In fact, go run over and plug your waffle maker in now. It’s probably hiding in the back of a cupboard, wedged behind the toaster oven and the single-serving smoothie maker you keep promising yourself you’ll use. Smoothies can start Monday. Today it’s all about healthy Whole Wheat Waffles with applesauce! Thanks to a lighter ingredient list, these yummy waffles are filling and wholesome. Feel great eating them this weekend, then stow a few in your freezer and toast them off on weekday mornings before you head to work. The healthiest freezer waffles are the ones you make yourself, and this recipe is an ideal place to start.
How to Make Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles
Like all worthy waffle recipes, these are buttery without being greasy, delightfully airy on the inside, and lightly crispy on the outside. A few ingredients make this tasty feat possible:
White Whole Wheat Flour. It’s 100% whole grain and has all the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour, but its flavor is far more mild. If you didn’t know you were eating the best white whole wheat waffles, you would assume that they had been made with regular all-purpose white flour (and your picky eaters will assume the same!). Unsweetened Applesauce. One of the oldest healthy baking tricks in the book, and one of the best! Despite being low fat whole wheat waffles (a feat usually achieved via melted butter), these waffles are incredibly tender. I swapped more than half of the butter for applesauce with great results. Butter. Yes, you do need some. Butter is what allows the waffles to crisp on the outside. If you prefer not to use butter, you can swap melted, cooled coconut oil instead.
Now, because homemade waffles are most often cooked on weekends, and because on the weekend, I prefer max laziness and minimal dishes, I decided to see if I could make the waffle batter using my blender. I’d had wild blender success with other healthy breakfast recipes like these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes and these Banana Oatmeal Muffins, so I thought I’d see if the same approach could work for waffles too. SCORE! I was worried the waffles would be tough or chewy, but they were remarkably airy. I loved that I could pour the batter directly from the blender’s spout into my waffle maker too. One fewer dish to wash.
Recipe Variations
If you’d like the whole wheat waffles vegan, I don’t have a specific suggestion since the recipe calls for eggs, but I think you could try swapping flax eggs. If you decide to play around with this, I’d love to hear how it goes! For gluten free waffles, swap the white whole wheat flour for a gluten free 1:1 baking flour like this one. (SPOILER: I also have an amazing gluten free waffle recipe that will be in my upcoming cookbook that everyone regardless of their diet will love.) Mix-ins. Chocolate chip whole wheat waffles, blueberry whole wheat waffles, pecan whole wheat waffles, you name it! Fold about 1/2 cup of any mix-ins you like into the batter after it is blended. (NOTE: If making chocolate chip waffles, let the batter cool before adding them—the machine’s blade may warm up the batter, causing the chocolate chips to melt.) You can also sprinkle the mix-ins onto individual waffles before closing your waffle maker.
How to Freeze Waffles
Arrange cooked waffles on a cooling rack and let cool completely. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you’d like smaller portions (or want to scale the waffles down so that they fit in your toaster), break them into sections first. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the waffles harden. Transfer to a ziptop bag, squeezing out as much air as possible before you seal it. Label the bag with the date (I always thank myself later when I do this), then freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat Frozen Waffles in the Oven
Preheat your oven or a toaster oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the frozen waffles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the waffles are crisp and warmed through.
To Reheat Frozen Waffles in a Regular Toaster
I find that unless you have a toaster with really wide slots and fancy temperature settings, the outsides tend to burn before the middles are hot. As a workaround, to reheat the frozen waffles using your regular toaster, place the waffle on a plate and microwave it for a minute or two first to warm it through. From there, crisp up the outsides in your regular toaster.
Recommended Tools to Make Whole Wheat Waffles
For a standard waffle iron that’s easy to store, affordable, and cooks yummy waffles, I own and recommend this one. Blender: I’ve been lusting after a high-powered blender like this one. I’ve also used and recommend this more affordable one and this one.
