Looking for a treat-yourself-worthy breakfast? These Dairy-Free Waffles are made from an easy batter with no milk or butter but still get fluffy with a golden-brown crispy exterior.
This dairy-free breakfast (along with my No-Milk Pancakes!) comes together quickly, with ingredients that most bakers and home cooks already have in their pantry, making it a family favorite in our household.
When it comes to decadent breakfast or brunch, my mind always goes straight to waffles (see also: Chocolate Chip Waffles!). And as a busy mom who loves a dang good brekkie, this simple, easy, and fast recipe is at the top of my list!
Dairy-Free Waffles Ingredient Highlights
The extra fat is what distinguishes this waffle batter from pancake batter, and in this case, we are using oil. Any neutral oil will do, I usually use canola oil.
These waffles with no milk use water instead but are designed to still be fluffy on the inside with a crispy exterior.
Dairy-Free Waffles Tips and Tricks
How to Make Homemade Waffles without Butter or Milk
Add your flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to combine the dry ingredients and to ensure there are no lumps. Starting with a smooth mixture will give you the best batter for perfect dairy-free waffles.
Next, add the egg, oil, vanilla extract, and water and whisk again to combine until smooth.
It’s always best practice to crack your eggs into a separate dish instead of directly into your batter. This will help to avoid losing a piece of eggshell in the batter. It also means that if you have a bad or bloody egg, you won’t waste the rest of your batter ingredients.
This step is optional, but I find that it’s much easier to pour your waffle batter into the waffle press if your batter is in a cup with a handle and spout.
I like to transfer my batter to my measuring cup for easy pouring!
Pro tip: I use this reusable oil sprayer to add my own oil. It’s much more cost-effective and helps you avoid those non-recyclable aerosol cans.
Use any non-stick spray, oil, or butter to coat your waffle iron to ensure it doesn’t get stuck.
Fill your waffle iron about ¾ of the way with batter. When you close it, it will spread to reach the sides. Overfilling the waffle iron will cause it to overflow and make a mess.
Serving Your Dairy-Free Waffles
These waffles are out-of-this-world on their own or with just maple syrup or honey! I like to serve them with these Soft Scrambled Eggs and/or Crispy Breakfast Potatoes.
That being said, they are also great vessels for a variety of great toppings. Here are some of my favorites:
- Dairy-free butter
- Whipped cream (coconut or almond based)
- Blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries
- Sliced bananas, peaches, or pears
- Chopped apple
- Cinnamon or cinnamon sugar
- Dark chocolate chips or chocolate syrup
How I Store and Reheat Leftover Waffles and Batter
These crispy dairy-free waffles will last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the waffles to make them last up to 3 months.
The best way to reheat your waffles successfully is to reheat them in the oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes (or until heated thoroughly).
Of course, in a pinch, you can microwave them on high for 30-45 seconds per waffles. Just know that microwaving the waffles tends to make them a little bit rubbery, especially if you overdo it.
It’s also best to avoid stacking the waffles while microwaving them for more even heating.
If you do freeze your waffles, allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating the homemade waffles by using one of the methods listed above.
Crispy Dairy-Free Waffles
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, tightly packed (light or dark)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg (or flax egg )
- ¼ cup oil (coconut, canola, or vegetable preferred)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
- cooking spray for waffle iron
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron while you prepare your batter.
- To a large mixing bowl, add your flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, ensuring there are no lumps.1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, tightly packed, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the oil, egg, vanilla extract, and water and whisk until smooth and transfer the batter to a measuring cup or other cup with a spout for easy pouring (optional). If the batter seems too thick, you can add a little more water, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter reaches your desired thickness.1 large egg, ¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup water
- Spray the waffle iron to avoid sticking. Pour the batter into the waffle iron, filling it about ¾ of the way.cooking spray for waffle iron
- Cook waffle according to instructions on your waffle iron until the exterior is golden brown. Repeat until batter is used up. Enjoy hot with maple syrup!
Pro Tips
- You can easily make this recipe vegan by using flax egg in the batter!
Video
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6 thoughts on “Crispy Dairy-Free Waffles”
the batter was to thick and would not come out clean.
I’m so sorry these didn’t work out for you! Thank you so much for your feedback- I’m adding a note that if the batter is too thick, you can always add a little extra water to thin it out. I should have made that clearer! Thanks again!
The batter was VERY thick, I added about a half cup more of water
Hi Cynthia! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback. I’m glad you followed your instincts and adjusted the amount of water! I have gotten this comment one other time on social media as well, I’m going to test it again this week! Thanks again!
Can I make the batter the night before?
Hi Shawna! Absolutely you can! The batter will stay fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge 🙂