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Learn how to make the best homemade vegan waffles that are perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They are easy to make and require basic ingredients.

Forget about those store-bought frozen waffles! You can make fresh vegan waffles that are far superior and less expensive.
They are perfect for a sit-down breakfast with your family and go wonderfully with tofu scramble, vegan bacon, and fresh orange juice. But they are also great for busy mornings. Just pop them in the toaster for a few minutes and breakfast is served!
This will be your favorite, go-to waffle recipe that's easy, fool-proof, and so delicious. Your whole family will love them!
- Soy Milk - this is my favorite milk to use for this vegan waffle recipe because it's rich and creamy, plus, the protein content helps yield a perfect vegan buttermilk when an acid is added. If you can't have soy, my next choice would be almond milk, but try to choose a brand that has a thicker consistency such as Califia.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - this will curdle and slightly thicken the soy milk, creating a vegan buttermilk. If you don't have it, you can also use fresh lemon juice.
- Neutral-Flavored Oil - I used avocado oil and the waffles were delicious. You can use any neutral oil you like such as canola, sunflower, grapeseed oil, or light-tasting olive oil.
- Applesauce - this is used instead of eggs and will help create tender and fluffy waffles.
- Vanilla Extract - this elevates everything and smells heavenly while the waffles are cooking.
- All-Purpose Flour - I haven't tried these waffles with gluten-free flour yet, but I'd imagine a 1.1 all-purpose GF will work. Slight adjustments may be needed.
- Baking Powder - this will create waffles that are light and airy on the inside.
- Cane Sugar - this adds a subtle sweetness and helps create a beautiful golden waffle. You can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar. Just note that this will make the waffles a little darker.
How to make Vegan Waffles
Your homemade waffles will cook up in a flash. Once you combine the batter, you are ready to roll! Here's how to do it:
- Combine the soy milk and vinegar in a medium bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to curdle and slightly thicken. Preheat your waffle iron.
- Add the oil, applesauce, and vanilla to the buttermilk and whisk to combine.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- If your waffle iron is not non-stick, lightly spray it with nonstick cooking spray otherwise leave it bare. Spoon the amount of batter recommended by the manufacturer onto the hot waffle iron.
- Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions until the waffle is golden brown. Serve immediately.
How to use a waffle maker for perfect waffles
Every waffle maker is a little different with various cook times and amount of batter needed. It's best to check the manual before beginning.
If you have a good non-stick waffle maker, you won't need to add any non-stick spray. I find it causes the waffles to get a little soggy if it's not needed. If you don't have one, just lightly spray the hot plates in between batches
Be sure your waffle maker is fully heated before adding batter and between batches. It must be really hot so your waffles will come out perfectly crisp.
Many waffle makers will signal when the waffles are ready, but if you still see steam coming from it, that is a good indicator that the waffles are not finished cooking and you should give it another minute until it's almost dissipated. If your waffle maker doesn't have a timer, the steam will help you determine when they are done.
How to keep homemade waffles crisp
To keep waffles crispy, set them on a cooling rack as soon as they come out of the waffle maker. This will let air circulate and reduce moisture buildup which will avoid soggy waffles.
To keep waffles warm and crispy, place them on an oven-safe cooling/baking rack in a 200°F preheated oven as soon as they come out of the waffle maker. Do not stack or overlap them.
If your waffles are a little limp, you can pop them in the toaster for 1-2 minutes to crisp them back up.
Storing + Reheating
Refrigerator - these waffles will remain fresh for 3-4 days, stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag.
Freezer - they freeze beautifully for 2-3 months. Let them completely cool, then place them in a zip-top bag with wax paper in between each one, and gently release excess air before sealing.
Reheat - the best and easiest way to reheat them is to just pop them in your toaster for a few minutes. They come out perfectly crispy!
Serving Suggestions
- Warm maple syrup
- A pat of vegan butter
- Fresh berries
- Coconut whipped cream
More vegan breakfast recipes to try
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Vegan Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups soy milk , room temp (see note)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (sub fresh lemon juice)
- ¼ cup neutral-flavored oil (avocado, canola, sunflower, grapeseed, or light-tasting olive oil)
- ¼ cup applesauce
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Recommended Equipment
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the soy milk and vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes to curdle and slightly thicken.
- Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to combine well.
- To the medium bowl with the buttermilk, add the oil, applesauce, and vanilla then whisk to combine well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Don’t overmix. The batter will be thick and small lumps are fine.
- If your waffle iron is not non-stick, lightly spray it with nonstick cooking spray otherwise leave it bare.
- Spoon the amount of batter recommended by the manufacturer onto the hot waffle iron (typically, ¼-1/3 cup per waffle). Cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the waffle is golden brown. Let most of the steam dissipate before opening the waffle maker.
- Serve immediately or set them on a cooling rack to allow air to circulate and reduce moisture buildup. To keep waffles warm, place them on an oven-safe cooling/baking rack in a 200°F preheated oven as soon as they come out of the waffle maker. Do not stack or overlap them.
Notes
-
- Soy Milk - I recommend this because it's thick and creamy, plus, the protein content helps yield a perfect vegan buttermilk when an acid is added. If you can't have soy, my next choice would be almond milk, but try to choose a brand that has a thicker consistency such as Califia. If your milk seems thin, reduce the amount by 2 tablespoons.
- Measure flour correctly by weighing it (250 g) or by using this spoon and level method: don't scoop the flour with a measuring cup directly from container. Just scoop it out of the container with a spoon and then into a measuring cup, without tapping or packing the cup. After filling, lightly sweep a butter knife across the top to remove excess flour.
- Every waffle maker is different with various cook times and amounts of batter to use. It's best to check the manual before beginning.
- Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing causes too much gluten to develop which can create a dense waffle.
- Recipe yields about 3 cups of batter which will make 8 4-inch waffles.
- See the post above for extra tips, FAQs, and step-by-step photos.
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