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These protein waffles came into existence because it’s a struggle to get my kids fed in the morning before they go to school. We love the convenience of a toaster waffle, but the average freezer waffle has only 3 grams of protein per two waffles.
Even the popular protein waffles sold in stores require you to eat two waffles to reach the 12 grams of protein advertised on the front of the box.
This homemade version packs up to 15 grams of protein into a single waffle, depending on the protein powder brand and the size of your waffle maker. They taste delicious enough that my kids actually look forward to eating them—without any syrup on top!
After testing over 20 batches in the past month, I can confidently say this is now one of our favorite waffle recipes. Make a big batch to freeze and pop one into the toaster for a fast morning.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Amazing! My kids loved these and I made three batches in a row to keep in the freezer for the week! Great flavor and easy to make! Thanks for this recipe!” -Sarah
High-Protein Waffle Recipe Ingredients
- Rolled Oats. Instead of using flour, these pancakes are made with rolled oats. When blended, they become oat flour! Oats are naturally gluten-free, but be sure to look for “certified gluten-free” packaging to ensure there is no cross-contamination during processing.
- Banana. Adding a ripe banana to this recipe lets you use less oil than a classic waffle recipe calls for. It also adds natural sweetness, without an overwhelming banana flavor.
- Protein Powder. My go-to protein powder is from Garden of Life, but it doesn’t taste delicious on its own, which is why this recipe has a touch of maple syrup added to the batter. If you prefer to use vanilla protein powder, I also tested this recipe with Truvani brand; check out the recipe notes for modifications.
- Eggs. These add structure and extra protein. I experimented with adding an extra egg to this batter, and while I personally found it too “eggy”-tasting, my son loves them that way, too.
- Baking Powder. This helps the waffles puff up as they cook, resulting in a lighter, crisper texture. These are not as crispy as classic all-purpose flour waffles, but they do become crispier when toasted before serving.
- Maple Syrup. This natural sweetener enhances the flavor so the waffles don’t taste too much like protein powder.
- Salt. The finishing touch that helps boost the overall taste. I always use fine sea salt (the pink salt from the Real Salt brand); if you want to use the same brand, I do.
How to Make Protein Waffles
Step 1:
Plug in your electric waffle maker to start preheating while you prepare the batter. (I set the heat to a 5 out of 7 on my machine.) This recipe is very quick to make, so you may finish the batter before the waffle iron is fully heated.
In a high-speed blender, combine the rolled oats, banana, eggs, protein powder, maple syrup, olive oil, baking powder, vanilla extract, water, and salt. Blend until the batter looks very smooth, about 60 seconds.
Step 2:
Spray your preheated waffle iron with cooking spray, then pour a 1/3 cup of the batter into the center of the waffle maker if you’re using a classic waffle iron. This will NOT fill the waffle iron to the edges, because a full-round waffle will not fit in a standard toaster.
If you’re using a mini waffle iron that is only 4 inches wide, use a 1/4 cup of batter instead.
Close the lid on your waffle maker and cook until it beeps. Waffle irons will vary, so check on the waffle to make sure it’s a golden brown color and easily releases from the waffle iron. You may need to leave the waffle to cook for another minute or so.
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Step 3:
Repeat with the remaining batter to make roughly 5 high-protein waffles. (Or 7 waffles if you’re using the smaller-size waffle maker.)
Double the recipe if you’d like to make a larger batch! Serve warm with peanut butter and fresh berries, or any other toppings you love.
Detoxinista Tip
Note: This recipe hasn’t been tested with a Belgian waffle maker, as the size of the waffle maker isn’t standard and wouldn’t fit in a typical toaster. A thicker waffle like that will require triple the batter, so you may need to double the recipe, and you’ll need to reheat it in a larger toaster oven.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or freeze them for up to 3 months!
To reheat a chilled or frozen protein waffle, simply pop it in the toaster. It should be heated through by the time the waffle pops back up! (I typically use a medium-heat setting, but toasters will vary.)
Easy Protein Waffles (No Flour!)
