The easiest healthy waffle recipe bursting with citrus! Made with almond and oat flour and a hint of orange juice and zest, these healthy almond orange oat waffles are freezer friendly and so easy to make! This recipe is vegan and easily gluten free.
Easy Weekend Mornings
Easy weekend mornings start with a hearty breakfast. Waffles are a quintessential weekend breakfast food, but I avoided them for years because all the white flour waffle recipes typically have in them. I prefer to save white flour for cake, pie, or cinnamon rolls, if at all possible.
Waffles made with oat and almond flour are a whole grain and protein filled way to start the day without refined flour. I love how these flours transform into flavorful healthy waffles with a tender crumb. Freezer friendly and so convenient, these waffles are whipped up in a blender (or food processor) and they couldn’t be easer to make!
Ingredients for these Healthy Waffles
Pantry staples with fresh orange and a banana, these waffles come together quick. Here’s what you’ll need to make em:
- Rolled Oats – gluten free if needed
- Almond Flour
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Banana
- Plant Milk – I like homemade cashew milk
- Fresh Orange Juice and Zest
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Powder and Soda
- Maple Syrup
- Favorite Yogurt – optional for topping
How to Make Almond Orange Waffles
Healthy waffles are like eating a bowl of oatmeal in waffle form; oatmeal waffles anyone? This easily gluten free vegan waffle recipe is so simple to make, even if you’re still in that sleepy zone. Use a blender or food processor to whip these oat waffles up in no time!
- First, to the bowl of a food processor or pitcher of a blender, add the oats, almond flour, orange juice, zest, milk, banana, vanilla, maple, salt and baking powder/soda.
- Next, blend until the ingredients are smooth and completely incorporated. The batter will be thick.
- Last, bake in a waffle iron.
Place the waffles in a warm oven until ready to share. They’ll crisp up a bit while in the oven. Lightly crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside with all those nooks and crannies to fill with warm maple syrup and your favorite toppings. Add extra orange slices on top or fresh berries when in season!
A Few Healthy Waffle Recipe Notes
- High Speed Blender or food processor? – either will work for this healthy waffle recipe. The food processor leaves the batter not as smooth as the blender, but the results after baking are delicious! I’ve included details on how to process the ingredients using either machine in the recipe.
- For gluten free waffles, use gluten free certified oats. I like Bob’s Red Mill.
- Freezer Friendly? Yes please! Simply cool the waffles completely, stack one on top of the other, slide into a storage container then freeze for up to two weeks. They can be toasted from freezer to toaster (I use a toaster oven).
- Some waffle irons require oil before baking. The waffle iron I use (and loooove) does not – it has a non stick surface. To reduce the chance of sticking waffles (other than using a nonstick waffle maker), make sure the waffle iron is fully preheated before adding the batter, oil or butter the iron throughly and no peeking before they’re done baking. If anything, give the owners manual a once over to see the particular needs of your iron. Food 52 has a discussion on the topic. And note, there is no oil added to this recipe.
Healthy Almond Orange Oat Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 C (175g) Old Fashioned Rolled Oats gluten free if needed
- 3/4 C (85g) Almond Flour
- 1 (150g) Medium Banana soft and with plenty of brown spots
- 3 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3/4 C (180g) Plant Milk I use homemade cashew milk
- Orange Zest from one large orange, two if you have it
- 1/2 C (140g) Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice from one large orange
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tbs Maple Syrup
- 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions, including whether to oil/butter the iron or not (see note). Preheat the oven to 185F (85C) and place a sheet pan in the oven.
- A. For the Blender (I use VitaMix): To the blender container add the oats, almond flour, apple cider vinegar, banana, milk, orange juice, zest, vanilla extract, maple syrup, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend for one minute on medium to medium high. The batter will be thick and completely smooth. ORB. For the Food Processor (I use a 12 C bowl): To the work bowl with the S attachment, add the oats, almond flour, apple cider vinegar, banana, milk, orange juice, zest, vanilla extract, maple syrup, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whirl for 2.5-3 minutes scraping the bowl down once during processing. The batter will be thick and not quite completely smooth.
- Scoop out 1/3 C of batter and pour into the waffle iron. Bake until golden (according to manufacturer's directions). Mine take about 8-9 minutes to bake and they're dark. Gently remove the waffles using a fork and place them on the sheet pan in the preheated oven. Finish baking the remaining batter.
