Light and Crispy Gluten-free Waffles
Golden, crisp-on-the-outside, tender-inside waffles made with a gluten-free plain flour blend and a splash of sparkling water.
These gluten-free waffles are light, crisp at the edges and tender inside — thanks to a little sparkling water trick. They’re fast enough for a weekend treat but good enough to impress brunch guests.
Made with a gluten-free plain flour blend, eggs and melted butter, the batter rests briefly to hydrate the flour and give a better texture. Top with butter, maple syrup, yoghurt or berries and dig in.
Ingredients
- 250 g gluten-free plain flour
- 10 ml baking powder
- 30 g caster sugar
- 5 ml fine salt
- 2 large eggs
- 300 ml milk — use dairy or unsweetened plant milk
- 60 g unsalted butter — melted
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 100 ml sparkling water — cold; adds lightness
- 15 ml vegetable oil — for greasing the waffle iron
Equipment
- waffle iron
- wire rack
Instructions
Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches cooking temperature (about 5 minutes for most irons).
Sift the gluten-free plain flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the caster sugar and fine salt so the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
In a separate bowl whisk the large eggs with the milk, melted unsalted butter and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined—the batter should be smooth but don't overwork it. Fold in the cold sparkling water to loosen the batter; it should be slightly thick but pourable.
Leave the batter to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. This short rest hydrates the flour and helps produce a lighter waffle.
Lightly brush the waffle iron with vegetable oil. For a standard-size iron, ladle about 60–80 ml batter per waffle (adjust to your iron). Close the lid and cook each waffle for 3 minutes, or until the waffle is deep golden and crisp. Repeat in batches until all the batter is used.
Transfer cooked waffles to a wire rack (not stacked) to keep them crisp while you finish the rest. Serve immediately with your choice of toppings.
Tips
- Use a gluten-free plain flour blend that contains xanthan gum (or add 1 tsp xanthan gum) for structure; otherwise waffles can fall apart.
- Measure batter volume for your iron on the first waffle and note it — every iron differs, so this avoids overflow.
- If making ahead, keep waffles on a wire rack in a low oven at 100°C fan/120°C conventional for up to 20 minutes to keep crisp while cooking the rest.
- To reheat leftover waffles, bake at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for 5–7 minutes or toast them to restore crispness.
- If you prefer dairy-free, substitute milk and butter for unsweetened plant milk and an extra 30 ml vegetable oil (see substitutions).
Substitutions
milk → unsweetened oat or almond milk, same 300 ml
Stays closeunsalted butter → vegetable oil 60 ml (use neutral oil such as sunflower), same richness but slightly less 'buttery' flavour
Stays closegluten-free plain flour → rice-based gluten-free flour blend, same 250 g (may be slightly crumblier)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 480
- Calories
- 9 g
- Protein
- 61 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 300 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the batter the night before?
You can mix the dry ingredients and keep the wet separately. Combine and rest for 10 minutes before cooking. Making the full batter overnight can thin the texture and is not recommended.
Why add sparkling water?
Cold sparkling water lightens the batter and creates air pockets, giving crisp edges and a lighter interior without gluten.
My waffles are soggy — what went wrong?
Common causes are an under-heated waffle iron, opening the iron too early, or stacking waffles immediately. Ensure the iron is hot, cook until deep golden, and place cooked waffles on a wire rack.
Can I make these dairy-free?
Yes — use unsweetened plant milk and replace the melted butter with 60 ml neutral oil (or 30 ml oil plus dairy-free spread melted) for best texture.
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