The perfect gluten free waffle recipe uses yogurt and just a touch of sugar, with a lightly crisp outside. Make them ahead and freeze them, then refresh in the toaster oven for a hot breakfast on busy mornings!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
We'll send the recipe to your inbox, so you can come back to it later!
Why this is the best gluten free waffle recipe
This gluten free waffle recipe makes a batter that is the perfect texture to make the very best fluffy waffles. We fold whipped egg whites into the batter for that fluffy texture, but the batter is still thin enough to create perfectly crispy edges that brown but never burn.
Waffle batter that's stiff and thick usually makes chewy waffles, even if you cook them long enough to brown the outside. The oil blended with the other wet ingredients in these gluten free waffles thins the batter just enough to make it the perfect texture without sacrificing any richness.
The result is waffles that expand beautifully in the waffle iron, so the insides are tender and fluffy—and brown to perfection on the outside.
Ingredients for gluten free waffles
The ingredients, in all the right proportions, are the reason for the success of any recipe. Here's what each ingredient does in this gf waffle recipe:
- Gluten free flour blend – Avoid an all purpose gf flour blend that contains too much xanthan gum like Better Batter here or you'll have chewy waffles; a touch of xanthan gum is all you need to help your waffles hold together well and stay fresh longer
- Sugar – Just a bit of sugar in the batter sweetens the waffles and tenderizes them, too
- Baking powder and baking soda – Make sure your chemical leaveners are fresh, and don't add the liquid to them until you're ready to go since baking soda is only single-acting
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors
- Eggs – Be sure to separate the eggs one at a time; if you get any yolk in your whites, the whites won't whip
- Coconut oil – To avoid any coconut flavor, use triple filtered virgin coconut oil (the kind that's solid at cool room temperature)
- Yogurt – Plain yogurt adds fat and acidity, both of which make for moist and tender waffles
- Milk – Avoid nonfat milk, which adds little more than water does to your waffles
Tips for using this gluten free waffle recipe
Separate the eggs and whip the whites
The main difference between waffles and pancakes is in the method. When making gluten free waffles (or any waffles, for that matter), the eggs are separated, and the whites are beaten separately before being folded into the rest of the batter.
I've been making a variation of this recipe for years, and I always take the extra few minutes to treat the eggs just right. Although the yolks beat best at room temperature, it's easiest to separate eggs that are still cold. I recommend separating the eggs when they're cold, then letting the yolks sit for a bit if possible.
But do beat the whites. Even dense waffles will have those lovely syrup pockets, but they won't be crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy inside. If you're breaking out the waffle iron, let's go all the way.
There aren't too many ingredients in this recipe, but the plain yogurt is really important. Oh, and in my experience waffles work best with oil instead of butter, as oil is nearly pure fat and butter has a fair amount of water in it. It makes for much neater waffle-iron-cooking.
Getting the perfect gluten free waffle shape
If you're a perfectionist, you'll want each and every waffle to be a perfect shape. For Belgian waffles, that means the whole circle, and not a ‘cup' missing. For square waffles, that means no rough edges.
Leave a 1/4-inch clean border around the edge of the iron. That will give the waffles a bit of space to expand during cooking, but without overflowing the sides.
For the fluffiest waffles, be sure to blend the oil and egg yolks first until creamy before adding the other ingredients, and then folding in the whipped egg whites.
Always preheat your waffle iron
All waffle iron grills are designed to avoid sticking. They may be cast iron, or they may be nonstick-coated, but regardless, if they're not preheated until hot, your waffles are more likely to stick.
Use cooking oil spray to prevent sticking
Even nonstick coating isn't perfect, especially when your waffle iron isn't brand new. To prevent sticking, coat the iron generously with cooking oil spray before adding any waffle batter.
An ice cream scoop makes portioning easy
If your waffle iron makes smaller shapes like mine makes divided squares, a larger spring-loaded ice cream scoop can be really useful for portioning the batter evenly. If your iron is bigger, pouring the batter from a measuring cup with a pour spout may be best.
The gluten free flour blend matters
Made with our 3-ingredient gum-free gluten free flour blend as directed in the recipe below, you can spread the batter all the way to the edges of the mold without worrying that it will pour out during cooking.
If you use one of my gluten-free all purpose flour blends instead of the gum-free blend as specified, the batter will be much, much thicker and will expand quite a bit more during cooking.
I recommend using the blend specified in the recipe, if possible. The batter is much simpler to work with, and the waffles are even fluffier. If you do use something like a gluten-free measure-for-measure flour that contains xanthan gum, add more milk to the blended wet ingredients a little at a time until the batter resembles the texture you see in the photos and video.
The right way to measure your gluten free flour
Always measure dry ingredients, especially individual flours and your gluten free flour blend, by weight. A simple digital scale should only cost about $20 (Escali is a great brand), and it's the only way to ensure accuracy in measurements.
Which waffle maker works best?
I've tried many, many waffle makers over the years, and I've finally settled on two favorites.
For Belgian waffles, I'm partial to the Presto Flipside Waffle Maker (aff. link). It cooks very evenly and as long as there's a light coating of oil, the waffles never stick. And the price is very fair.
