Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Waffles
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This Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Waffle Recipe is made with sweet rice flour and buckwheat flour. It’s a simple recipe which creates the best gluten-free waffles which are crisp, fluffy and taste incredible. Plus they are refined sugar-free, easy to make dairy-free and made with no xanthan gum.
If you adore waffles and need an easy no fuss recipe that you can turn to when you want a delicious breakfast in a flash then you need to try these gluten-free waffles. They are simply the best and easiest waffle recipe. Believe me I know, as I have had a lot of practice perfecting these due to my family’s insatiable appetite for gluten-free waffles on a Sunday morning.
As such I have tried variations of this recipe with pretty much every gluten-free flour I own but these sweet rice flour waffles combined with buckwheat flour really tick all the boxes.
Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Waffles
- Crispy waffles with a light crunch to the exterior and light and fluffy interior.
- Easy to make using a mixing bowl, 1 jug, 1 whisk and a waffle iron.
- Refined sugar-free waffles – just a splash of maple syrup.
- Delicious to serve with any sweet or savoury topping.
- Easy to scale up this recipe for a crowd.
- Perfectly balanced gluten-free flour blend of buckwheat flour and sweet rice flour.
- No xanthan gum needed.
Watch this video to see how to make it
Ingredients Needed
Buckwheat flour. This naturally gluten-free flour has a delicious taste similar to a wholegrain flour but it is actually a pseudo grain as it looks and acts like a grain but is actually a seed. It has a fantastic deep rich earthy flavour and a lovely light texture which pairs beautifully with the sweet rice flour. Substitutions – you can swap the buckwheat flour for oat flour, sorghum flour or teff flour. You could even swap for chickpea flour for a slightly different flavour.
Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour). This starchy flour is not the same as regular rice flour. Instead it is wonderfully sticky and gives the waffles a lovely texture a bit like a mochi waffle, although it is a little lighter as we are blending our sweet rice flour with buckwheat. Substitutions – you can swap the sweet rice flour for almond flour.
Baking powder. A leavening agent which causes the cake to rise and become light and fluffy. Do check your baking powder is gluten-free before use.
Bicarbonate of soda. Also known as baking soda, this is a white crystalline powder that is commonly used as a leavening agent in baking.
Ground cinnamon. It adds a lovely bit of spice warmth.
Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.
Milk. Use whole milk or a plant based milk if you are making dairy-free.
Eggs. This recipe uses medium eggs, about 60g each with shell or 50g each without shell.
Maple syrup. Adds sweetness and flavour. You can swap for honey.
Vanilla extract. You don’t need to use the best quality vanilla extract here as there's already a lot going on with the flavours and it won't make a difference. A supermarket brand is just fine.
Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe.
How to make Gluten-Free Waffles
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Wet ingredients. Whisk the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Dry ingredients. Whisk the milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and cooled melted butter in a large jug.
- Mix together. Whisk until smooth and thick.
- Cook in the waffle iron. For 8 minutes.
Expert Tips
Make sure your melted butter has cooled before whisking it into the other wet ingredients.
I recommend you grease your waffle iron, even if it is non-stick. There’s nothing worse than cleaning waffle batter out of the little gaps if it sticks to the pan.
And the best way to grease a waffle iron is by using baking spray which gets into all the little crevices, nooks and crannies. Grease the waffle iron after it has heated up.
Heat the waffle iron up according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I usually switch it on before I start getting the ingredients out of the larder and it’s ready when my batter is.
There is no need to rest this batter, you can use it straightaway.
Each waffle needs about ⅓ cup of batter (one of the few times I use my measuring cup). Drop the batter into the centre of each waffle space. If you want even waffles with no holes then you can spread the batter out across the whole waffle space with a small silicone spatula – but work quickly.
You want to pour the batter into each section of the waffle iron and shut the lid as quickly as possible to ensure even baking.
You can use your favourite waffle iron but I use this 4 slice waffle iron which is super simple to use. This waffle iron has space for 4 waffles, and this recipe creates 10 waffles so you will need to work in batches.
I usually weigh down my waffle iron lid with something heavy (I use a set of manual baking weights). Not this particular recipe but other waffle recipes I have made rise quickly and the batter lifts the lid of the waffle iron. This means the waffles at the front don’t cook as evenly, so as a precaution I always weigh the lid down.
In between batches of waffles, clean any crispy bits out with kitchen towel, re-grease lightly then pour in the next batch of batter.
You can keep your waffles warm whilst you are cooking all the batches by resting them in a very low heated oven on a baking sheet until you are ready to serve.
