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What’s for breakfast this weekend? How about some yummy, healthy, easy-to-make, homemade whole wheat waffles!
You do need a waffle iron for this recipe, but I definitely think it is worth the $25-30 investment for a low priced model. I'm still using my parents’ old waffle iron, which has to be at least 20 years old. It is incredibly basic and always does the trick whenever we are in the mood for some homemade waffles.
I made this exact recipe the other morning and lost count at how many my kids ate. I love that they can eat something so wholesome and still enjoy it. I did make sure they ate plenty of fruit before giving them their second and third helpings though.
If you aren't sure what your kids will think of this for breakfast try adding a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream on top! And don't forget to freeze the leftovers.
What goes into this recipe for whole wheat waffles?
If you haven’t already noticed from my other posts, I love making real food swaps in recipes to make them healthier. That’s why this waffle recipe uses whole wheat flour, honey (instead of sugar), and real butter!
What I really love is how easy this waffle recipe is, especially since you can use any kind of milk you have on hand. The rest of the ingredients: eggs, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder, are all things you probably have on hand as well!
What’s the best whole wheat flour for this homemade waffle recipe?
I especially love this recipe with whole wheat pastry flour, but you can substitute regular whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour) if that's all you have. We often use King Arthur brand, but any whole wheat flour will work fine in this recipe.
How to make fluffier waffles
There’s an easy trick to getting extra fluffy waffles. Instead of adding the eggs whole, separate the whites from the yolks. Add just the egg yolks with the other liquids and leave the whites aside.
Whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, then gently fold the whites into your whole wheat waffle batter. The whipped egg whites add air into the recipe, which means extra fluffy waffles!
Waffle cooking tips
I’ve had plenty of time to perfect waffle making after making countless batches of this recipe for the kids, so here are my best tips:
- Let the batter rest for a few minutes before cooking.
- Make sure your waffle iron is hot at the start and between batches.
- Instead of a ladle, you can also use a measuring cup to scoop the batter. You may need to experiment with different sizes, depending on the size of your waffle iron.
- Don’t overfill the waffle iron. Remember your batter will expand!
- You may need to spread the batter out in your waffle iron, especially if it's one of those novelty shaped waffle makers.
- Keep your waffle iron well greased, adding more butter between waffles as needed.
- If you have kids, consider grabbing a second waffle iron or one that cooks more than one waffle at a time.
- Waffles can be removed with something made of wood or silicone (wooden chopsticks work!). Metal tools can scratch your waffle maker. If I use metal silverware, I make sure it only touches the waffle and not the machine.
Healthy topping ideas for whole wheat waffles
We always top our waffles (and pancakes) with real food. For classic waffles, real maple syrup tastes delicious! Other yummy, sweet toppings that we’ve enjoyed are berries, peaches, homemade jam, and no-sugar-added whipped cream.
For savory whole wheat waffle toppings, try Greek yogurt, butter, or natural peanut butter. Another idea is to fry an egg over easy and place it on top. (Bonus protein for a more filling breakfast!)






Erica says
We are just starting to make the switch to real foods.... my pickiest child is fighting me tooth and nail! If she thinks something is made with whole grains or something organic she automatically doesn't like it! My son loved the waffles with maple syrup, my daughter said they were disgusting! Looks like I have my work cut out for me!
Candice says
How many waffles does one batch make?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Candice. I usually get 10-12. ~Amy
Cathy says
I made these in my Krupps waffle maker which makes large, deep, rectangualr waffles and they were okay, but not super.
A few modifcations to accomodate the deeper, larger makers:
1 3/4 C ww flour
1/2 C coconut oil (liquid) - this is key! Use melted, cooled butter for a really rich waffle!
1T baking powder. (Aluminum free)
NO baking soda
1/2 t. salt
This makes 8 (2 sets of 4) yummy waffles and still keeps all Real ingredients. Just rearranged a bit. I make a double batch so we have some to freeze. Waffles are much faster for me than pancakes, since I don't have a griddle.
I mix all the dry ingredients and set aside. Then mix all the wet things in a large mixing bowl with a pour spout. Mix in the dry ingreients until just mixed.
Ellizabeth says
Thanks for this great recipe.. have a question about the coconut oil. I added it and it hardened am I using the wrong thing, its TJ jarred Organic Virgin Coconut Oil..sorry if the questions is silly, I just started cooking with this oil...
