These delicious oat flour waffles are the perfect gluten-free breakfast. They’re light and fluffy with a perfectly soft center and golden, crispy edges. They only require 5 minutes of hands-on prep time and these healthy oat waffles are filled with whole grain goodness.
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Oat flour waffles are one of my go-to breakfasts. I mean, what could be better? They’re light with a crispy exterior and you can add whatever toppings you like best. They can be served sweet or savory.
They’re also the perfect meal prep option. They’re easy to make and can be stored in either the fridge or the freezer. Then, when you need a quick breakfast, just pop a couple in the toaster and they’re ready to go in just a few minutes!
Trust me. These gluten-free waffles are a recipe everyone will love…not just those on a gluten-free diet!
Looking for more ways to use up oats in your pantry? Check out my oat flour banana bread!
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📖Why This Recipe Works
There are a couple of key reasons why this gluten-free waffles recipe is the best!
My recipe uses homemade oat flour. Oat flour isn't always easy to find but whole oats are sold at every grocery store. Making oat flour at home saves time and money. It’s literally just blended-up oats and it is significantly less costly.
Once the batter is mixed, you’ll let it sit for 10 minutes or so. During that time, the oat flour soaks up moisture for an overall better texture.
Like with all our gluten-free baking recipes, letting gluten-free batters rehydrate is the key to avoiding any gummy textures.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free when certified gluten-free oats are used.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Oat flour is our star ingredient. You can use store-bought oat flour, but I highly recommend making your own oat flour using rolled oats.
It takes about a minute when using a high-speed blender and you can make the remainder of the waffle batter in the same blender. No extra dishes to wash!
Is oat flour gluten-free?
Yes, oat flour is naturally gluten-free. Oats themselves do not contain gluten, but they are often processed in facilities that also process wheat, barley, and rye, which do contain gluten. This can lead to cross-contamination of the oats with gluten. However, oat flour made from pure, uncontaminated oats should be gluten-free.
If you are concerned about gluten in your diet, it's always a good idea to look for oat flour that is labeled as gluten-free to ensure that it has been processed in a facility that does not also process gluten-containing grains and is properly tested to ensure they are safe.
More Ingredient Info
Coconut Sugar - Granulated sugar will work too but I prefer the nuttiness of the coconut sugar.
Baking Powder - Gives the batter a little lift for lighter, fluffier waffles.
Kosher Salt - Only add salt if you use unsalted butter. If all you have is salted, you can skip it.
Eggs - Bind everything together so the waffles can hold their shape.
Milk - Whatever milk you have on hand will work. I used whole milk but try your favorite plant-based milk. I typically don't mix oat milk and oat flour; it can feel a tad heavy. Try coconut milk (not the canned kind) or almond milk.
Unsalted Butter - A little bit of melted butter adds flavor depth and creates a soft texture.
Optional Mix-Ins - Feel free to get creative with your favorite mix-ins. Try blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, sprinkles, you name it.
Dairy-Free Oat Flour Waffles
Want to make your gluten-free waffles dairy-free too? Simply swap the milk and butter out for non-dairy varieties of both. I recommend almond milk, but any kind will work.
If you don’t have vegan butter, you can use coconut oil or vegetable oil instead, but I think that vegan butter has a better flavor.
Add apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, just a splash so the baking powder has the acid it needs to perform its duties.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
⏲️How to Make Oat Flour Waffles
First thing first, grab your waffle iron and a couple of mixing bowls and preheat the oven to 200º. Now for the waffles!
Step 1- Make Your Oat Flour
Place oats in a food processor (or a blender) and pulse the oats until they are ground into a powder-like consistency. This process should take about 60 to 90 seconds.
You will need about 2¾ cups of oats to make the 2 cups of oat flour.
Step 2 - Make the Batter
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, heat the milk in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, then whisk in melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. The milk should be warmer than room temperature but not boiling hot.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix until fully blended, then let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
Step 3- Cook the Waffles
While the batter is resting you will need to start heating up your waffle maker.
