Crispy Paleo Waffles (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Crispy Paleo Waffles – the most delicious and crispy waffle breakfast or brunch recipe! Made with almond flour. You’d never guess these were paleo, gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free!
I am SO excited to be sharing these crispy waffles with you today! I’ve been working on this recipe for over a month, and after many waffle breakfasts I’ve finally perfected them.
If you love light and crispy waffles, this is the waffle recipe for you. Is there anything worse that a squishy, soggy waffle? I like my waffles CRISP! I want to be able to hear myself cutting in to them. Hear an actual *tap tap* as I tap my fork on them. But also light and fluffy on the inside. And these beauties are them. And best of all they are paleo/gluten free/grain free!
I started off with my previous go to dairy free waffle recipe that uses almond milk and coconut oil. Tons of you have told me you love these waffles, especially those of you like me with dairy sensitivities.
The waffles are super light and crispy thanks to the beaten egg whites. The beaten egg whites are essential to a light waffle. They add air and lightness to the waffle, and make it fluffy as a cloud. If you skip this step, which I have on lazy mornings, the waffles are much thicker and denser.
I wanted to to tweak it so I could avoid using white flour all together and use paleo friendly flours so these waffles would be even more guilt free.
I finally found success using a combination of both almond flour and tapioca flour. Just almond flour alone was too dense and crumbly. But the addition of some tapioca flour made it the perfect paleo waffle batter.
I added another step to my original dairy free waffles that I love even more in these paleo waffles. Rather than using just plain almond milk, I make a paleo version of buttermilk by adding apple cider vinegar to the almond milk. It gives it that great tang you love in buttermilk waffles without having to use dairy.
I don’t like my waffle batter overly sweet. I like to get the sweetness from pure maple syrup and fresh berries. So I add just 1/4 cup of coconut sugar to the waffle batter so it has just a touch of sweetness to it.
I make these in my beloved double belgian waffle maker. It can make 2 waffles at once! And I love how deep the waffle pockets are. I cook them at the toastiest level, because I like my waffles crispy as can be. Sometimes even when the waffle iron beeps, I open it and they’re still not crispy enough so I’ll cook them even longer.
My husband did not believe when I served these and told him they were 100% paleo, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free. They are delicious!
I’ll be serving them for our Easter brunch, and basically every Sunday morning breakfast forever. Because Sunday breakfast is meant to be waffles.
Crispy Paleo Waffles (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely ground almond flour, this is my favorite
- 1 cup tapioca flour, this is my favorite
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and room temperature (not piping hot)
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Coconut oil spray
Equipment needed:
- Waffle iron, this one is my favorite, it makes 2 waffles at once!
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Cooling rack
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron.
- In a large bowl, sift the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder and salt.
- In your stand mixer with the balloon whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the 3 egg whites over medium high until stiff peaks form.
- Combine the almond milk and apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for a few minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. This makes it similar to a buttermilk. The almond milk will get a little lumpy.
- In a small bowl, combine the almond milk/apple cider mixture, 3 egg yolks, coconut oil, coconut sugar and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Whisk to combine.
- Use a spatula to spoon the beaten egg whites into the waffle batter. Very, VERY gently fold the egg whites into the batter until just combined. You want to keep the egg whites as fluffy as possible. This will keep the batter light, give you lots of bubbles in the batter, and will make the waffles light and crispy.
- Spray your waffle iron with coconut oil spray. Spoon the waffle batter into your waffle iron, and cook to desired doneness. I like mine crispy and golden brown.
- When the waffles are done cooking, transfer the cooked waffles to a cooling rack. Don't put them straight on a plate. The heat from the hot waffles will create steam on the plate, which leads to soggy waffle bottoms.
- Serve the waffles with your favorite toppings: pure maple syrup, fresh berries, bananas, almond butter, coconut whipped cream, honey, nuts, etc.
- Any leftover waffles can be frozen in a freezer safe ziploc bag for 6 months. You can reheat them in a toaster (if they fit), or bake them on a wire rack rimmed baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10ish minutes until crispy again.
More Paleo Breakfasts:
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119 Comments on “Crispy Paleo Waffles (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)”
HolyMole!!! These are incredible. I ate three…..now I feel too full because of the nutrient density. lol
I used Macadamia nut milk because that is what I have and it was incredible. Very soft and flavorful. Thank you!!!
I love to hear that they were soft and flavorful Stefanie! It’s good to know the recipe worked well with macadamia nut milk. Thanks so much for sharing that.
So so good! My favorite gf waffle recipe. I use maple syrup in my batter if I run out of coconut sugar.
My husband and 2year old love these too!
I love that you use maple syrup in your batter Alizee. That sounds delicious! So glad your husband and 2 year old liked them too!
This is hands down the best waffle recipe I’ve tried, both paleo or regular. The almond buttermilk made with apple cider vinegar was brilliant! Thanks to the tip about cooling them on a rack, we finally have crispy waffles. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Wow! I am so happy you liked my waffles Cora. Even better that they are your favorite waffle recipe. I agree that the almond butter milk gives it a delicious flavor and tang. I’m glad you liked the tip about cooling them on a wire rack. There is nothing worse than a soggy waffle!
