Chocolate Waffles for the Table

Get out of the breakfast rut with these fluffy, flavor-packed Chocolate Waffles! They’re straightforward to make, perfectly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and loaded with savory chocolate flavor. This chocolate waffles recipe will be your new weekend regular!

Weekends are for sleeping in, drinking more than one cup of coffee and making an extra special breakfast from the pantry! No need for a waffle mix when you have this chocolate waffle recipe! It simply so happens to be vegan and SO unfussy to whip up!

Some of our regular weekend breakfasts are vegan cinnamon rolls, vegan French toast, chocolate donuts and these simple, yet striking chocolate waffles.

I know your families will enjoy these chocolate waffles only as much as mine does! These are the dependable waffle – slightly crisp on the outside and soft and so fluffy on the inside… with the most savory chocolate flavor. Yum!

Looking for a old-style vegan waffle recipe? You’ll love these light and fluffy vegan waffles!

Ingredients needed for chocolate waffles:

This chocolate waffles recipe uses everyday ingredients you most likely already have on hand in your pantry. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Flaxseeds + warm water. A combination of 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 2 tablespoons of warm water is needed to make a flax egg.
• Dairy free milk + lemon juice. For that familiar buttermilk flavor and lovely texture, we’re mixing dairy free milk with fresh lemon juice to make a buttermilk alternative that’s completely dairy free.
• Flour. This chocolate waffle recipe calls for regular all-purpose flour. For the dependable texture, I do not recommend using any other flour other than all-purpose flour or a gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Cocoa powder. for savory chocolate flavor!
• Baking powder. to ensure these waffles bake up with the reliable rise and texture.
• Brown sugar. for the dependable amount of sweetness and memorable texture.
• Cinnamon + vanilla extract. Flavor enhancers that I think are necessary for any pancake or waffle recipe.
• Vegan butter. Use any go-to vegan butter to give these waffles dependable crisp edges with soft and tender centers.
• Mini chocolate chips. Optional for extra chocolate flavor!

How to make chocolate waffles:

Chocolate waffles are especially unfussy to make! Grab your waffle iron and let’s get started!

1. Make the flax egg. Combine the ground flaxseeds and water in a small bowl and set it aside until ready to use.
2. Make the vegan buttermilk. Stir together the milk and lemon juice in a small bowl and set it aside for five minutes.
3. Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
4. Combine the wet ingredients. Mix the flax egg, vegan buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
5. Mix wet and dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir simply until combined – make sure not to over-mix! A few lumps are okay. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
6. Cook waffles. Spray the waffle iron with nonstick spray and add enough batter to fill the waffle iron, leaving about 1” around the edge. In my 8” waffle iron, I use 1 cup of batter. Cook the batter until the waffle is golden brown and crisp around the edges – about 3 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy! Add your regular toppings and dig in! This earns a repeat maple syrup, fresh berries and a little nondairy whipped cream on these fluffy waffles!

Tips for reliable chocolate waffles:

There’s nothing too complicated about making waffles, but I do have some recommendations to give you reliable, fluffy waffles every time.

• Do NOT over-mix the batter. Stirring the batter too much can result in tough waffles. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until simply combined. Lumps are a normal indication that the waffles will have a great texture. Here’s more info on over-mixing and why you don’t want to do it.
• Cook the waffles for around 3 minutes. When the steam stops coming from the waffle maker, the waffles are usually ready to remove. For a crispier waffle, leave them cooking a minute or two longer before removing. Don’t have a waffle iron? You better get one asap! This is the one that I use and it works great. I also LOVE this mini waffle maker and use it often.
• If you’d like to keep the waffles warm while you’re making the whole batch, heat your oven to 225ºF and place a large sheet pan inside. You can place cooked waffles on the sheet pan, so they’re nice and warm when everyone’s ready to eat.
• Not all waffle makers cook the same. Be sure to read the instructions that come with your waffle iron for the manufacturer recommendations on cooking time.

The go-to waffle toppings:

Chocolate waffles are surely flavorful enough to eat plain, but these are especially flavor-packed topped with extras. Here are some of our favorites:

• Syrups. maple syrup, honey, fruit syrup
• Fresh fruit. berries, apricots, peaches, sliced banana, pomegranate seeds
• Nuts. almonds, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts
• Nut butter. nutella, almond butter, peanut butter
• Other topping options. yogurt, shredded coconut, sprinkles, chocolate chips, powdered sugar, nondairy whipped cream

What to serve with chocolate waffles

You could surely make a full meal out of these chocolate waffles, but they also pair well with a variety of breakfast sides. Below are some of my go-to breakfast sides:

• Hash browns or breakfast potatoes. This breakfast hash would be striking!
• Fresh fruit or fruit salad. Fruit pairs so well with sweet waffles.
• Yogurt. Serve on the side or add a dollop on top.
• Plant-based sausage. Love that sweet and savory combo!

Storing & reheating leftover waffles:

Chocolate waffles stay fresh in the fridge for up to about 5 days. Once the waffles have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.

Reheat waffles in the toaster or oven at 350ºF for about 5 minutes for go-to results. You can also warm them up in the microwave, although they won’t crisp up as well.

Can you freeze these waffles?

Yes! Kitchen-made chocolate waffles freeze genuinely well! Sometimes I even double the recipe and keep extra waffles in the freezer for busy mornings.

Once the waffles have completely cooled, place them into freezer bags or another freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. You don’t have to worry about thawing the waffles, simply reheat them in a toaster or bake them for 10-12 minutes at 350°F in your preheated oven.