The best vegan + paleo waffles made with banana flour for a delicious healthy grain-free, egg-free, nut-free, AIP-friendly breakfast!
Ever since I started experimenting with fewer grains in my life, I have been on the hunt for a good waffle recipe. Well when the hunt began it was a good pancake recipe actually, but I’ve discovered waffles to be much better suited to this tricky oat-less and egg-less mission. And besides the storage and post-breakfast pain of cleaning the waffle maker, I actually prefer waffles with all their crispy corners and cavities anyways.
The truth is, there’s not a lot out there.
If you search for vegan waffles to avoid eggs, then it’s oat and wheat flour every which way. And lots of bananas too.
If you search for paleo waffles to avoid grains, then it’s eggs almost every time in conjunction with almond or coconut flour. Almond or coconut flour with the help of starches can work, but the texture is never amazing in my experience and once you need 3+ dry ingredients it’s just too complicated for me to want to whip up on a morning whim.
Now there is this one recipe that if you have done any googling in the realm of AIP waffles you’ve probably come across. It uses plantains as the base of the batter with just a few small additions like coconut oil and baking soda and cinnamon.
I’ve heard success stories. I’ve watched in-process youtube videos. But every single one of the four times I’ve tried it has been a massive flop. Like burnt but somehow still uncooked gooey batter disaster flop. I think the issue has to do with plantain ripeness, but honestly plantains are a produce item I have very little experience with. So while I probably will try again eventually, I wanted waffles now!
My friend Alison from Food By Mars actually just posted a waffle recipe that could’ve solved all my problems. She used a combination of tigernut and cassava flour, and they look marvelously crispy so I will be trying them soon too.
But I’ve been testing/tweaking/eating for dinner the recipe I’m about to share for over a month now, and it uses banana flour. Because if you hadn’t noticed I kinda love the stuff. They are crispy and tasty and require no eggs or other flours/starches. They also turned out an unusual could-fool-you-into-thinking-there’s-chocolate-involved color, but that’s just what banana flour does when baked. It also takes on this rich, sweet, cake-like flavor that I cannot even put into words. But it’s so good I would happily slather them with frosting and pretend it’s my birthday.
The recipe is pretty simple, but it comes with some options…
Applesauce OR yogurt OR pumpkin. You will need one of these three ingredients for moisture and binding, but it’s up to you which one. All of them come out almost identical in terms of texture, the yogurt version is a little bit less sweet though. Since they can vary slightly in thickness/moisture, you may need a tablespoon of non-dairy milk to adjust the overall thickness of the batter depending on which you choose. The batter will be VERY thick though, as you can see in the video. You want it that way otherwise the waffles will turn out mushy not crispy.
Coconut oil OR nut butter. Again, it’s up to you. And again which you choose will affect the overall thickness of the batter, so adjust with a tablespoon of non-dairy milk if you opt for the nut butter unless your nut butter is very runny. The nut butter adds more flavor in my opinion, but the coconut oil makes them extra crispy.
Aside from those options, the rest of the ingredients are simple and straight-forward: green banana flour (the Let’s Do Organic brand is my personal preference), lemon juice + baking soda for leavening, and vanilla extract. You could also add in cinnamon or whatever fun flavor additions you like.
The recipe does call for a tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten the waffles but it is optional. The banana flour is subtly sweet naturally, so I often skip it or save it for drizzling on top.
This recipe makes two medium waffles – perfect for one person. Feel free to double or triple if you wish, or even freeze and re-toast meal prep style.
Prep Time:
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The best vegan + paleo waffles made with banana flour for a delicious healthy grain-free, egg-free, nut-free, AIP-friendly breakfast!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup green banana flour
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (*)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (**)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice ((or apple cider vinegar))
- 1 tbsp maple syrup ((optional))
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp non-dairy milk (***)
Instructions
- Combine everything except the non-dairy milk in a mixing bowl. Mix to form a very thick batter. Add the non-dairy milk 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary (see notes).
