Zero Excuse Rice Coconut Waffles (Gluten-Free)
While all vegan waffles are already dairy-free, egg-free, and cholesterol-free, these are also wheat-free, gluten-free, oil-free, and relatively low-sugar. They have a slightly crispy exterior and are relatively neutral in flavor, with a molasses overtone. While they won't meet all dietary needs or preferences, they should leave few excuses for not eating a waffle. Not that there were that many to begin with... Makes 5 (7-inch) round Belgian waffles.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups warm water
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 2 cups brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups canned coconut milk see note
- 3 tablespoons molasses preferably blackstrap
Instructions
- Whisk the ground flaxseed into the warm water in a medium bowl, set aside, and allow to sit for 2 to 3 minutes.
- In the meantime, sift or whisk together the rice flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk the coconut milk and molasses into the water and flaxseed mixture.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter is only slightly lumpy, with lumps smaller than peas.
- Preheat the waffle iron for 3 to 5 minutes while allowing the batter to stand.
- Stir the batter another 5 to 10 strokes, breaking up any clumps of rice flour that haven't absorbed moisture.
- Spray both grids of the waffle iron generously with oil. Pour or ladle the batter into the center of the iron, covering no more than two-thirds of the iron’s surface for the first waffle. Adjust the amount as needed for subsequent waffles.
- Bake each waffle for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it can be easily removed, spraying the grids with oil prior to each.
Notes
Use full-strength coconut milk, not a "light" version that's more watered-down. Lately I've had more difficulty finding canned coconut milk that doesn't have any water and guar gum added, and find that even "non-light" versions of different brands can differ in thickness slightly. Because of this, you may get better results by increasing the coconut milk by 2 to 4 tablespoons while decreasing the water by an equal amount, if you're not satisfied with the initial results.
Holy Smokes, these rock!!! The texture is soft and fluffy and “normal”! I’ve made countless batches of egg-free, gluten-free waffles and they’ve all been gooey and inedible. A BIG THANKYOU!
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You’re very welcome, and I’m glad to hear these did the trick for you!
My waffles stick to the iron and I am putting plenty of oil on the iron. Any tips?
Taylor,
Thanks for your question. In addition to a few ideas I outline in an earlier post with vegan waffle baking tips, here are a few additional thoughts:
-Re: the right amount of oil, I generally use a pressurized spray can of canola. For a round iron 7 inches in diameter, I spray each grid for a total of 1 to 2 seconds, making 6 to 8 quick sweeps across each grill in a zigzag pattern to cover the whole surface. Too much oil can also cause issues (this is why I never recommend brushing oil onto an iron).
-For an iron whose size is equivalent to a 7-inch round iron, you probably want at least 1,000 watts. Lower-wattage (and thus often lower temperature) irons can have a greater tendency for sticking.
-Flaxseed is a wonderful binder, but its binding and thickening power can increase as a batter sits–to the point of binding with the iron slightly. Without adjusting the time you were allowing the batter to sit previously, try decreasing the flaxseed by a small amount (by 2 teaspoons or 1 tablespoon to start) or increasing the water by a small amount (1 to 2 tablespoons to start) and see if that helps.
Dave
Dave
Thanks so much. The waffles were so delicious !! I can’t believe how great they are.
Awesome waffles, made them today and we loved them!!! Thank you for making it possible for me to eat waffles again! 🙂
Emily,
Thanks for letting me know; I’m happy to hear the recipe was useful!
thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I made some waffles today and they turned out great!
Thanks so much for the heads up, and glad to hear these waffles worked for you!
Can I make these as pancakes, since I don’t have a waffle iron or will they not cook like pancakes??
Pat, Thanks for your question. With many waffle recipes including this one, they work as pancakes. In some cases you may need to thin the batter with a bit of water, nutmilk, or other liquid until it’s the desired consistency for spreading out well. If the recipe uses canola or other oil, you can eliminate it (just don’t forget to use a bit of oil or margarine in the pan) or reduce it.