- Share with butter, real maple syrup and/or a dollop of your favorite unsweetened yogurt. I like to add orange zest and a touch of maple to yogurt and then dollop it on top of the waffles.
- To Freeze: Allow the waffles to cool completely before storing them in a storage container. They can stack one on top of another - freeze for up to two weeks (beyond that and I start getting freezer burn unless individually wrapped). From the Freezer: Bake at 300F (150C) for about 8-10 minutes or until warmed through or toast on the toaster setting in a toaster oven. Keep an eye on them so they don't get too dark.
These were delicious as pancakes, but I found I couldn’t cook them as waffles as they stuck like bastards. I now the recipe doesn’t contain oil, could this be why they stuck?
Hi Joanne! Thank you for your note. This is why I included a note above the recipe card and in the recipe card about these waffles containing no oil and referring to your owners manual regarding sticking. The waffle iron I use is non stick, so I don’t have to oil my iron or include oil in a recipe. This will vary depending on what kind of waffle iron you use. I hope this makes sense.
Thanks. I must’ve been in a hurry. I always cut straight too the recipe, but also missed reading the note. Mine is definitely not non-stick, although it purports to be.
I made these as written with the exception of adding some cinnamon. Absolutely delicious and I don’t have to feel guilty about eating waffles!! Thank you for such a great recipe!
Hooray Mary! Oh my, cinnamon! Thank you for sharing your tip, giving the recipe a go and leaving a note! I’m SO with you about eating waffles :D
I made these as pancakes and wowza, so delicious!! Had them with chocolate spread and the orange/chocolate combination was heavenly. Thank you.
Hiii Mirella! Oh wow, pancakes! 🙌🏻 Thank you for your tips and chocolate? Drooling!
My goodness!! These pix are hell amazing & Mouthwatering! Lovely recipe dear, I have pinned this recipe for one of my Waffel lover friends. I will share this recipe with her for sure. Thanks, love & Regards!!
Thank you for sharing Nehal!
Did these in a Vitamix and the batter was too thick to even blend. Had to add another 1/2 cup of plant milk. Next will try to add the liquid last so that the oats don’t immediately soak up all of the liquid and turns into glue. But once the batter was correct, they cooked up beautifully in a regular waffle iron. Next time may add some chopped pecans!
Hi Krista! I’m perplexed… did you add the orange juice? This is the first I’ve heard of trouble after a review below and on social. I’m glad you were able to make them work for you!
Loving the burst of citrus flavor in these waffles Traci. Waffles are one of my guilty pleasures, but now that you’ve made them healthier, I can enjoy them whenever I want! Delicious work. Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Looks very good…Keep up the good cooking……
These look amazing, Traci! I love how simple they are to make (a blender!) and how most of the ingredients are one that I have in the house (no grocery store run!). And freezing them – how great is that for a time saver. Pinning to share on Pinterest.
Waffles feel like a special treat to me, and your addition of winter citrus brings them over the top! Loving this cozy breakfast!
Amazing!! I was planning lemon ricotta pancakes as I had some ricotta that needed using but when I saw these I had to change tack! We put the ricotta on top and it went perfectly with the orange flavor and maple. Absolutely fabulous recipe.
Hi Joanna! Oh my goodness! You’re quick. Thank you for your note, rating and tip about ricotta (I LOVE that idea!). SO happy y’all enjoyed the waffles!
This recipe is like a variation of my overnight oats but in waffle form. I’m also a fan of freezing waffles to have for future breakfasts. Definitely still on the winter citrus wagon. Glad you’re feeling better!
Oh Yes to overnight oats, Jean! What a great idea to put orange and almonds! I love that flavor combination. Hooray for winter citrus wagon – I’m SO with you!
Hi,
Can you use a regular waffle iron–non belgian style- to make these waffles?
Hi Sylvia! I’m sure it’ll be fine, although you’ll probably need to use a little less batter for each waffle and they won’t take as long to bake. Be sure to take a look at your manufactures owners manual to see if you need to oil your iron before baking. Please keep in touch!
Thank you, I can’t wait to give them a try this weekend! My waffle iron is considered an antique to be sure so the owner’s manual would be long gone. It’s a hand me down from my mom. 30+ years old!
But it works on regular waffles so now I can’t wait to make these!!
These look great – especially with that winter citrus! I love keeping homemade waffles in the freezer and then popping them in the toaster on weekdays. Feels like a real treat!
Hey Liz! Hooray for winter citrus! And yes to freezer waffles. Aren’t they on the best!?