- Preheat the waffle maker and spray with non-stick spray.
- Spoon half of the batter into the center of the waffle maker, close, and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. I will sometimes let it cook 15 seconds past the DONE indicator to make the outside extra crispy.
- Repeat with the other half of the batter.
- Add fresh fruit, maple syrup, or toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
*Substitue nut butter of choice for an oil-free option
**You can also use pumpkin puree or yogurt instead
***If using nut butter instead of oil and/or yogurt instead of applesauce, the batter may be too dry and you will need to add 1-2 tbsp of non-dairy milk. Do not add too much, the batter is meant to be VERY thick (see video for example)
If you are an oat fan and looking for a crispy waffle recipe that uses oat flour, this berry-filled one is breakfast perfection → Blueberry Oat Flour Waffles
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I completely agree with you on existing recipes for vegan, gluten-free waffles — I cannot eat oats, so most of them are off limits for me, too. I can’t wait to get some banana flour and try these!
Just about every vegan gf waffle recipe seems to be oat-based doesn’t it!? Or use a gf blend, although I often find those to be a bit gummy inside. I hope you can track down banana flour, it’s awesome stuff for an oat-free option 🙂
So many options!! Love that about any recipe. Per usual banana flour is so underrated and you totally do it justice. I honestly think waffles may be the absolute best way to use it, since the inside texture stays so soft and the outside gets nice and crisp – perfect for all those little craters! Couldn’t agree more about saving the sweetness for on top versus inside – these look to diiiie for, for breakfast, lunch OR dinner. Or all of the above. 🙂
You and I together are on a mission to raise banana flour awareness I think😂 But seriously it deserves all the attention with how versatile and amazing it is. YES the inner outer contrast is so yummy, and the craters for maple syrup collection are pretty spectacular too😋
could I use coconut flour instead ?
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Unfortunately no, coconut flour can rarely be subbed one-for-one for any other flours. It doesn’t bind the same way so they would just fall apart 🙁
What are those little golden things on the waffles in the photo? They look yummy, but I can’t figure out what they are.
Dried mulberries! They are a delicious little chewy treat: https://www.amazon.com/Terrasoul-Superfoods-Sun-dried-Mulberries-16-ounce/dp/B00EKL415U/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1498508996&sr=8-1&keywords=dried+white+mulberries
I love mulberries on everything! Just picked some fresh ones the other day =)
These look amazing and I’m always looking for grain-free recipes considering I eat so much on a regular basis, it’s great to switch up!!!
I was wondering if I could make pancakes out of this? I don’t own a waffle maker!😭
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You can, but the inside will likely be mushy since pancakes are so much thicker and have less surfaces touching the heat. Also the batter is really thick and doesn’t make for easy pouring. I’m sorry, still working on a banana flour waffle with good texture.
I tried making pancakes with it, thinned it out with non-dairy milk and they’re pretty good!!!!! The texture’s different than traditional pancakes but they are still fluffy and amazing. I kept the pan on medium low and covered them as they cooked.
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Thanks so much for the feedback Amanda, that’s good to know. I tried a banana flour pancake before embarking on the waffle experiments and it was hard to get the center texture quite right, but that recipe was different than this one. I’m happy to hear they were still amazing 🙂
I need a waffle maker so bad after seeing these. I’ve never tried to make waffles before but I do love them.
I wish I could say they worked as pancakes too but they really don’t cook up as well or as crispy🙈 I hope one of these days you take the waffle maker ownership leap!!
Yes a crisp waffle is the best, one day soon I’ll get my hands on one.
