Best Waffle Recipe Without Milk (Dairy Free, Easy)
This is the Best Dairy Free Waffle Recipe Without Milk, hands down. Fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside. Perfect for lazy weekend mornings, or a great option for making ahead for busy weekday mornings. All made with simple, dairy free ingredients you most likely already have in the cupboard.
I’ve never met anyone that didn’t like a waffle.
Especially if it’s smothered in maple syrup.
My family are no exception (myself included) and we love to make homemade waffles on Saturdays.
This easy recipe is great for anyone on a dairy-free diet, or if you usually have dairy milk but have simply run out and don’t feel like popping to the shop.
We’ve all been there!
For this recipe we’ll be swapping cow’s milk for either water (yes, it really works!) or plant-based milk. We’ll get the fluffy texture by whisking egg whites and folding them into the yummy waffle batter.
Finish off these delicious waffles with your favorite toppings: fresh fruit, peanut butter and chocolate chips, fresh berries and maple syrup, bacon or whatever you like. They also go really nicely with our dairy free strawberry and banana smoothie.
Your taste buds will thank you.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Waffle Recipe
- Only a few minutes to prepare
- You can freeze leftover waffles to have later in the week
- No milk required!
Ingredients for Milk-free Waffle Recipe
Vegetable Oil: Any neutral oil, olive oil or cooking spray will do here. We need to it to grease the waffle maker to avoid the waffles sticking
Plain / All Purpose Flour: No need to sieve unless yours looks particularly lumpy
Caster Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar instead, if you prefer
Salt: Any salt will do for this recipe
Baking Powder: This is to help the waffles to rise and become fluffy
Water: Cool or room temperature
Vanilla Essence: Either essence or extract can be used here
Eggs: I use large free-range eggs
Vegan Butter: I prefer the flavour of plant based butter such as Flora Plant Based, but a baking margarine such as Stork would also work. Use whatever you have.
How to Make Waffle Recipe Without Milk
Step 1: Preheat the waffle iron and grease it with cooking spray or a little bit of oil.
Step 2: In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder, then stir to combine.
Step 3: Next, divide the eggs. Crack the eggs in two gently, allowing the egg white to fall into a medium-sized bowl below, while being careful to keep the yoke in the shell. Once all the egg white is separated, put the egg yolks in with the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Melt the butter in the microwave. Allow it to cool slightly before adding the butter, water and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients bowl. Use a whisk to mix all the ingredients together. Keep going for a minute or so until all the small lumps have dissolved and you have a smooth, runny, light coloured batter.
Step 5: Next, quickly clean your whisk beaters to remove any leftover batter mixture, before beating the egg whites. Taking the bowl with the egg whites, whisk on a medium high speed until firm peaks form. This should only take around 90 seconds.
Step 6: Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Be careful not to over mix as this will take the air out of the egg whites, losing some of the fluffiness from the waffle mix.
Step 7: Drop large spoonfuls, roughly half a cup, of batter onto the waffle iron. Close the lid and cook around 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and serve with your favorite toppings. Or, put them on a rack and keep warm in the oven at 70C/150F while you cook the rest.
Equipment
- Belgian Waffle Iron
- Whisk (Electric or Hand)
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing bowl
- Weighing Scales
- Measuring Jug
- Measuring Spoon
- Large Spoon or Ladle
Substitutions
Flour: We have only tested this recipe with regular flour, however you could also try using gluten free flour.
Water: You can use dairy free milk substitute in it’s place. I have only tested oat milk but you could also try using unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, or similar.
Baking Powder: Baking Powder and Baking soda (or ‘Bicarbonate of Soda’ for us Brits) are not the same thing. If you want to substitute, please follow Baking Powder for Baking Soda Conversion guidelines to get the correct amounts and ratios.
Top Tips
– For a speedy breakfast, make the waffle batter the night before (not including the egg whites) and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, whisk again and then carefully fold in the egg whites before cooking.
– Double the quantities and pop the extra batch in the freezer for another day. They make a great quick breakfast on busy mornings.
FAQs
How long does waffle batter last in the fridge?
Waffle batter can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. We recommend adding the whisked egg whites just before cooking, otherwise some of the air may be lost, leaving you with less-than-fluffy pancakes.
How to keep waffles warm
Place them in the oven at 70C/150F on an oven-safe plate or tray until you’re ready to serve. The low heat will make sure they stay warm without continuing to cook or dry out.
How to store leftover waffles
Place the waffles in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days. They are also suitable for freezing for up to 3 months.
How to freeze waffles
To freeze cooked waffles, cool them to room temperature, place a piece of parchment paper between each one to stop them sticking together and pop them in a sealed freezer-safe bag. The waffles can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can you freeze waffle batter?
Yes, waffle batter freezes quite well. Portion the batter into zip-lock bags, squeeze out any air and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, defrost in the refrigerator before cooking.
How to reheat Belgian waffles
Reheat the waffles either in the toaster (quickest method) or lay flat on a baking tray in a preheated 180C/350F oven for 5-10 minutes, or up to 15 minutes if they’re frozen. Check them every now and then, as the time to cook will depend on their thickness. The toaster method will produce more crispy waffles than the oven.
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If you make this waffle recipe I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
Best Waffle Recipe Without Milk (Dairy Free, Easy)
Equipment
- 1 Waffle iron
- 1 electric whisk
- Large bowl
- medium bowl
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 280 grams plain flour, 2 ¼ cups
- 50 grams caster sugar, ¼ cup
- pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Wet ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 300 ml water, 1 ¼ cups
- 100 grams vegan butter, melted and slightly cooled, 7 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Instructions
- Preheat and grease your waffle iron (see note 1) with cooking spray or a little oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Divide the eggs (see note 2). Add the egg yolk to the dry ingredients and the egg whites to a separate, medium sized bowl.
- Next, add the melted butter, water and vanilla essence to the large bowl containing the flour mixture. Whisk together until you have a smooth, yellow batter with no lumps remaining. Set the bowl to one side.
- Rinse your whisk to remove any leftover batter. Then, beat the egg whites until they are white, frothy and soft peaks form, approximately 90 seconds.
- Carefully fold the egg whites into the waffle batter until they are well combined. This should done be gently enough that you don't lose the light puffy texture of the egg whites.
- Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the waffle iron and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and slightly crisp.
- Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven at 70℃/150℉ while you cook the remaining waffles. Serve with strawberries and syrup, or your favourite topping.
Notes
⭐ PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER ⭐
This is our go-to Saturday morning breakfast. My husband loves making them!