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These Gluten-Free Vegan Waffles are incredibly light, crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. Made with almond flour and tapioca flour, they come together in 25 minutes and are perfect for making ahead and freezing for busy mornings. Naturally egg-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly.
When it comes to waffles versus pancakes, waffles win every single time. Those crispy edges are everything to a crunch lover like me, and these gluten-free vegan waffles deliver exactly that: a golden, crispy exterior with a tender, fluffy inside that holds up beautifully under a pile of fresh berries and maple syrup.
This recipe uses two flours, blanched almond flour and tapioca flour, to create a batter that is light, easy to work with, and completely grain-free. There are no eggs, no dairy, and no refined sugar, which makes these waffles a breakfast you can feel great about. And since they freeze so well, one batch gets you through the whole week.
Why you’ll love these gluten-free vegan waffles
- Endlessly versatile with sweet or savory toppings
- Crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside
- Ready in 25 minutes with simple pantry ingredients
- Egg-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free
- Paleo-friendly and grain-free
- Freezer-friendly for easy weekday breakfasts
A few notes on key ingredients
Blanched almond flour and tapioca flour work together to create the ideal texture here. The almond flour gives the waffles body and richness, while the tapioca flour is what creates that satisfying crispy exterior. Make sure to use blanched almond flour rather than almond meal, as almond meal is coarser and will affect the texture.
Apple cider vinegar combined with dairy-free milk creates a quick vegan buttermilk that activates the leavener and gives the waffles extra lift. White vinegar or lemon juice works as a substitute.
Coconut sugar is worth keeping in, even if you are cutting back on sweetener. It helps the waffles develop that beautiful golden crust and adds just a hint of caramel flavor.
Tips for the best gluten-free vegan waffles
Use a good waffle iron. This is the single biggest factor in waffle success. A waffle iron with uneven heating or a worn non-stick coating leads to sticking and uneven browning. It does not need to be expensive, but it does need to heat evenly and have a good non-stick surface.
Let the batter rest. Even just 3 to 5 minutes of resting time allows the flours to absorb the liquid and the batter to thicken, which gives you a better texture in the final waffle.
Do not rush the cook time. Wait until the steam fully stops before opening the waffle iron. Opening too early is the most common reason waffles tear or stick.
Grease between each waffle. Even with a good non-stick waffle iron, a light brush of coconut oil between batches keeps things from sticking and helps with crisping.
How to freeze gluten-free waffles
One of the best things about this recipe is how well the waffles freeze. Here is the process:
- Let the waffles cool completely in a single layer on a wire rack. Stacking warm waffles leads to sogginess.
- Once fully cool, transfer to a resealable zip bag or airtight container.
- Label with the date. They keep well for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, toast at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes until warmed through and crispy again. A toaster oven works great for this. A microwave can also be used, but the waffles won’t be crispy.
Serving ideas
These waffles are delicious, kept simple with vegan butter and pure maple syrup, but here are a few other ways to top them:
- Fresh fruit, berries, and a drizzle of nut butter
- Sauteed cinnamon apples for a cozy fall version
- Coconut whipped cream and sliced banana
- Reduce the coconut sugar to 1 tablespoon and go savory with avocado and a fried egg
More gluten-free vegan breakfast recipes
If you love this recipe, here are a few more favorites to try:
- Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Waffles for a cozy seasonal variation
- Banana Blueberry Pancakes for when pancakes win
- Double Chocolate Pancakes for a weekend treat
- 5-Minute Acai Bowl for something lighter
Gluten-Free Vegan Waffles (Freezer Friendly!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond milk, or dairy-free milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil, or avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour
- ¾ cup Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Optional additions
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Plug in your waffle iron to let it heat up while you prepare the batter.
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the dairy-free milk of your choice and apple cider vinegar and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk in the oil and coconut sugar. Add vanilla extract if using.1 cup almond milk, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup melted coconut oil, 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sea salt, and cinnamon.2 cups Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour, ¾ cup Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Let the batter stand for a few minutes to thicken up.