Oh, Natalie, here you go making me drool all over my keyboard again!! These are stunning my friend! I love everything about them and every ingredient. Love how you made these grain-free for those peeps who can’t have grains. I have got to find some banana flour to see what they taste like! I love that you said they don’t taste like bananas. They look super crispy, just how waffles should be! No chewy rubber waffles for me, thank you! Looks like we have a similar waffle maker as well…don’t you just love the big round waffles more than the little square machines?? I have one of the square ones and they just don’t cut it. I love that these are super brown too, is that from the banana flour?? Also, I’m sure the baking soda helps with the color, too. Anyways, they look pretty darn perfect to me and all of a sudden, I want more waffles again!! Off to watch your video again! 🙂
It could be the one banana-based product you wouldn’t hate!! It really tastes nothing like bananas, and I’d love someone with a very sensitive palate like you to try it and help my pinpoint what the flavor is because I still cannot quite put it into words but I love it. The first time I used it there was cashew butter in the recipe too so I thought the lovely rich flavor was from that, but there is something about the flour itself that has a sweet dessert-y-ness (so not a word lol) too. Anyways, yes the color is a little funky from the flour–that was a surprise haha. I cannot WAIT for both of your upcoming waffles! Hurry up already 😀
These waffles look amazing 😍
And the flavor!! I wish I could somehow send everyone a little bite-sized sample in the post😋 Thanks for checking them out Pamela!
This recipe is PERFECT! And those photos of waffle stacks . . . I want them to be my wall art!
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Hahaha!!! Framed waffles on the wall–that’s going to be the hot trend in interior design one day 😀
I have had a container of green banana flour in my freezer for about A YEAR! I love the thought but never knew what in the heck to do with it. Now I have a reason to dig this beauty queen out of the bowels of my freezer. LOVE this recipe and cannot wait to make this!
It is one of those kinda intimidating odd ingredients, but now that I’ve used it more and more I really love it for both taste and texture. But of luck unearthing that bag, hopefully it hasn’t been lost to the back of the freezer black hole 😀
Finally got around to making these waffles. A.maz.ing! Topped them with nice cream…banana for my hubby and dark cherry/chocolate for me. The waffles in this scenario actually tasted like waffle cones! Natalie, you have mad skills!!!
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But really doesn’t every waffle aspire to taste like a waffle cone that is breakfast-acceptable? lol I am so so happy you guys liked these!! I know the banana flour is a little unusual, but I just love the taste of it after baking. And those toppings–um I want 2 scoops of your nice cream flavor please! Thanks for the feedback Trena, and I hope there are many more batches to come 🙂
You are so amazing. I made these for my 7 year old tonight to test the recipe. I was able to make three mini waffles. I did not use lemon juice, baking powder or the additional milk and it still turned out okay. They were so yum, I made another batch for her school lunch. I look forward to trying more of your recipes particularly green banana due to my ultimate quest to have a grain free kitchen. Lots of love from Washington, DC
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Hi Milagro! I am so happy to hear they were a success! Kids are often the toughest critics, especially with healthy stuff, so if it passed the 7-year-old test then that is always a good sign 🙂 I hope there are many more batches to come and I will keep that in mind and get back to more banana flour recipes/experiments soon hopefully!
Hi there… wondering if instead of waffles i could usd this recipe for pancakes instead?
Hi Rebecca! I tried this as waffles and they really didn’t cook through well. The greater surface area of heat to batter in a waffle iron is best with this batter. Sorry!
These were actually pretty good. I’m going to try cooking them for a little less time though. I did 3 1/2 minutes, which is my usual waffle time, but think 3 minutes would have been better. Mine were a tad toasty, lol! I used melted light Smart Balance, added some cinnamon, and skipped the maple syrup in the batter. I also used half vanilla and half caramel extract. I ended up topping mine with maple syrup and sliced banana. I’d love to see more vegan recipes using banana flour. It really is amazing stuff. Still LOVE the cake you did!! 🙂
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I’m happy to hear they turned out yummy! Ooh and the caramel + vanilla combo sounds delicious in there, such a good idea. I need to get back to the banana flour recipes, I still have a couple bags in my pantry. Thanks for the feedback Aimee, hope you are having a lovely weekend 🙂
I just made these and they are perfect! I love the recipe and the options you give for the ingredients. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us. Please keep the recipes coming. And I love your photography. Very inspiring.
