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These easy vegan Belgian waffles are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. This recipe uses homemade vegan buttermilk and flaxseed for perfect fluffy waffles that are completely dairy-free and eggless.
Originally Published: January 2021 | Updated: February 7, 2024
Why You’ll Love these Vegan Belgian Waffles
Are you a pancake or waffle person? I’m definitely a waffle lover through and through, which is why I developed this waffle recipe!
These waffles are made completely from scratch, and will definitely be your new favorite breakfast. I know they’re now mine :). They taste just like the classic, homemade version you grew up eating and make a delicious breakfast or brunch.
Here are a few more reasons why we love this recipe and you will too:
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- Dairy-Free & Eggless: These waffles are completely plant-based, perfect for those with dairy or egg allergies, or those who choose to avoid animal products.
- Crispy Outside, Fluffy Inside: The waffles get nice and crispy on the outside, yet stay soft on the inside, thanks to a little oil in the waffle batter and being cooked in a hot waffle maker!
- Homemade Vegan Buttermilk: The vegan buttermilk reacts with baking soda and powder to help create a soft and fluffy texture
- Deep Pockets for Syrup: The waffles have deep pockets, ideal for holding melted vegan butter and maple syrup.
- Super Easy Recipe: This recipe is so simple and makes perfect waffles!
Belgian Waffles vs. Normal Waffles
The difference between Belgian waffles and normal waffles is how tall they are. Belgian waffles are thicker, with deeper pockets. Belgian waffles are often fluffier with a crisp exterior. To make Belgian waffles, you need a Belgian waffle maker. The one I use allows you to flip the waffles which is great for even cooking.
If you only have a normal waffle iron, no problem! You can still use this recipe, but the batter will yield more waffles. You’ll want to pour less batter into the iron, so it doesn’t overflow. Try pouring 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 of a cup.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
To start, let’s go over the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe! You only need 10 pantry-friendly, simple ingredients (including salt & oil). They are:
- Plant-based milk: Like almond milk. Feel free to use another non-dairy milk like coconut milk, soy or oat milk.
- Apple cider vinegar: This helps create the vegan buttermilk. White vinegar or lemon juice both work well in place of the apple cider vinegar in the vegan buttermilk.
- All-purpose flour: I used King Arthur’s Unbleached All Purpose Flour. For a whole grain version, you can use 100% whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (like King Arthur’s) to make these waffles gluten-free.
- Baking powder & baking soda
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Ground Flaxseed: This is our egg substitute. The flax helps bind the waffle batter together and creates a fluffier ‘egg’ like texture.
- Vegetable oil: Or use canola oil, melted coconut oil, or melted vegan butter.
- Pure vanilla extract
Helpful Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl: for making the waffle batter
- Belgian Waffle Iron: for cooking
- Wire Rack: for cooling the cooked waffles
Step by Step Instructions
🎥 Video tutorial is in the recipe card below!
How to Make Vegan Buttermilk & Flax Egg
To make vegan buttermilk waffles, we first need to know how to make vegan buttermilk! Luckily, making vegan buttermilk is super easy and fast.
Combine 2 cups of room temperature dairy free milk with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. I promise you won’t be able to taste the vinegar in the cooked waffle.
Mix the ground flax seed with the water in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken for 5 minutes.
Making the Waffles
Preheat the Belgian waffle iron and grease well with cooking spray.
Preheat the Belgian waffle iron and grease well with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center.
Pour the vegan buttermilk into the well. Then add the oil, flax egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until just combined and the mixture is no longer lumpy.
Add 1/2-3/4 cup of batter to your waffle iron. Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown on each side, or per your waffle iron’s instructions. Repeat for the rest of the batter.
Serving
These vegan buttermilk Belgian waffles are deliciously aromatic and slightly sweet all on their own. Of course, they’re even better topped with traditional maple syrup and fresh berries for a quintessential weekend breakfast.
We also love topping them off with chocolate chips, fresh fruits like blueberries or strawberries, vegan Nutella, peanut butter, or Biscoff cookie butter.
These are the best vegan waffles for special occasions like a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day brunch, weekend mornings, or even holiday breakfasts like Easter or Christmas. Enjoy!