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Elizabeth. This will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. :) ~Amy
Elizabeth Raulston says
Delicious!
Jillian says
These are GREAT! Easy and delicious!
Jessica says
Wow!!! So yummy! I made them with organic eggs, almond milk, coconut oil and Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour. Delicious. Topped it off with some slivered almonds, a little honey, Greek Yoghurt and Bananas... Thank you for the recipe.
Erin says
My daughter absolutely loves these and my husband didn't mind the change. We eat waffles each week so it is great to have learned how to bring a healthier and more nutritious option to my family's table.
Milena says
WE LOVE IT!!!!! Since we don't like syrup I spreaded home made jelly on top and they were delicious!!! THANK YOU!! :)
Ana says
I just made them and they are very good! Don't run at all!
Alissa says
I made these today, first one was very sticky and fell all apart, but then I let them sit about a minute longer than when I would think they should be done, and then they just fell nicely out of the iron when gently pulled off with a fork. Very tasty too!
Alisa says
I made this with all the exact ingredients and they came out perfect. I made 2 varieties: chocolate chip and Maple/cinnamon.
Angela Erickson says
My kids request waffles, even the picky neighbor kid likes to eat waffles at our house. Now if only to convince them that they don't need to have syrup flowing all over their plate!!! ;)
Heather says
I made these once & the flour stuck badly to my iron so I tried today with the specific flour listed... Still a big mess! Had to scrape pieces out of waffle iron. A yummy pile of waffle but not too pretty. Any suggestions?!? Would love to have a big brunch to include these but need them to cooperate when cooked!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Heather. Did you butter the iron? ~Amy
Heather says
Yes. First, I used a sunflower oil spray on the waffle iron - that failed. I used actual butter the next time I made them - another fail. I have a 4-grid waffle iron. It's usually great for waffles!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Did you happen to reduce the amount of oil used in the recipe? Also, if you have a non-stick, oil can build up on the coating and make it tacky.
Hannah says
This doesn't work very well for a deep waffle iron. I followed the recipe perfectly, I'm pretty sure, and the batter is very runny. I even tried thickening with extra flour. I think this would work lots better using a thinner waffle design with smaller squares.
Ellen J says
Is this approved for the 10 day challenge? I'm trying to prepare for the start of my 10 day in October.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Ellen. Yes, it is. ~Amy
Tammy givens says
Hi,
I have made these waffles a couple of times and my family loves them. I like to make them and serve immediately...I like the crispness on the outside. Qst...do you think it is ok to save the batter in the fridge. I've tried it a couple of times and had to stir it up but it seemed to taste fine.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tammy. I've kept the batter overnight once or twice but the waffles lost a bit of loft. I prefer to make them all and freeze the leftovers. ~Amy
Ines says
I've never been a 'waffle girl' but of course I have one child that is...my son and he's been wanting waffles for lunch, for.ev.er. I purchased a waffle maker and made this recipe and guess what?!
I'm a convert! We have been enjoying waffles all week long (for breakfast!) Next week we will do them for lunch.
Thank you..thank you...thank you..This was truly a blessing! We are making wises choice one waffle at a time:-D
Jessie says
Having the same problem with the coconut oil getting hard in the batter..going to try making these again with a different oil but prefer the coconut.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jessie. Have you seen this: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/? It should help. ~Amy
Kira says
Has anyone else ever had trouble with the coconut hardening when added to the cold milk? I am trying to warm the batter and hope that it will still work.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kiar. This will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/? ~Amy
Anna says
I made these tonight as pancakes. I have made them as waffles before with great success so I made a triple batch to cover us for supper and to freeze. I was getting to the end of the batter and remembered the granola I made a couple of nights ago. I sprinkled granola on the top of the pancakes before I flipped them. It was and delicious amazing addition. wow.
Monica says
How would you freeze these?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Monica. Just cook, cool, and put them in an airtight container or zipper bag. ~Amy
Margaret Bucholtz says
I'm anxious to make this recipe, I love waffles, love reading all the comments,
Would almond milk work in this recipe?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Yes, Margaret. I use it all the time. ~Amy
Diane Vigilante says
Love these waffles & your entire site! I have referred many of my friends to it and they too, very much appreciate all the information and delicious recipes :) I have a question about the oil in ths recipe...could I replace (1:1) the oil with unsweetened applesauce? Thank you very much!!
Ann says
Love the taste of these waffles! My VERY picky family gobbled them up!