- Lightly grease the waffle iron and add enough batter to fill the cavity. Cook according to the waffle iron’s directions until golden brown and crispy. The batter is relatively thick, so you may need to spread it out a bit when you first put it into your waffle iron.
- Repeat until all batter is gone, adding more coconut oil (if needed) between each waffle.
- Serve with your desired toppings while the waffles are still warm.
- To freeze the waffles, let them cool completely before placing them in an airtight container or zip bag and freezing. Reheat at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through and crisped to your liking. Best used within 3 months.
Loved this recipe! Super easy to throw together and made the crispiest waffles with just the right amount of chew. My husband who isn’t GF also loved them. I omitted cream of tartar since I didn’t have any, and no issues. Used avocado oil instead of coconut oil since I didn’t want to dirty a dish to melt the oil lol. Turned out great!
One question/note on the coconut sugar. I was going by weight, spooning the sugar into the liquid. It seemed like a LOT so I stopped at 38 grams. I decided to use a tablespoon measure in a separate bowl to see how much I had added. It was already less than 38 grams when I measured 3 tablespoons! Can coconut sugar vary in weight a lot? I’m glad I stopped because 5/6 tablespoons would have been way too much!
So glad you loved them, Maddie! Thanks so much for the feedback and for sharing your changes. For the coconut sugar, it can vary in weight depending on how it’s packed! I actually generally tend to just measure with measuring spoons for coconut sugar. Going to remove the weight measurement for that one, thanks for the feedback there :)
Just now tried this recipe- so good! I am not vegan so I swapped butter for oil. The waffles have great flavor and the perfect texture you want with waffles.
Sounds great, Janis! So glad you enjoyed them :)
No idea what went wrong but this recipe killed my waffle maker. It’s stuck together and I cannot get it open.
Off to muffins! The batter tastes delicious.
Hi Hannah, was your waffle maker well greased or non-stick? Sorry that happened, hopefully you were able to salvage!
What I’ve learned is to use non cooking spray & spray both plates really well. My batch worked by doing this.
I haven’t had a waffle since before 2019.
These worked out great – I didn’t have cream of tarter, but decided to go ahead and try this recipe anyway. What is the benefit of the cream of tarter?
Thank you for this recipe. Going to try the gluten free bread recipe next.
Hi Jenn, it helps to activate the baking powder in this recipe!
Just made these. This is the best GF vegan waffle recipe I have ever tried. Turned out perfect.
So glad you’re loving them!
Was so hopeful for this third (& final?!) attempt at making waffles!! The first two times, using different recipes, were disasters with waffles sticking badly. Alas, this time was no better!! Disaster which took forever to prize badly stuck and split batter from maker – despite a thorough dousing of coconut oil with pastry brush beforehand. Could it have been because I substituted coconut sugar with maple syrup in recipe? About to give up on waffles and chuck this darn machine in the bin!!! (Machine is K-mart brand flip style with non-stick (haha) coating.)
Hi Heather, using maple syrup instead of coconut sugar could have been part of the cause – it changes the liquid ratio in the recipe which can throw off the texture. Also, if you’re having trouble with multiple well rated recipes, it may be worth looking at the machine. Has any recipe ever turned out with it?
Hello! Can I substitute honey for coconut sugar?
It should be okay but whenever you switch a liquid sweetener for a dry one it changes the ratio, so you’ll likely want to reduce the liquid a bit to compensate for the extra moisture.
Taste is delicious! Texture was a little off, I think because I didn’t melt the coconut oil. Are you supposed to melt it? If so, it could be helpful to write “melted coconut oil” just so people know exactly what to do. Thanks so much!
Yes sorry for the confusion! I will update the post.
These were great I’m off sugar so used Inulin powder & they were crispy & got that golden hue. Thanks.
So glad this worked well! Thanks for the feedback.