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Carrot Cake Waffles

These Vegan Carrot Cake Waffles are perfectly festive for spring and full of cozy flavors! They’re great for Easter brunch or breakfast in bed and reheat beautifully during the week (when toasted, of course).

vegan carrot cake waffle on a breakfast tray next to a vase of flowers

Vegan and Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Waffles: The Perfect Spring Breakfast

Are you a waffles or a pancake person? I personally enjoy both at different times. On the side I already have recipes for Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes and “Every Weekend Pancakes” but I have yet to publish anything for waffles! Consider this post an introduction to one of my favorite easy breakfasts (that feels fancy).

Some Tips for Making Waffles

Are pancake and waffle batter the same?

No. These batters do have the same ingredients, but often times the ratios used are different. Pancakes tend to have more leavening agents like baking power, as this helps them rise without a mold in the skillet. Waffles have more fat (in the form of butter or oil) which helps them achieve a very crispy texture inside the iron.

How can I make waffles out of pancake mix?

Easy! If you’re making waffles from a store-bought pancake mix, add double the fat and an extra leavening agent (like a flax egg) than the recipe calls for. This will provide a crispier end result that is still very light.

How do you make waffles without eggs?

Use 1 TBS chia seeds or 1 TBS ground flax seeds to replace 1 egg in a waffle recipe. Chia and flax act as binding agents when they interact with the milk in this recipe.

How can I ensure the crispiest waffle?

Use finely ground oat flour, as helps provide a light and crisp texture (without being as heavy as whole wheat flour). Do not over-mix the batter as this will cause it to fall flat. Be sure your baking powder is relatively fresh (if it’s been sitting in your pantry for a while it can lose some leavening power). Finally, lightly toasting the waffle prior to serving will really secure that crispy texture you’re after!

fork taking one piece of a vegan carrot cake waffle set on top of a bed on a silver tray

How to Make the Best Waffles Taste like Carrot Cake

  • Freshly grate the carrots. Pre-shredded carrots (like those you’ve seen in a salad bar) lose a lot of liquid when sitting and can make baked goods overly dry.
  • Ensure your waffle iron is fully preheated and oiled, if needed. Mine is ceramic and does not need oil, which is handy!
  • Resist the urge to remove the waffles from the iron before they’ve fully crisped. I sound like a broken record on this crispy thing but trust me, it’s essential. No one likes a limp waffle. Ew.
  • The toppings make the dish! Serve this with a swirl of vanilla yogurt (to mimic buttercream frosting), a dash of cinnamon, some carrot ribbons, and crunchy walnuts or pecans. And OF COURSE, never forget pure maple syrup.

This recipe is very customizable to what you have on hand and your personal preference. However, I would not recommend trying this recipe without oil. Replacing it with something like applesauce will result in a sad and mushy texture.

side view of carrot cake waffle with yogurt on top and a few bites taken out

I hope you love this recipe. It was inspired by Love and Lemons. Are you looking for more springtime breakfast inspiration? The recipes below work perfectly for Easter brunch and Mother’s Day!

More Spring Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

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vegan carrot cake waffle on a breakfast tray next to a vase of flowers

Carrot Cake Waffles


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Emily
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 5 waffles 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

These Vegan Carrot Cake Waffles are perfectly festive for spring and full of cozy flavors! They’re great for Easter brunch or breakfast in bed and reheat beautifully during the week (when toasted, of course).


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup all purpose flour (or oat flour, if gluten-free)
  • 1 cup finely ground oat flour (or more all purpose, or whole wheat pastry flour)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 TBS chia seeds (or ground flax)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup freshly grated carrots
  • 2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
  • 1 tso vanilla extract, optional
  • 2 TBS maple syrup
  • To serve: Dairy-free vanilla yogurt, cinnamon, candied carrots, maple syrup, and/or nuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat your waffle iron, oiling as needed. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, chia (or flax), cinnamon, nutmeg if using, and salt.
  2. In another bowl, combine carrots, milk, oil, vanilla if using, and maple syrup. Stir to integrate.
  3. Pour wet mixture into dry, mixing gently until no flour-y spots remain (do not over-mix as this can make your waffles less fluffy. Ladle generous portions (~3/4 cup) into the waffle iron and cook as directed.
  4. Serve with toppings of choice! I like to swirl cinnamon into the yogurt to mimc “frosting.” Ribbons of shaved carrots can look festive, and walnuts and pecans add some nice crunch.

Notes

Speaking of crunch, my preferred waffle is ALWAYS toasted (never hot from the iron).

The nutrition information below is calculated without additional toppings.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: One fifth of recipe
  • Calories: 338 calories
  • Sugar: 6.5 grams
  • Sodium: 198 milligrams
  • Fat: 14.9 grams
  • Saturated Fat: 1.8 grams
  • Unsaturated Fat: 13.1 grams
  • Trans Fat: 0 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 44.7 grams
  • Fiber: 5.1 grams
  • Protein: 6.9 grams
  • Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Portrait of Emily Meyers, founder of Garlic Head

About the Author

Emily (Frigon) Meyers is the founder of Garlic Head, a plant-based recipe website for all eaters who want to easily, affordably, and sustainably incorporate more vegetables into their diets while saving time and money. She is a lifelong vegetarian and 10+ year vegan. Garlic Head does not focus on labels - it focuses on creating food that everyone can enjoy.

Emily earned a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University along with degrees in Economics, Spanish, and Global Sustainability from the University of Pittsburgh. She has been featured on numerous podcasts and websites including The Food Institute, VegNews, Buzzfeed, and the Boston Globe.

Meet Emily here.

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Comments

  1. Susannah says

    Despite the fact that I accidentally shredded my carrots instead of grating them (!!), these waffles are delicious. They feel perfectly indulgent on a cold and wintry April Sunday 😀!






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