Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Waffle Recipe made with sweet rice flour and buckwheat flour. This simple recipe produces crisp, fluffy gluten-free waffles that taste incredible. They are refined sugar-free, easy to make dairy-free, and require no xanthan gum.
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If you love waffles and want a reliable, no-fuss gluten-free recipe to make for a quick breakfast, try these. They are the result of a lot of testing and deliver consistently crisp edges with light, tender interiors. My family requests these often on weekend mornings, so I’ve refined the method to be quick and forgiving.
After experimenting with many gluten-free flours, the combination of sweet rice (glutinous) flour with buckwheat flour gives the best balance of texture and flavour. The sweet rice adds a slightly chewy, tender note while the buckwheat contributes a rich, earthy depth.
Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Waffles
- Crispy exterior with a light crunch and a soft, fluffy center.
- Simple to make using basic kitchen tools: a bowl, a jug, a whisk and a waffle iron.
- Refined sugar-free — just a little maple syrup for sweetness.
- Versatile to serve with sweet or savoury toppings.
- Easy to double or scale up for guests.
- A well-balanced gluten-free flour mix that performs without xanthan gum.
Ingredients Needed
Buckwheat flour. Naturally gluten-free and rich in flavour, buckwheat behaves like a wholegrain flour but is actually a seed. It lends an earthy depth that pairs beautifully with sweet rice flour. Substitutions: oat flour, sorghum flour, teff flour or chickpea flour for a different flavour profile.
Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour). This starchy flour is stickier than regular rice flour and gives waffles a tender, slightly chewy texture. Substitution: almond flour or a blend of white rice flour and tapioca starch.
Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) for lift and lightness. Ensure baking powder is gluten-free if required.
Ground cinnamon for a warm hint of spice.
Salt. A small amount brightens the flavours; kosher or sea salt works well.
Milk. Use whole milk for best flavour and texture, or a plant milk for a dairy-free version.
Eggs. Medium eggs are used in this recipe.
Maple syrup. Adds sweetness and flavour—honey can be substituted.
Vanilla extract. Any standard vanilla extract is fine; a little goes a long way.
Unsalted butter. Use unsalted so you can control the salt level; melted and cooled before adding.
How to make Gluten-Free Waffles
Full, printable instructions appear in the recipe card below.
- Prepare dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together buckwheat flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a jug, whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and cooled melted butter.
- Make the batter. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and thick.
- Cook. Heat a greased waffle iron and cook until golden and crisp; about 8 minutes per batch, depending on your machine.
Expert Tips
Allow the melted butter to cool before mixing it with the other wet ingredients to avoid cooking the eggs.
Grease the waffle iron even if it’s non-stick. A light spray or brushing of fat helps prevent batter from sticking in the crevices.
Preheat your waffle iron fully before cooking. I usually power it on while setting up ingredients so it’s ready when the batter is mixed.
There’s no need to rest this batter — it can be used immediately.
For consistent waffles, use about one-third cup of batter per waffle cavity. Drop the batter into the center, close the lid quickly and allow the waffle to cook evenly.
If cooking multiple batches, wipe away any leftover crumbs between batches, re-grease lightly and continue. Keep finished waffles warm on a low oven setting until ready to serve.
How to make ahead
You can prepare the batter the night before, but it will thicken in the fridge. Whisk in an extra 50 g (about 3–4 tablespoons) of milk in the morning to loosen it before cooking.
You can also make the waffles completely, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheat them in a toaster for about 45 seconds before serving.
How to freeze
These waffles freeze well. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a toaster for about 2 minutes.
Waffle serving suggestions
Sweet toppings:
- Maple syrup
- Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
- Nut butter
- Salted butter
- Fruit compote or apple butter
- Fresh seasonal fruit
Savoury options:
- Scrambled eggs and ham
- Smoked salmon with cream cheese
- Bacon with a drizzle of maple syrup
- Poached egg with hollandaise
Dessert ideas:
- Vanilla ice cream with maple syrup
- Ice cream with warm chocolate sauce
- Fresh fruit with a spoonful of custard or cream
Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Waffles (Recipe)
Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Waffles
Author: Georgina Hartley
This recipe makes crisp, fluffy gluten-free waffles using buckwheat and sweet rice flours. They are refined sugar-free, can easily be made dairy-free, and require no xanthan gum.
Yield
Makes about 10 medium waffles
Time
Prep: 10 minutes • Cook: 8 minutes per batch • Total: about 18 minutes (active)
Ingredients
- 140 g buckwheat flour
- 120 g sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 350 g whole milk (or plant milk)
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 60 g melted butter, cooled (or melted coconut oil for dairy-free)
Instructions
- Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions and lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a jug, whisk the milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and cooled melted butter until combined.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Whisk until the batter is smooth and thick.
- Spoon batter into the centre of each waffle cavity (about ⅓ cup per section), close the lid and cook until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes depending on your iron.
- Remove waffles carefully, re-grease the iron lightly between batches if needed, and keep cooked waffles warm in a low oven until serving.
Notes
- The recipe uses medium eggs; if you only have large or small eggs, weigh them — the recipe needs about 200 g of eggs in total (without shells) for the same result.
- Substitutions: Buckwheat can be swapped for oat or sorghum flour. Sweet rice flour can be replaced with almond flour or a blend of white rice flour and tapioca starch.
- Dairy-free: Use a plant milk such as almond milk and replace melted butter with melted coconut oil.
- Make-ahead: Batter can be made the night before; whisk in extra milk in the morning if it has thickened. Cooked waffles keep 3 days in the fridge and reheat well in a toaster.
- Freezing: Cool completely, freeze up to 2 months, and reheat from frozen in a toaster for about 2 minutes.
Nutrition (per waffle, approximate)
Calories: 175 kcal • Carbohydrates: 23 g • Protein: 5 g • Fat: 7 g • Fiber: 2 g