How to make ahead
You can make the waffle mixture the night before if you wish. However, the mixture does thicken overnight. I recommend whisking 50g extra milk into the batter the next morning to compensate.
You could also make the waffles until the end of the recipe and then store in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend re-heating in the toaster for 45 seconds before serving.
How to freeze
These waffles freeze really well. Allow to cool completely then store the waffles in the freezer for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
You can re-heat directly from frozen. Place each waffle in the toaster for 2 minutes to heat up.
Waffle serving suggestions
Serve the waffle with your favourite sweet toppings for breakfast.
- Maple syrup.
- Greek yoghurt or dairy-free coconut yoghurt.
- Cashew butter.
- Salted butter.
- Apple Butter.
- Homemade Cashew Cream.
Or why not try some savoury toppings..
- Scrambled egg and ham.
- Smoked salmon and cream cheese.
- Bacon and maple syrup.
- Poached egg and hollandaise sauce.
Or you could even serve the waffles up as a dessert. For instance..
- Vanilla ice cream with maple syrup.
- Vanilla ice cream with Hot Chocolate Sauce.
- Fresh seasonal fruit and Gluten-Free Custard.
More gluten-free breakfasts you’ll love
- Gluten-Free American Pancakes
- Kid Friendly Granola
- Quinoa Breakfast Porridge
- Pecan Espresso Granola
- Gluten-Free Bircher Muesli
- Gluten-Free Hash Browns
- Banana Oat Bread
- Pumpkin Pancakes with Almond Maple Syrup
- Bubble and Squeak
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Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Waffles
Ingredients
- 140 g buckwheat flour
- 120 g sweet rice flour - glutinous rice flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 350 g whole milk
- 2 eggs - medium size*
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 60 g melted butter - cooled
Instructions
- Heat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Whisk together the buckwheat flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and sea salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the whole milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract and cooled melted butter into a large jug and whisk until combined.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients, whisking together well until the batter is smooth and thick.
- Spray the waffle iron with baking spray then spoon in the waffle mixture, close the lid and cook the waffles for 8 minutes.
- Carefully remove the waffles, spray the waffle iron again and cook your next batch.
- Serve warm with your favourite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Buckwheat flour. This can be substituted with oat flour or sorghum flour.
- Sweet rice flour. This can be substituted with almond flour or a blend of 90g white rice flour and 30g tapioca starch.
- Whole milk. This can be substituted with a plant milk of your choosing. Almond milk works well.
- Melted butter. This can be substituted with melted coconut oil.
- No need to rest the waffle batter.
- Pre-heat the waffle iron for about 10 minutes before cooking your waffles.
- Spray your waffle iron with baking spray to grease and ensure no sticking.
- Please note when you see ‘grams’ listed as opposed to ‘millilitres,’ or any other term of measurement, that is not incorrect. I weigh all of my ingredients, including liquids, for accuracy.
- US customary measurements for the ingredients provided are based on a conversion calculator. This recipe was tested with metric measurements and I recommend using a digital scale to weigh ingredients for the most accurate results. READ MORE >>> Why you should always weigh vs measuring with cups
Absolutely brilliant recipe – have used it twice already and will keep it in steady rotation.
That's great to hear - thank you for letting me know how you are getting on with this recipe. I make it weekly - it's such a family favourite!
I made heart waffles for a Valentine breakfast…they were enjoyed by all!
Thanks for a great recipe!
You are welcome - heart waffles is a great idea!!
Hi Georgina
Once again you provide a recipe that reads mouth-watering and I am eager to try it. We have a Belgian waffle maker, would this recipe turn out fluffy in that device?
I am thinking of switching the buckwheat to oat. I read that people with latex allergies can have cross reactions and want to limit my intake. Though, I also know buckwheat is good for those in the family that need a pre- diabetes diet.
We have ordered sweet rice flour, for your cakes/cupcakes; if it’s not here in time and I substitute almond with oat ( for the buckwheat) will this produce a fluffy Belgian waffle?
Thank you- Cathy
Yes, you can make it in a belgian waffle maker. And yes you can substitute the buckwheat for oat and the sweet rice flour for almond. I've made this waffle recipe with a lot of different flours and those subs you mentioned are favourite swaps.
Georgina- thank you for your helpful guidance with flours and options to make either waffles or Belgian waffles.
The GF world is new to me, so your proven advice is very welcome!!!
You are welcome!! I hope you enjoyed them!