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Woohoo! I am so happy you liked them🤗 Not many people give these banana flour ones a shot, but I personally love the stuff. Such an underrated grain-red flour. And thank you for the kind words💜
Sounds delicious! What brand of banana flour do you recommend? Also, do you put half this recipe in a the waffle maker at a time? I think you mention it making two waffles?
Hi Tracey! I use and recommend the Let’s Do Organics brand of banana flour, I find that to yield the best texture. Yep, I made two waffles with it so half the batter at a time. You may get more/less depending on size and your waffle maker 🙂
These waffles were delicious! Like many people, I have to rotate grain free flours and sadly cannot tolerate tigernut flour or cassava. So I was thrilled to discover green banana flour and sweet potato flour. Your waffle recipe is the only thing I have baked with banana flour. I wonder if green banana flour could substitute in recipes that use plantains as the base?? Anyway many thanks and would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE more recipes that have green banana flour or sweet potato flour, perhaps muffins? ❤️
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Hi Elaine! I am so so happy you enjoyed these🤗 I think banana flour is highly underrated, it’s not the easiest to work with but I really love the flavor and texture when you do get it to work. Hmm I don’t think it would be a perfect sub for actual plantains though, since it is in flour form it still has a lot less moisture. I still have a couple of bags of banana flour in my pantry, so I will try to come up with something new with it soon! Thanks for the feedback😊
Any recommendations for a substitute for milk? If I just use water, what else would I have to adjust?
It’s such a small amount, water will be fine 🙂
Awesome. Thanks! Can’t wait to try this out.
My AIP waffle recipe is really similar! I don’t make money from my blog, but maybe I should start trying. haha! Not really. Not my cup of tea. 😉
But here’s my incredibly similar recipe! Banana flour totally makes the best waffles! <3
Happy waffling! 🙂
https://thebroccolibunch.wordpress.com/2017/01/24/banana-flour-waffles-aippaleo/
Those looks awesome Michelle! I will definitely give them a try, I need to get back into banana flour baking I have a couple of bags in my pantry that have been sitting there way too long. And hey if you are already blogging and sharing, why not monetize? Maybe a fun challenge for the new year 🙂
Wowww! I just made these exactly as your recipe called (perhaps doubling the cinnamon as I usually do because I’m obsessed), and I gotta say… amazing! This is my first time using green banana flour and I’m on the AIP diet right now really missing normal food. I cooked these up with some warm berries and maple syrup on top.. so happy!
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Your pic on IG looked soooooooo good!! Love the berry to pancake ratio haha😋 And yes, banana flour is awesome, I’m so glad you liked these. Thanks for the feedback and best of luck with AIP!
This is my second time making these waffles. The first time they never really crisped on the outside and they didn’t cook through on the inside although I let them cook for a LOOOONG time. They were tasty, but didn’t come off the waffle maker in one piece, so they weren’t very pretty. I noticed while they were cooking that the waffle maker was giving off a lot of steam, so I am assuming they just had too much moisture. I made them again this morning and instead of using apple sauce, I used apple butter (homemade!), since it has less moisture than apple sauce. The waffles cooked up beautifully: crispy on the outside and moist – but cooked this time – on the inside. The only problem was that I let them cook a little too long because I was concerned that they wouldn’t be done, so they were just a tad overcooked, but still tasted great! I ended up having to pry them out of the waffle maker (despite heavily spraying it), so next time I might add an additional tablespoon of coconut oil. I also used Lakanto maple syrup instead of real maple syrup, but otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks for a great AIP recipe and a good way to use banana flour! I have only been on AIP for a couple of weeks and am so glad to have something different to eat!
