Fluffy whole wheat waffles are my family's favorite waffles and they're a weekend staple. Whole grain flour plus a little Greek yogurt and melted butter makes these waffles hearty yet light.
These whole wheat waffles are the fluffiest, yummiest waffles EVER. This is hands down my favorite waffle recipe and I make it almost every weekend. Tuck in a good dose of whole grains and dig into a buttery stack of fresh waffles that will make everyone happy. Bonus: There's no sugar in this recipe either.
For a gluten-free version, try my oat flour waffles or indulge in a plate of oat and almond flour waffles, which also feature whole flour flour. Don't forget plenty of maple syrup!
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Why I Love These Wholesome Waffles
These whole-grain waffles are light, a little buttery, and a lot wholesome. You'll get a hit of protein from creamy Greek yogurt with no added sugar needed! Cook your waffles a tiny bit longer than you think you should -- just 10-20 seconds -- and they will turn out lightly crisp and perfect. Serve them immediately to hungry children who, though they've probably just eaten an hour ago, will be famished and may finish their first before you've had time to cook the second round. And repeat repeat repeat.
- Easy. Whisk, stir, cook—that's it! In about 10 minutes you'll have the best breakfast ever.
- Novice-friendly. Yes, anyone can make these waffles! This recipe is so simple it's tough to mess it up.
- Yummy whole grains. Whole wheat flour, which is flour that does not have the bran removed, adds extra fiber to whatever recipe you use it in. And even better, it has a very slight sweet-nutty flavor!
Ingredients Needed
Simple ingredients come together to make the fluffiest, tenderest waffles. You are seriously going to love these. Here's a glance at everything you'll need to make them. The full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are in the recipe card lower down in this post.
- Whole wheat flour - You can do a 1:1 substitute with whole wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat flour, or another whole grain flour.
- Baking powder - Check to make sure your baking powder is fresh for the airiest waffles.
- Salt - Fine grain sea salt or table salt works fine.
- Greek yogurt - Use low-fat or whole-fat Greek yogurt.
- Egg - A large or extra-large egg works well.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter, or swap coconut oil.
- Milk - You can use whole milk or 2% milk interchangeably.
Variation Ideas
- Choco chips - Add ½-1 cup mini chocolate chips to the batter.
- Add sugar - If you do want these waffles a bit sweeter, add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the dry mix.
- A little spice - Add about ¼-1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ginger to the waffles.
How to Make Whole Wheat Waffles
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this super easy recipe:
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, and in a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cook: Heat the waffle iron, then scoop ¼ cup of the batter and place it in the center of the waffle iron. Close the lid and cook until the light is green.
- Finish: Repeat with the remaining batter to finish the batch.
Waffle Tip: How Long to Cook the Waffles?
Cook the waffles until the light changes to green and there's no more steam coming off the top of the machine. This might mean you need to cook the waffles slightly longer after the light has changed.
Substitution Suggestions & Tips
- The flour - I suggest using whole wheat pastry flour, but you can interchangeably use whole wheat flour or spelt flour and the waffles will turn out just right. I often just grab a bag of whatever is on sale or available at my local store - sometimes it's whole wheat pastry flour (which has a slightly finer grind) and sometimes it's whole wheat flour. Spelt flour is another whole-grain flour that is wonderful for baking and I'll use it often as well.
- Add milk - Whole grain flour absorbs more liquid than all-purpose flour. You can add a little more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time if you find that the batter is too thick.
- What size? I like to make my waffles using a ¼ cup measure, and a ⅓ cup measure also works well.
- Make dairy-free - You can easily make these waffles dairy-free by substituting non-dairy butter for the butter, your favorite non-dairy milk for the milk, and non-dairy yogurt for the yogurt.
- Swap coconut oil - Often, I will substitute the butter with unrefined or refined coconut oil for a change. The waffles are just as buttery and tender.
- Make egg-free - Substitute a flax egg for the egg in the batter.
- Make gluten-free - Use whole grain gluten-free flour like oat or sorghum flour, or a 1:1 all-purpose mix, using 280 grams of whatever flour you choose.
Serving Options
Waffles need not much more than a bit of butter and maple syrup, but of course, it's fun to do more! Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve whole-wheat waffles:
- Butter and syrup. Go all in and melt a little salted butter to drizzle over your waffles, then follow it with a generous pour of maple syrup.
- Fruit. All kinds of fruit are welcome atop a stack of waffles! I love a mix of blueberries and raspberries, sliced strawberries, juicy slices of peach or nectarine, and ripe pears.
- Make it dessert. Serve waffles for dessert! My dad makes a stellar dessert waffle: Serve the waffles warm and topped with a scoop of your favorite ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
- Add whipped cream. For dessert or a more decadent breakfast, top your waffles with lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream.
- Add nut butter. I love a waffle spread with almond or peanut butter. You could finish with a smear of honey or your favorite jam.
Storage
Whole grain waffles are so sturdy and they keep well for another time. Here's what to do with leftover waffles:
- Fridge - Place waffles in a sealable bag or airtight container with a piece of parchment paper separating each one so that they don't stick, and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Store waffles with a piece of parchment in between each one in a freezer-safe, sealable bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat - You can pop waffles straight from the fridge or freezer into a toaster or toaster oven and heat until lightly crisp.
More Waffle Recipes
Whole Wheat Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups milk I use 2% plus a few more tablespoons to thin the batter if needed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, egg, melted butter, and milk. Stir the dry mix into the wet mix until combined.
- Warm the waffle iron and when it's ready, scoop our ¼ cup of the batter and place it in the center of the waffle iron. Close the lid and cook until the light turns green. Remove from the waffle iron with a fork.
- Repeat with the remaining batter to finish the batch; you may need to add a bit of milk if the batter becomes very thick. Waffles may be frozen or stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- The flour - I suggest using whole wheat pastry flour, but you can interchangeably use whole wheat flour or spelt flour and the waffles will turn out just right. I often just grab a bag of whatever is on sale or available at my local store - sometimes it's whole wheat pastry flour (which has a slightly finer grind) and sometimes it's whole wheat flour. Spelt flour is another whole-grain flour that is wonderful for baking and I'll use it often as well.
- Add milk - Whole grain flour absorbs more liquid than all-purpose flour. You can add a little more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if you find the batter is too thick.
- What size? I like to make my waffles using a ¼ cup measure, and a ⅓ cup measure also works well.
- Make dairy-free - You can easily make these waffles dairy-free by substituting non-dairy butter for the butter, your favorite non-dairy milk for the milk, and non-dairy yogurt for the yogurt.
- Swap coconut oil - Often, I will substitute the butter with unrefined or refined coconut oil for a change. The waffles are just as buttery and tender.
- Make egg-free - Substitute a flax egg for the egg in the batter.
- Make gluten-free - Use whole grain gluten-free flour like oat or sorghum flour, or a 1:1 all-purpose mix, using 280 grams of whatever flour you choose.
Helen Spiridakis says
These are mouth watering! Every time! This recipe is so comprehensive with nutritional info….nothing is left out . Makes the decision to try them a no brainer.
Helen says
Very comprehensive recipe. Tastes great also… cook away!
Helen spiridakis says
My mouth is watering for your waffles.. sounds like a good routine. Lucky kids!