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Can we all agree that buckwheat is a confusing name? It’s not at all related to wheat, and in fact, is naturally gluten-free. Yet, it also works remarkably like regular wheat flour.
That’s why you’re going to love these waffles.
I developed them with a single flour (just buckwheat!) so you won’t need to rely on a gluten-free flour blend or extra starches. They turn out perfectly crispy, with a slightly nutty flavor.
My kids thought these were chocolate-flavored waffles at first, and even when they realized they weren’t, they were still happy with the overall taste. And if your kids aren’t brave enough to try these dark-colored waffles, check out my tips below. Buckwheat flour comes in two different colors!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“This is the best waffle recipe that I made so far. I will double the recipe next time.” – Manon
Buckwheat Waffle Ingredients
- Buckwheat Flour. Buckwheat flour comes in two colors, light and dark, and this is because you can make buckwheat flour two different ways– with hulled or unhulled buckwheat. If you want a light-colored flour, so these look more “normal,” shop for hulled buckwheat flour. I used dark in these photos, so you could see what regular buckwheat flour looks like.
- Coconut Oil. I use this to keep the waffles dairy-free, but melted butter will work, too. If you don’t love coconut flavor, but need a dairy-free recipe, use expeller-pressed or refined coconut oil, which will add zero coconut taste.
- Maple Syrup. This natural sweetener helps to balance the bitter flavor of buckwheat. They won’t taste overly sweet, so you can add a little more if you prefer sweeter waffles.
- Baking Powder. This helps the waffles become crispy and airy as they cook. Don’t mistake it for baking soda, or the flavor will be off.
- Egg. This helps bind the waffles and makes them extra-crispy. You can swap it for a flax egg if you prefer, but the waffles might be slightly less crispy in that case. Luckily, buckwheat is a pretty forgiving flour!
- Milk (or water). I originally shared this recipe using water as the liquid, but I prefer using milk to boost the protein slightly. Any liquid will work!
- Vanilla & Salt. I add these to boost the flavor. (Don’t skip the salt or these will be bland.)
How to Make Buckwheat Waffles
Step 1:
Preheat your waffle iron right before you mix the batter, so it will be ready to cook when the batter is ready. (I set mine to a medium heat setting.)
Add 1 cup of buckwheat flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk well to break up any clumps, then add in 1 large egg, 1 cup of milk or water. Stir again.
The batter will look runny at first, but will thicken as it rests in the bowl.
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Step 2:
Grease your waffle iron with cooking spray, then pour a 1/2 cup of waffle batter into the center of the iron. When you close the lid, the batter will spread out to the edges, filling the whole mold.
Cook until the your waffle iron alerts you that it’s done. (Usually it’s either a light switching on, or a beep.) Depending on the temperature of your machine, the waffles might need an additional 1 to 2 minutes of cooking time, to become lightly golden around the edges. (I keep mine on a heat level of 5 out of 7, and it always requires 2 more minutes of cooking time after the ready light turns on.)
Note: I’m using a classic waffle maker in these photos that cooks 4 at a time, so I poured 1/2 cup of batter into each of the 4 squares before closing the lid. I was able to get one more waffle, for a total of 5 from this amount of batter.
Serving & Storage Tips
Once the buckwheat waffles are cooked, they are ready to serve right away. You can keep the cooked waffles in a warm oven (heated to 180ºF) while you wait for the rest to cook.
Serve warm with any toppings you love. My family loves to top them with peanut butter and sliced banana, but you can also serve them with maple syrup or fresh berries.
Storage Tip: Leftover waffles can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Feel free to make a double batch as part of your meal prep routine!
Buckwheat Waffles (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat flour (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (I use Real Salt brand)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil (or butter)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Plug in your electric waffle iron so it can start to preheat. It should be ready to go by the time you mix the waffle batter. In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk well to break up any clumps.
- Add in the egg, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and water and whisk again. The batter will look very runny at first, but it will thicken up in about 60 to 90 seconds of mixing, so be patient.
- Once the waffle iron is ready, spray it with oil and add a 1/2 cup of batter into the center of the plates. Close the waffle iron and let it cook until the "ready" light goes on, letting you know the waffle is done. Depending on how crispy you like your waffles, you may want to let the waffle cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes after the ready light signals the waffle is done.
- Use a fork to carefully remove the cooked waffle, then add another 1/2 cup of batter to the waffle iron and cook the next waffle. Repeat until all of the batter is gone, making 4 to 5 classic-size waffles in total. (This size is thin enough to fit in a toaster; see the notes below for a Belgian waffle maker.)
- Serve the waffles warm with your favorite toppings. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. You can reheat directly from frozen in your toaster, for a fast morning.
Notes
- Nutrition information is for 1 of 5 classic waffles. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
- If you have a Belgian waffle maker, you’ll need to use 3/4 cup to 1 cup of batter per waffle. In this case, the waffles will be much larger, so you’ll get fewer waffles from the batch. (Potentially only 2, so double the recipe if you go this route.)
- To make this recipe vegan, you can replace the egg with a flax egg or 2 tablespoons of arrowroot starch.
- Buckwheat flour comes in both dark (unhulled) and light (hulled) colors. For the best flavor, look for a light-colored buckwheat flour (affiliate link). Or you can make your own by grinding buckwheat groats in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender.
Nutrition
Types of Buckwheat Flour
When shopping for buckwheat flour, look for a light-colored version if you think your kids won’t go for the dark one. The light colored flour is made with hulled buckwheat, so it has a lighter color and more mild flavor.
If you can only find buckwheat flour made from unhulled buckwheat, this recipe will still work, but the waffles will turn out much darker in color, with a more bold buckwheat flavor.
Note: You can make your own light colored buckwheat flour by grinding raw buckwheat groats in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender.
More Recipes To Try
- Buckwheat Banana Pancakes
- Almond Flour Waffles
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
- Cottage Cheese Oatmeal Waffles
If you try this buckwheat waffles recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
Great to find a GF recipe that doesn’t use a blend of flours. Used light buckwheat flour, substituted olive oil for butter and used 1/2 cup oat milk and 1/2 cup water. Turned out well and I had to make up a 2nd batch as the kids polished it right off.
Definitely a keeper recipe!
Everybody I’ve made these for loves them! My son has requested that I make them as pancakes. Any recipe modifications for pancakes? Thank you so much!
Can you add berries to these or will they stick to the waffle iron?
These were amazing! I replaced the coconut oil with butter and some olive oil. I also added one tablespoon of sugar (instead of maple syrup) because I was worried the waffles would be slightly bitter. The kids devoured them!
This recipe turned out well. I think it would be better to use a picture of buckwheat waffles- they are very dark in color, not light as pictured above.
I’m glad you enjoyed them! This photo is of buckwheat waffles, but I always purchase the light-colored buckwheat flour. (Anthony’s brand on Amazon.)
Perfectly fluffy and light buckwheat pancakes.
i love these. so simple and taste great. i used 2 tablespoons of allulose instead of maple syrup and they turned out great. very light and fluffy for gluten free. thank you