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Thank you so much for sharing your experiments Amy, I bet they tasted delicious with apple butter! I have had the sticking issue before with oil-free recipes unless I spray the heck out of my waffle iron, so adding a little oil to the batter could definitely help. Hope the next batch is perfect😊
I recently was diagnosed with an almond coconut and egg allergy (as well as many others) and oats I can tolerate in moderation but oats are not my favorite. These are amazing!!!!! My big Belgium waffle maker only made 1 waffle even when I doubled the recipe which is fine they are really filling and half a waffle was all I needed to be full in addition to be fruit. This is hands down the best vegan waffle I have tried to date. Your blog has been a godsend since discovering all my egg allergies. Thank you so much for all your hard work!!
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Wow what a shift I’m sure that has been in your life/diet! But I am SO happy to hear you enjoyed these and they work for you🤗🤗 Ha that must have been one epically sized waffle, I bet it was amazing. Thanks for the feedback, Leanne❤️ Banana flour is great, you can definitely experiment with it more and maybe try cassava too!
Thank you for such an amazing recipe. I just got a waffle maker and the first AIP waffles I tried did not work well, so I was looking for a new recipe. I was excited to see the green banana flour, since I bought it for another recipe and Amazon only sold 2-packs, so I was stuck with all this flour I didn’t really know what to do with. I have a fairly large square waffle maker, and I doubled the recipe and it filled 3 of the 4 squares.
I’m so glad you included a video. I don’t always watch the videos but this one was really helpful because you said the batter would be thick but I never would have imagined it would be like paste, and I would have kept adding more coconut milk to thin it out, had I not seen the video. My only question is that the video shows you adding salt but there is no salt in the written recipe. I added a pinch since I wasn’t sure, but how much salt do you recommend adding? Or did you decide not to add it after you filmed the video?
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I am so happy these worked for you! Yes AIP waffles without eggs are tricky for sure, as is green banana flour in general but when it works I really love it. As for the salt, I always think it’s better to add a little bit but it won’t make or break the recipe. I probably just lost that clip in editing somewhere 🙂 And if you want another recipe to help use up that banana flour, these are awesome too: https://www.feastingonfruit.com/walnut-chocolate-chunk-brownies/
Just tried these today. They flavor was good (and I don’t particularly like bananas!) but I can’t figure out what went wrong. I tripled the recipe, and only got three waffles from it! Also, I had to add extra banana flour to get the thick consistency on the batter, because my batter was too runny, and that was without the maple syrup and coconut milk. Something was really off for me. I double-checked the quantities so not sure what the issue was.
Oh no!! That’s so odd I’m not sure why tripling it yielded so little, what brand of banana flour were you using? And green banana flour, yes?
Hi Natalie, I’ve just made them! I am so shocked at how amazing they turned out! I was so skeptical because I’ve never used banana flour before and never had success with a gluten free waffle recipe (they all turned out uncooked inside). But your recipe is amazing! So crispy outside and perfectly cooked inside! I still can’t believe it! With only a few ingredients too! Also, before i went gluten free i used to eat 3-4 waffles but with the banana flour i could barely finish 1 and a half! So filling! Natalie, where I live banana flour is quite expensive, i was wondering if i could use half and replace half with something else like brown rice flour or oat flour? Would that be ok or would they be mushy inside? Any advice?
Thanks for your recipe!
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Andy!! I am so happy you trusted and that they turned out so yummy🤗 Its a funky flour that takes some getting used to, but i LOVE the flavor once you do. And yes fills you up quick! Hmm so i haven’t tested that recipe specifically, but you could definitely try halving with oat flour. You may need a bit more oat flour, it’s not quite as absorptive, so play with the amounts a bit. I also have an oat flour waffle recipe you could alternate with if that’s easier https://feastingonfruit.com/blueberry-oat-flour-waffles/ Chickpea flour might be another idea for swapping if you can find that! Its quite similar and makes great waffles imo. Hope that helps!