For traditional square waffles, I absolutely love the waffle maker I bought years ago at Kohl's, but I'm sorry to say that they don't sell it any longer! It's The Food Network brand, and I've loved everything I've ever bought under that label.
This Hamilton Beach brand waffle maker looks very similar, and has really good reviews. That's also an affiliate link, but please shop around!
Ingredient substitutions
Dairy free
These waffles are quite simple to make dairy-free. The plain yogurt can be plain nondairy yogurt (I like Silk brand), and the milk can be your favorite unsweetened nondairy milk (I like unsweetened almond milk).
Waffles work best when the fat used isn't butter anyway, but rather something that contains less moisture. That's why I really like coconut oil or even a liquid oil like grapeseed.
Egg free
Since you really need to separate the eggs and whip the whites, a “chia egg” or similar egg substitute won't work. For an egg replacer, I'd use 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 grams) more coconut oil in place of the yolks, and 1/4 cup aquafaba, whipped until it holds soft peaks, for the whites.
Aquafaba is the name given to the liquid from a can of chickpeas. One can typically yields 1/2 cup brine, or aquafaba. Be sure to fold in the whipped aquafaba just as directed with the whipped egg whites in the recipe, and it should make the perfect egg replacer for egg whites.
Vegan
If you use the dairy and egg replacements, and you're careful about choosing your granulated sugar, you'll have vegan gluten free waffles!
Tasty variations
This is a simple recipe for perfectly crisp-tender gluten free waffles. Make them once plain, maybe add some pure vanilla to the wet ingredients, and then get ready to really make them your own.
Gluten free waffle recipe mix-ins
Blueberries
Fresh blueberries are too wet for the inside of your waffle batter, but dried blueberries would be great. Fold 2 ounces of them into the batter with the egg whites.
Brown sugar and cinnamon
After your waffles are finished cooking, remove them, still hot from the iron, and toss lightly in a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon.
Miniature chocolate chips
Try folding miniature chocolate chips into the waffle batter when you fold in the whipped egg whites. Only add about 2 ounces, so you don't alter the batter texture too much.
Gluten free waffle toppings
Bananas
Slice lightly spotted bananas and serve on top of a beautiful stack of freshly cooked (or freshly heated) waffles. Sprinkle the banana slices with some ground cinnamon.
Maple syrup
A classic for good reason, pure maple syrup is never a mistake. Top first with a pat of room temperature butter.
Peanut butter
Heat a bit of natural peanut butter and drizzle it on top of your waffles. Or try dusting some powdered peanut butter for a lighter taste.
Powdered sugar
Even just a tablespoon of powdered sugar sprinkled on through a fine mesh sieve after your waffles have cooled a bit will make a dramatic presentation.
Whipped cream
Whip up some fresh heavy whipping cream and add some fresh berries. Sweeten the whipped cream or drizzle some strawberry syrup on top.
Storing leftover gluten free waffles
If you have any leftover waffles, let them cool completely before you try to store them for later use. If you wrap them before they're cool, they'll get soggy.
Freezing gf waffles
I like to freeze any leftover waffles in groups of 2 or 3. I wrap them very tightly in freezer-safe wrap like Glad Press ‘n' Seal, and place them in a sealed freezer-safe container. They last for at least a month!
Reheating gf waffles
These gf waffles can be reheated right from frozen. They're not solid like a muffin, so they don't have freeze all the way through. Pop them in a 275°F oven or toaster oven, or put them right into a toaster on medium-low.
FAQs
No! Only waffles made with a gluten free recipe, using gluten free ingredients and especially flours, are gluten free.
You can make the dry ingredients in advance, whisk them completely, and store in a sealed container in a cool, dark pantry. Once you add the liquids to the dry ingredients, the mixture begins to age.
Waffles should be cooked on a hot, prepared waffle iron until the steam is no longer escaping from the sides of the waffle iron. You can also flip them in the iron halfway through, once they're formed, to ensure completely even cooking.
This waffle batter is thinner than gf pancake mix, so I don't recommend using it for pancakes. Use our gluten free pancake mix to make pancakes, or anything else you make with pancakes mix in general.
Did you measure your ingredienst by weight, not volume? Use the right, light gluten free flour blend? Whip your egg whites separately?
Even nonstick waffle irons need a light coating of cooking oil. Cooking oil is better than butter, since it doesn't burn as easily and get into all the tight spaces.
Yes! Frozen gluten free waffles that have been cooled, wrapped tightly and frozen reheat perfectly in the toaster. Just unwrap and toast from frozen until warm and toasty!
How to make fluffy gluten free waffles, step by step
Easy Gluten Free Waffles Recipe
Equipment
- Waffle iron
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) gum-free gluten free flour blend (185 g superfine white rice flour + 62 g potato starch + 33 g tapioca starch/flour)
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, separated
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) virgin coconut oil melted and cooled (or a neutral liquid oil, like vegetable or canola)
- 1 cup (227 g) plain whole milk yogurt at room temperature
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) milk at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well.
- In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.
- Place the egg yolks and oil in a separate large bowl and blend with a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) until creamy.