Storage
If you end up with leftover waffles, these store and reheat wonderfully. To keep waffles warm after cooking, place them on a wire rack in a preheated oven on the warm setting. They helps prevent them from getting soggy!
Leftover waffles can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. For longer storage, wrap the waffles tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. The frozen waffles reheat easily in the toaster oven or toaster for quick breakfasts on busy mornings.
Tips For Fluffy Yet Crispy Vegan Waffles
- Don’t skip the vegan buttermilk: The buttermilk is what makes these waffles so fluffy and light.
- Hot waffle iron + oil = crispy waffles: Using a good amount of oil in the batter helps the waffles get crispy on the outside. And preheating your waffle iron before adding the batter is key.
- Let waffles cool on a wire rack: Placing the cooked waffles on a wire rack prevents them from getting soggy.
- Grease your waffle iron: Make sure to brush or spray your waffle iron with oil before cooking each waffle. This helps prevent the batter from sticking in the deeper pockets.
- Mix just until combined: Over-mixing can make the waffles dense and chewy rather than light and fluffy.
More Classic Vegan Breakfasts
Vegan Belgian Waffles (Fluffy & Crispy!)
Rate this RecipeIngredients
Vegan Buttermilk
- 2 cups dairy free milk, like almond, soy or oat milk
- 1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, 18g
Vegan Belgian Waffles
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed, 15g – mixed with 5 tbsp water (let thicken for 5 minutes)
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 330g
- 1 tbsp baking powder, 11g
- ½ tsp baking soda, 2g
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar, 41g
- ¼ tsp salt, 1.5g
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, 56g – or melted vegan butter
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Toppings
- Pure Maple Syrup
- Fresh Berries
Instructions
Make the Vegan Buttermilk & Flax Egg
- Mix the dairy free milk with the apple cider vinegar. Set aside and let curdle for 5 minutes.2 cups dairy free milk, 1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- Mix the ground flax seed with the water in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken for 5 minutes.2 tbsp ground flaxseed
Make the Vegan Waffles
- Preheat the Belgian waffle iron.
- In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center.2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 3 tbsp granulated sugar, ¼ tsp salt
- Pour the vegan buttermilk into the well. Then add the oil, flax egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until just combined and the mixture is no longer lumpy.¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- Grease the waffle iron with cooking spray. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of batter to your waffle iron. Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown on each side, or per your waffle iron's instructions. Repeat for the rest of the batter.Serve immediately. Top with maple syrup and berries.
Video
Recipe notes
- Make sure to grease your waffle iron for each waffle, before filling it with batter. Because Belgian waffles have deeper pockets, they’re more prone to getting stuck in the iron.
- If you only have a normal waffle iron, no problem! You can still use this recipe, but the batter will yield more waffles. You’ll want to pour less batter into the iron, so it doesn’t overflow. Try pouring 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 of a cup.
- While it may be tempting to use less oil in these waffles, the oil is what helps the waffles have a nice crispy exterior yet soft interior.
- Be sure not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in tough or dense waffles. If there are a few lumps in the batter, that’s totally okay.
Did You Make This?
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It’s so hard to find a good buttermilk vegan waffle! I loved the basis of your recipe. I say that because I had to change a few things due to limited availability in the pantry lol.
The subs I made:
Granulated sugar-Organic Granulated Cane Sugar and I accidentally used an extra tbsp.
ACV-I didn’t have any so I tried white vinegar
Veg Oil-Refined Organic Coconut Oil (No coconut taste)and warmed it in microwave for 30 secs then added flax meal and cold water and let sit for about 7-8 mins. (TRY THIS GIRL!!!)
I buttered the Belgian waffle griddle with vegan earth balance butter…
It came out divine!!!! You’re awesome. I’m definitely trying the chicken for the chicken and waffle recipe you have!
I love this recipe I just make a batch of 5 waffles and they were delicious I wanted to try my brand new DASH mini waffle maker and it worked perfectly. The recipe renders a lot of batter, I guess is because I made mini waffles, but it’s okay because we will make more waffles tomorrow Sunday morning. They are delicious fluffy and so easy to make and the good thing is they have flaxseed which is good for you thank you for the recipe Love and love and love it
I’m so glad you loved this recipe!
Perfect vegan waffles every time