Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Waffles with greek yogurt, honey, and walnuts. Very light and soft, and they freeze well! Ready to eat in 30 mins.
What makes this recipe special?
Let's be real. We all love carrot cake with a good layer of cream cheese frosting but you don't always have time to make a cake. Or maybe you just want to keep your meals healthier. That's where these carrot cake waffles come in!
I'd love to eat cake for breakfast, don't get me wrong, but I also want a nutritious breakfast that keeps me full till lunch and makes me feel good. These waffles keep me full but it still feels like I'm eating dessert for breakfast. Winning!
The batter is lightly sweetened with honey and has all the spices you're looking for in a good carrot cake. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. It's made with Greek Yogurt which I also like to serve the waffles with instead of cream cheese to keep the dish lighter.
If you love carrot cake as much as I do, definitely check out my Carrot Cake Oatmeal recipe, it's always a big hit at our house in the spring!
Carrot Cake Waffle Tips
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt. I've found this to work the best, it's what makes the waffles extra fluffy and soft. You can use a different yogurt or a vegan alternative and it will still work but the texture might be slightly different.
- Use a good gluten-free flour mix. I like Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour. It's very fine and works with most recipes. I've also used other local gluten-free flour blends in this recipe with good results (one had brown rice, chickpea, and tapioca flours).
- Always use a cheese grater, not a mandoline to grate the carrots. I use the coarse surface on a cheese grater to grate my carrots.
- Let the batter sit. Letting the batter stand helps the dry ingredients to absorb the liquid. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes while you preheat your waffle iron and just give it a quick stir before cooking.
Waffle Iron Tips
- Use a good waffle iron. This is the waffle iron I use, it's nonstick, you can remove the plates, and I've been very happy with it! Check out this NY magazine review of waffle makers if you're on the fence.
- Use oil in a spray or butter to grease your waffle iron. It's better to use butter on a nonstick waffle iron because oil can build up over time and make it tacky. If I'm using oil, my favorite is avocado oil. Just make sure there aren't any weird additives and it's just 100% avocado oil.
- Use a paper towel to wipe the waffle maker between each batch if needed. Especially if you're using butter. I like to wipe off any burned batter, oil, or butter. Be very careful not to burn your fingers.
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Keeping Your Waffles Warm
If you're not eating your waffles right away, you need a way to keep them warm, soft on the inside but still crispy on the outside.
Stacking your waffles on top of each other creates steam and it will make your waffles lose their crispiness and become soggy. To avoid this and to keep your waffles crispy, follow these steps:
- Preheat your oven to 200°F (100°C).
- Take a sheet pan with an oven-safe cooling rack and as soon as you remove your waffles from the waffle iron, place them on the cooling rack in a single layer.
- Keep them in the oven until ready to eat.
Freezing Carrot Cake Waffles
I like doubling this recipe to have leftovers I can store in the freezer for those mornings when I just need a quick breakfast and be on my way. Frozen waffles can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To freeze: Cool your waffles completely at room temperature on a cooling rack. Place them in the freezer on a tray in a single layer and freeze for 1-2 hours. Remove from the tray and transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- To thaw: Use a toaster or the oven to reheat them. I really like popping them in my toaster, it's easy and it makes them extra crispy.
Use Leftover Greek Yogurt in One of These Recipes
- Healthy Greek Yogurt Pancakes with berries
- Smoky Za'atar Roasted Cauliflower with Yogurt Dip
- Halloumi Orzo Bowl with Roasted Veg and Herby Yogurt Sauce
- Chickpea Crepes with Roasted Vegetables and Tzatziki
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Waffles
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 waffles 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These fluffy gluten-free waffles come together in less than 30 minutes. Very light and soft.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt)
- ½ cup almond milk (or your milk of choice)
- 1 cup gluten-free flour mix*
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup grated carrot packed (1 medium carrot)
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup raisins (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, and sea salt. Set aside.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, avocado oil, greek yogurt, and almond milk.
- Add the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.
- Fold in the shredded carrot and chopped walnuts using a spoon. Set aside until ready to cook.
- Heat up a waffle iron and brunch with a little bit of butter or spray with avocado oil if it’s not nonstick.
- Use about ¼ cup of the batter for each waffle (they will spread but not too much) and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions (I set mine to medium and cook for approx. 2 mins each side).
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Keep them warm: Preheat your oven to 200°F (100°C). Place your waffles in a single layer on a sheet pan with an oven-safe cooling rack and keep it in the oven until ready to eat.
Storing: Store in the fridge for 3-4 days or the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat/thaw: Reheat the waffles in the toaster or in the oven.
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Stephanie says
You've combined two of my favorites here: carrot cake and waffles! I absolutely need to try this recipe as soon as I can. It sounds beyond delicious - and what a creative recipe to enjoy on a weekend with my husband. Thank you so much for sharing. I'm pinning so I don't forget about it!
Gunel Ibadova says
It looks so delicious :) Thanks for healthy recipe.
Paige says
I love waffles and I think these would be great for breakfast OR dessert! Cant wait to try them!
Amy Liu Dong says
This is such a good breakfast for my kids. It's easy, delicious, and healthy.
Ben M says
These waffles are great! I love the idea of combining carrot cake and breakfast so I decided to give this recipe a try. I was not disappointed. Everything was easy to follow and the end product tasted spectacular.
Kushigalu says
How creative is this. Carrot cake waffles looks just fantastic. I cant wait to try this for breakfast.
Natalie says
With spring coming, I just know these waffles will be a huge hit in my house. Can't wait to make them. Delicious and so healthy. Perfect for my boys!
Tracy says
A carrot cake waffles love child! Talk about a great brunch, and I love that it's gluten free! My kids loved them!
Ramona says
These carrot cake waffles look super nutritious and delicious! I definitely need to try this recipe as I know I will love them. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Colleen says
I love carrot cake and now I can't wait to have it in waffle form! They look so delicious.
Heidy says
After reading your wonderful blog post and seeing the recipe ingredients listed, I am putting this on my MUST make immediately. The recipe for Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Waffles sounds fantastic and seems like it will go over exceptionally well with the husband and children. Have a great week!
Jamie says
I love all the spices in this waffle! My niece is going to love this since she loves carrot cake!