so glad you are loving the waffles!

  10. I’ve never made waffles before and this recipe was so good! I cut the recipe to make a smaller batch, reduced salt and sugar for my toddler. She is obsessed. Definitely recommend!

    1. Thanks for taking time to share your fabulous review and feedback! I’m thrilled your toddler loves the waffles! Happy cooking!

  11. I really like this recipe and saved it over my others. I did make some small changes (no sugar, used wheat flour, added chia seeds, no butter but avocado oil). I am questioning the nutritional info. Calories and other line items seem high to me. How to you arrive at these amounts?

    1. This will depend on your waffle maker. These amounts are if you get 8 large waffles out of the recipe as written. If you made changes, you will have to enter your ingredients in some sort of calculator and divide by however many waffles you make. I’m glad you enjoyed the waffles; the recipe is quite flexible! Thank you.

  12. Easy to prepare and delicious! I make a batch and freeze half and keep other half in the fridge for us to eat over a couple of days!

  13. What would the substitution be instead of Flax seed/water using Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer? Just didn’t know how many “flax eggs” there are in this recipe. Thanks

    1. The recipe hasn’t been tested without sugar but other commenters have left it out and still had good results.

      1. Love how you use “best ever” in titles of your dishes. It’s true. These waffles are crispy & fluffy and I now have 18 in the freezer per my husband’s request. It’s too hard for us to find vegan ones in the regular grocery stores.

        1. Thank you!! I make these often and try to keep some in the freezer; my teens and younger kid eat them for breakfast almost daily. 🙂

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