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe banana
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup unsweetened protein powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Begin preheating your waffle iron right away. It should be done preheating by the time your batter is ready. I recommend using a waffle iron that makes ½-inch thick waffles for the crispiest results.
- In a high-speed blender, combine the banana, eggs, oats, protein powder, olive oil, maple syrup, baking powder, vanilla, salt, and water. Secure the lid and blend until the oats are pulverized and the batter looks smooth, about 60 to 90 seconds.
- The batter will look runny at first, but it will thicken up as the oats absorb the water. Don't be surprised if the batter looks runnier when you cook your first waffle compared to your last waffle. (No need to add additional liquid; just use a spatula to scoop it out of the blender when it thickens.)
- Lightly grease the waffle iron with cooking spray and pour ⅓ cup of the batter into the center of the waffle iron. (If using a 4" waffle iron, use only ¼ cup of batter for 7 waffles total.) Close the lid and cook on medium-high heat until the waffle iron beeps that it's done. Waffle irons may vary, so each waffle may require an additional minute or two of cooking time. You'll know they are done when the waffles are a light golden brown color and can be removed easily from the waffle iron.
- Repeat with the remaining batter, making roughly 5 to 7 waffles. (This amount of batter will not fully fill your classic waffle maker, but these should fit in a standard toaster for easy reheating later.) Refer to the notes below if you are using a Belgian-style waffle maker.
- Serve the waffles warm with any toppings you like. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Pop them in the toaster to reheat until crispy again.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Protein Smoothie
- Savory Breakfast Bowls
- Tofu Scramble
- Healthy Breakfast Casserole
- High-Protein Breakfast Scramble
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
They turn out soggy, they won’t even crisp up in the toaster.
Just made these with pure pumpkin seed protein because that’s all I had on hand. They were *wonderful*! I added the following spices to the recipe: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger powder. Oh, and I don’t have a waffle maker so we just made the batter into four pancakes instead, they came out just the right amount of fluffy! This recipe is going into permanent rotation at our house!
This was delicious! I used Orgain plant based vanilla protein powder.
Amazing! My kids loved these and I made three batches in a row to keep in the freezer for the week! Great flavor and easy to make! Thanks for this recipe!
I made this recipe and added cinnamon and nutmeg, 1/8 tsp each.
For toppings: chopped walnuts, blackberries, and honey.
Is there a sub for the oats? Like something lower carb?
You might be able to experiment with almond flour as a low-carb option. They probably won’t turn out as crispy that way, but waffles tend to be pretty forgiving if you have a classic-style waffle maker. (The waffles are best when they are a 1/2-inch thick!)
Thanks! I thought about almond flour. I might try it and see.
Wow! Greeeat recipe and healthy too! I forwarded this to our whole family of 12! We are all trying to add more protein in our healthy eating! I’d even eat this w/o syrup. Like a biscotti biscuit! Thank you for opening up our world to better nutrition in 2024!
Delicious recipe with perfect texture! I used pumpkin & pumpkin spice (instead of banana) and a little extra water in a nutribullet to blend. Thank you for your recipes! Also made pumpkin paleo muffins which are lovely!
How did you get 15 g of protein per waffle here?
Hi Vicky! My recipes go through an automatic nutrition calculator, so it chooses generic ingredients and then divides by the serving size of 5 waffles. The automatic calculation came up with that number (I don’t know which unsweetened protein powder it chose to use), but it will vary based on the protein powder you use. I just checked with a soy-based protein powder, and it was closer to 9.5-10 grams of protein per waffle in that case. Still better than the store-bought frozen waffles, and I love the flavor of these!
Best waffles! I feel so much better eating while grain heart healthy foods, was tired of eating empty calories with the standard white flour waffle recipe, this is literally the same as having a bowl of oats with protein powder and fruit.
Think this could be used for pancakes instead of waffles??
Yes, I do! Let me know if you give it a try as pancakes. 🙂
Wow, those were so delicious! I didn’t have any protein powder so I just added hemp seeds instead and cut on the water a little bit, added some cinnamon and made them as pancakes instead of waffles. Yum ! Will be making them again! Thank you for sharing.