However, during the cooking process, the batter kept spilling out of the sides of the waffle iron. I'm using the same waffle iron listed in your resource page.
Any tips on how to make a perfect waffle???
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Ann. You might have gotten the batter a bit too thin? You can thicken it up by adding just a little more flour. Also, make sure your waffle is heated up before your pour. ~Amy
Ann says
Thanks Amy! I will try thickening up the batter!
Dawn says
Everyone in my family liked these waffles. Even my picky, not-into-eating healthy husband!
Meredith says
I have a belgian waffle maker but have been looking for a waffle maker for thin waffles (like the ones pictured in this post). Can you tell me which waffle maker you used? Those will be so much better for freezing/reheating for my kids' breakfasts and lunches. Thanks!
p.s. I love your site and your recipes!
Megan says
How long will waffles and the other listed baked goods keep in the freezer?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Megan. We use three months as a rule of thumb. ~Amy
Amy says
I am so happy to have found this website. I have always prided myself on feeding my kids real food from day one, and it's so nice to find new ideas and recipes. I just made these waffles exactly as the recipe called, and my kids loved them! We have many waffle recipes, but I like the coconut oil in this one (it smells so good!), and it's a perfect combination with peanut butter. We all decided that this is going to be the first day of school breakfast. With a glass of milk and peanut butter, the protein level is high, just what my daughter needs. I rarely leave reviews, but this blog is worth it. As a physician, I wish more people would feed their kids like this... the obesity level would be lower, as would the diabetes incidence and I wouldn't have to see kids in the Emergency Department with constipation. :) Thank you!
Melissa says
I made these this morning and we both loved them. I used olive oil instead of coconut oil because that is all I had, and they tasted great. I will try butter next time, just to see the difference. This is my first experience making homemade waffles and I am not going back to using a mix, ever! I am almost due with our first baby so will be making these for him too, at some point. Thank you!
Hannah says
Topped these with fresh blueberries and a drizzle made with greek yogurt, maple syrup, and almond milk. They were great!
Last night I combined the dry ingredients in a container and the wet ingredients in another container. Made for a much easier waffle making experience this morning because all I needed to do was combine the two. I'll probably make a big batch and freeze them next time. Thanks for the recipe!
Shannon says
Would this recipe work in a Belgian WaffleMaker as well?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Shannon. We have readers who have used a Belgian waffle maker successfully. ~Amy
Lorraine says
Loved it! Cooked perfectly. Not too doughy not too dry. Really love the minimal sugar content. Thank you.
Brian says
Made these for my wife and three kids today. Picky toddler kept asking for more, and everyone else gobbled them up. Very good! It's rare anymore that I find a recipe with common ingredients (especially whole wheat flour) which makes me take notice, but these are very different. I think the coconut oil makes all the difference. Thanks!
Stephanie says
For everyone who has been trying out spelt. I used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 spelt flour in this recipe...YUMMY!!! I must admit, I didn't try it with all whole wheat so I can't compare BUT these were light and wonderful. We even added fresh-from-PopPop's-Garden blueberries to 1/2 of the batter. Kids ate it all up...so did hubby! :)
Tosha says
I made these waffles for the first time this morning. They are so good! I've made several of your other recipes and like them as well. Thank you for sharing so many yummy real food recipes. :)
Rafaela says
Great recipe, simple ingredients and the final result is spectacular!!! I used Agave instead of honey and added a little bit of vanilla extract. Very tasty and healthy! I will be making it again. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.
Nicole says
Do you think you could make this batter ahead of time and freeze it? I got 1gal skim milk for $0.99 and need to use it!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Nicole. You can make and freeze the waffles. They are super convenient that way! I have never tried freezing the batter. ~Amy
Claudia says
Can almond flour or coconut fkour or a gluten free mix flour be used?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Claudia. I have added almond flour as replacement for an equal amount of whole wheat flour and I cannot remember how much I used. I have not tried to substitute completely. My waffles were a little more dense than normal but they were good. Let us know if you experiment. ~Amy
Jessica says
I made this today with my belgium waffle maker (which has been so finicky with premixes so I NEVER make waffles). THe waffles came out great - I used half buttermilk, half whole milk and I had no coconut oil and wasn't sure how butter would do so I used veggie oil (which I don't really like to use). Only made 3 but belgium waffles are big so it was perfect for a family of 4 (two small kids each split one) - THANKS