- Add the yogurt and milk, and blend until well combined. Add the dry ingredients, and blend again. The mixture will be smooth and thickly pourable.
- Fold the beaten egg whites gently into the large bowl of batter until only a few white streaks remain.
- Pour or scoop about 3/4 to 1 cup of batter into your prepared waffle iron (more or less depending upon the size and shape of your iron), and spread the batter into an even layer.
- Close the lid and cook until steam stop escaping from the waffle iron, between 4 and 5 minutes, depending again upon the capacity of your waffle iron.
- Remove the waffle from the iron and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- If you do not serve each waffle as soon as it is made, refresh the waffles by placing them in a toaster oven at 350°F for about 3 minutes.
- Waffles can also be cooled completely, wrapped tightly and frozen, then defrosted and refreshed similarly before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
We'll send the recipe to your inbox, so you can come back to it later!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Dennis Botelho says
I make waffles every Sunday and have for many years. This is one of the best recipes I’ve made so far. They were just perfect. I didn’t want to go out to get yogurt, so I used oat milk instead with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. I always make mine the night before, so they are ready in the morning. These were not too thick and easily spread over the waffle maker. Thanks for such a delicious recipe.
Eileen says
I’ve tried several GF waffle recipes but this one is the best by far. I made the flour mix you recommended and followed the recipe exactly. Thank you for coming up with it. I appreciate your work. Next up, I’ll try your crepe recipe, now that I have the correct flour blend.
Arielle says
These are delicious! Any recommendations on how to make them dairy free? I used dairy free milk, but regular yogurt. They turned out good, but I don’t normally eat dairy. Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the text of the post, Arielle. It’s under these headings: Substitutions for gluten free waffle ingredients; Gluten free dairy free waffles
Celia Bonhafen says
Excellent waffels
Kerry Jenkins says
I have nightshade sensitivities in addition to gluten. Is there a way to do this without a gluten free flour mix that contains potato starch? They all seem to have it. I have wondered about trying your Old Fashioned Gluten Free Cornbread-the original best recipe on a waffle iron. Would that work? Thank you Nicole.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Kerry, I’m afraid you won’t get anything at all like a waffle texture from that recipe. You should be able to replace potato starch with arrowroot. I can’t promise results but it’s worth a shot!
Lois says
These look wonderful! Can they be made in a Belgian waffle maker?
Nicole Hunn says
Sure, I don’t see why not, Lois!
Bri says
If I premix all the dry ingredients to store, how much do I weigh out per batch?
Nicole Hunn says
It’s about 315 grams per recipe of dry ingredients, Bri, but that will vary a bit (a gram here or there) based on the dry ingredients you measure by volume, like baking powder. For more precision, I recommend making the first batch and weighing the “volume” ingredients as you go on a scale, then adding the 304 grams of gf flour blend plus xanthan gum and sugar, and making a note of it on the container.
Ande says
These were absolutely perfect. I used the gluten-free flour blend from the Loopy Whisk. It consists of white rice flour, corn flour and potato starch. I love this blend because I can’t eat tapioca. That said, this blend was still perfect. The only thing I would add is that it doesn’t say anywhere what temp to put the waffle iron at. I googled and apparently 375 is the perfect temp.
Nicole Hunn says
Every waffle iron is different Ande, which is why the instructions say to heat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
ZB says
Wonderful GF Waffles! Preptime is NOT 15 min. 2 people and took at least 30min.
Artemis says
Do you know if this recipe would work in an old school cast iron waffle iron? By that I mean one that is 2 connwcted pieces and only requires a heat source instead of an electric outlet.
Nicole Hunn says
I haven’t ever used one of those, Artemis, so I can’t say for 100% sure. But there’s no reason it shouldn’t work in any sort of waffle iron at all!
Marion says
Best waffles I’ve ever made
Nicole Hunn says
So happy to hear it, Marion!
Maru says
OMG these waffles are heaven ! I tried many recipes for waffles GF but nothing like this . They are so rich and fluffy . Thanks so much for this recipe :)
Nicole Hunn says
You’re so welcome, Maru! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Mary says
I would like to try this as my daughter is gluten free and dairy free. Do you know of anything I can substitute for the milk and yogurt?
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the Ingredients and substitutions section of the post for all that info, Mary.
Barb says
I’ve tried quite a few GF waffle recipes these past several months. This recipe is, by far, the best one I have come across and I will make them again and again. I followed the recipe exactly and they are perfect. My search is over and I will now shred the other recipes as they are not needed. Thanks, Nicole.
Nicole Hunn says
So glad you enjoyed the waffles, Barb, and that your search is over! A good waffle recipe really is an important staple.❤️
Marty H. says
Can I substitute sour cream for the yogurt in this recipe?
Nicole Hunn says
No, I’m afraid you can’t, Marty. Sour cream has much less moisture than plain yogurt.
Lois says
Thank you! Will use to make waffles for dinner one night this week. I agree with your comment that waffle irons last forever. I use one that was a wedding gift to my parents in 1955.
Nicole Hunn says
That’s awesome, Lois! Love a durable kitchen appliance. :)