This is absolutely our favorite waffle recipe! I’ve been making these waffles since I saw the recipe and the whole family loves them…even my picky kids! My husband recently stopped eating eggs so he feels left out when I make them…he loved them so much he wants me to try a vegan alternative…any suggestions?! :)
I haven’t recipe tested them without eggs but some vegan egg substitutes are:
tofu
applesauce
flax meal
chia seeds
banana
soy yogurt
plant based egg substitute like ‘Just Egg’
I sure hope they turn out fantastic!
My whole crew loved these! I was out of coconut and used refined almond oil instead. Turned out amazing!!
Thank you for the amazing recipe!
I am so glad you like my waffles Holly! It’s good to know that they turned out well with refined almond oil. Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
Amazing recipe!! Super crispy and very tasty.
I am so happy you liked my waffles Amanda! I love to hear that they were crispy and tasty. That is what I was hoping for!
These were so good. Whole family loved them. Nice and crispy! Thank you so much for the recipe😊
I am so happy you liked my waffles Bethany. Even better that your whole family liked them. I love to hear that they were nice and crispy!
These were so good Natalie! Perfectly crisp + light! The recipe was so easy to follow too! Yum! My whole family gobbled them up!
Yeah! I am so happy you liked my waffles Chantelle! I love to hear that they were easy to make, crispy and light. Even better that your family gobbled them up. That is music to my ears!
Rarely leave comments on recipes, due to lack of time. I felt I had to for this one though. My wife and I have been eating paleo for a couple of years and have gotten accustomed to making sacrifices to taste or texture with baked goods. Not the case with this waffle recipe at all. I run a gourmet cooking store and in my down time I cruse the inter webs for recipes that look interesting. When I discovered this recipe and it being so close to Mothers Day. I figured what have got to loose and I was right. The clue was the use of egg whites. This indicated that the recipe creator familiar with the properties of baking. Myself, our son, and my wife are all delighted with the results and look forward to exploring this site more.
Thank you
Richard
Oh my goodness what a lovely review of my recipe Richard! You absolutely made my day! I am so happy you, your wife and son enjoyed my waffles. I hope your wife had a fantastic Mother’s Day! Thank you so much for the feedback, it really means the world to me.
So tasty! Husband approved – says they were the best waffles he’s ever had!
I am so happy you liked my waffles Tristyn! That is fantastic that your hubby says they are the best he has ever had! Yeah!
BEST WAFFLES EVER!!!
I am SO picky about crispy waffles and found the perfect recipe… until I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and changed my diet to be gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free…
This recipe is BETTER. Make them, now, exactly as written. Thank you so much!!! Waffle Sunday’s are back :)
Wow! What a nice review of my waffles Jaime! You just made my day! I am so happy you liked them. Congratulations to you for your new healthy eating habits. I am so glad my waffles can make your Sunday mornings special again!
Turned out just like I’d hoped! Crispy on outside and super fluffy!
I am so happy my waffles turned out just like you wanted them to Rachel. I love to hear they were crisp on the outside and super fluffy. Thank you so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
Amazing! I’ve been looking for a gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb waffle recipe for YEARS. This is delicious! My whole family gobbled it up, agreeing they taste better than the typical buttermilk waffles at a diner. 😋The texture—the chewy crispness, is delightful. The only changes I made was to add 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1/4 cup additional almond milk, and I added ground cinnamon to the mixture. I printed the recipe for future breakfasts, which is really saying something! 😜
I am so happy you liked my waffles Joyful. Even better that your whole family enjoyed them! I love the additions you made to the recipe, they sound delicious! Thank you so much for sharing them.
Nice crispy outside, flavorful innards.
I thinned it down a bit and it made a perfect batter for gluten free Taiyaki (filled with refined sugar free sweetened red bean paste). Yummy!
I am so glad you liked my waffles Jim! I had to Google what Taiyaki is and it looks delicious! Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
Literally the BEST gluten free waffles!
We’ve tried many. Thank you!! Taste like real yummy waffles, perfect. Well I follow recipe exactly. We & kids love :)))))
I am so glad you like my waffles Stacy. I am thrilled that they are they best you have tried. That’s quite a compliment. So happy your kids like them too!
Would it still work if I used coconut milk instead of almond milk?
Yes I think coconut milk would work just fine instead of almond milk Candy. I sure hope you like them, happy cooking!
This is my go-to waffle recipe. People can’t believe it’s gluten-free or paleo! I don’t think I’ll ever use another waffle mix or recipe.
I am so glad you like my waffles Erica! That is fantastic that they are your go to waffle recipe! Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
Sooooo good! Even my hubby loves these! I had to cut the recipe in half coz there’s just us two old folks here. I also substituted the oil with applesauce because hubs doesn’t like it. They’re wonderful! He was looking for a replacement for honey graham crackers that was healthy. This will be a recipe to hang onto for this household. Thank you for sharing!
Yeah! I am so glad you and your husband like my waffles Sherri. So thrilled these replaced honey graham crackers in your house! That is fantastic. I am so glad you will be making these again.
The best thing Paleo I have ever tasted – Delicious ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Yeah! I am so happy my waffles are the best Paleo thing you have ever tasted Colleen. You just made my day!
These are AMAZING! My mother made regular waffles, and I made these waffles. Consensus is that these are better. My family doesn’t even normally like the Paleo recipes I make!
Oh my gosh! You just made my day Alyssa! I am so glad you liked my Paleo waffles. That is just thrilling that the Paleo ones were enjoyed more that the “regular” waffles. Yeah!