Add a scoop of batter onto the hot waffle iron. For the best results, be sure not to overfill the hot iron. Resist the temptation to open the lid. Let it cook until golden brown and crisp on the edges.
How long you let the waffles cook depends on the size of your waffle iron. Mine was about 3 to 4 minutes each.
Transfer the finished waffles to the preheated oven to keep them warm while you make the rest.
🥗How to Serve Oat Flour Waffles
You already know waffles just aren’t complete without all of your favorite toppings. While we all love the drizzle of maple syrup, but you can get creative with it! Here are just a few ideas:
- Nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.)
- Whipped cream
- Hot Honey
- Cinnamon
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh fruit (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, sliced bananas, you name it.)
Looking to bulk your meal up a bit? Waffles are a classic breakfast, so serve them up alongside any of your favorite breakfast recipes OR make them into a savory meal topped with chicken wings and garlic honey.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- If you’re grinding your own oats, you can make the batter easily in the blender to dirty fewer dishes.
- If you’re mixing the batter up yourself, I recommend a large glass measuring cup for easy pouring.
- Don’t forget to check your baking powder. If it’s expired, it won’t make the waffles light and fluffy which is what we want!
- Let the batter rest. This allows the oat flour to soak up some of the moisture which creates a better texture!
- Preheat the waffle iron. It should be nice and hot, so the edges of the waffles get that perfect golden-brown crisp.
- Make extra! Waffles freeze beautifully and can be easily reheated in the toaster. Make extra so you have them on hand for a quick weekday breakfast option.
🔪Equipment
A smaller waffle maker like a DASH mini waffle maker will make 8-10 waffles and take longer. But they are the perfect size for reheating in a toaster.
A larger Belgian-style waffle maker will yield fewer waffles, but they will be lighter and fluffier.
🌡️Storage and Reheating
Allow the waffles to completely cool before placing them in an airtight container. This will help to keep the moisture from the waffles from getting trapped inside the container and making them soggy.
The cooked waffles will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in a ziplock bag in the freezer for 3-4 months.
When you’re ready to serve again, simply pop them into the toaster or warm them in the oven until heated through.
Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes
💬Frequently Asked Questions
Oat flour is definitely one of your healthier flour options. Oats themselves are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, so the same goes for the flour that comes from them!
There are a couple of steps you can take throughout the waffle-making process to prevent soggy waffles. Here are my tips!
1. Preheat the waffle iron. If the iron is heating up with the batter already in it, the outsides will burn before the middle is cooked. It needs to be nice and hot for that perfect crispy texture.
2. Keep them in the oven. Once your waffles are cooked and while you finish out the rest of them, I recommend keeping them in the oven set to 200ºF to help maintain their texture. Make sure you set them on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet so the air can circulate around them.
3. Reheat in the toaster. Leftover waffles are naturally going to soften up a bit. However, reheating in the toaster (or in the oven) is a great way to get back some of that crispiness. The microwave will just make them soggier.
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📖 Recipe
Oat Flour Waffles
Equipment
- Waffle Maker
Ingredients
- 2 cups oat flour
- 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar or granulated white sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine.2 cups oat flour, 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate small bowl heat the milk for 30 to 60 seconds until warm not hot. Whisk in melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until blended.2 eggs, 1 ½ cups milk, 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat waffle iron while the batter rests for 10 minutes.
- Scoop the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook until the waffles are golden brown and crisp. Keep your waffles warm while cooking other batches by placing them on a wire rack in a 200 degree oven.
Notes
- Oat Flour can be made from whole old-fashioned oats by pulsing in a food processor until you get a fine flour. You will need approximately 2 ¾ cups of oats to make 2 cups of oat flour.
- This recipe is gluten-free only if certified gluten-free oats are used.
- This recipe makes 10 using a small waffle iron if you use a larger Belgian-style waffle maker it will make approximately 6 waffles.
- Store in zip-top bags in the freezer.
- Reheat in a toaster or toaster oven set to medium heat until warmed through.
- DAIRY-FREE OPTION- Use nondairy milk and vegan butter. I recommend almond milk. You can use coconut oil or vegetable oil, but vegan butter will have a better flavor.
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