Vegan Sweet Potato Waffles

Name: Vegan Sweet Potato Waffles
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 58 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) sweet potato, scrubbed and pierced all over with a fork; 2 tbsp (14 g) ground flaxseed; 5 tbsp (75 ml) water, cool; 2 cups (240 g) oat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 1 tbsp (14 g) baking powder; 1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground nutmeg; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 1¾ cups (420 ml) unsweetened almond milk, at room temperature, plus 2–4 tbsp (30–60 ml) extra if needed; ¼ cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup; ¼ cup (60 ml) refined coconut oil or neutral oil, melted and slightly cooled; 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil or cooking spray, for greasing the waffle iron

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp-edged, tender waffles made with mashed sweet potato and oat flour, warmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. They are fully vegan, naturally sweetened with maple syrup, and freeze well for quick breakfasts.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 38 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 18 min
Makes: 6 round waffles (7-inch / 18 cm), using about ⅔ cup batter each

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Ingredients

6 servings

1 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) sweet potato, scrubbed and pierced all over with a fork
2 tbsp (14 g) ground flaxseed
5 tbsp (75 ml) water, cool
2 cups (240 g) oat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
1 tbsp (14 g) baking powder
1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
1¾ cups (420 ml) unsweetened almond milk, at room temperature, plus 2–4 tbsp (30–60 ml) extra if needed
¼ cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (60 ml) refined coconut oil or neutral oil, melted and slightly cooled
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil or cooking spray, for greasing the waffle iron

Equipment (9)

Waffle iron (standard 7-inch / 18 cm round, or Belgian-style)
Microwave-safe plate or dish
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk
Fork or potato masher
Wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet
Measuring cups and spoons
Pastry brush or cooking spray

Steps

Before you start

Check that your oat flour is labeled gluten-free if you need a gluten-free waffle. Regular oat flour may be cross-contaminated.
Clear a spot for a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Waffles stay crisp on a rack but turn soggy if stacked on a plate.
The waffle iron needs to heat fully before the first waffle. Start it when you begin Step 7, not sooner.
The batter thickens as it rests because oat flour absorbs liquid. This is expected, and Step 6 explains how to loosen it.

1
Microwave the sweet potatoOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the pierced sweet potato on a microwave-safe plate.
- Microwave on high for 6 minutes, flip it over, then microwave for 2 to 3 minutes more.
- (Alternatively, bake at 400°F / 200°C for 45 to 60 minutes.)
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: A knife slides into the thickest part with no resistance and the potato feels soft when squeezed with a towel.
Tip: Microwave strength varies. If the center is still firm, cook in 1-minute bursts.
2
Make the flax eggs
- In a small bowl, stir the ground flaxseed and water together.
- Set aside while the sweet potato cooks and cools.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The mixture turns thick and gloopy, like raw egg white, after about 5 minutes.
Tip: Stir again just before using. The gel binds the waffles in place of eggs.
3
Cool and mash
- Let the sweet potato cool for about 10 minutes, until you can handle it comfortably.
- Slip off the skin and put the flesh in a medium bowl.
- Mash with a fork or masher until completely smooth.
- You need 1 cup (245 g) of mash.
- Discard any extra or save it for another use.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The mash is smooth with no visible lumps or stringy pieces.
Tip: Lumps won't blend out later. Mash thoroughly now for even, tender waffles.
4
Mix the dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt for 30 seconds until evenly combined.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The mixture is a uniform tan with no pockets of baking powder or spice.
5
Whisk the wet ingredients
- Add the almond milk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla, and the flax gel to the mashed sweet potato.
- Whisk vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The mixture is orange, smooth, and pourable, with no flecks of potato.
Tip: Use room-temperature almond milk. Cold milk can make the coconut oil solidify into small clumps.
6
Combine and rest the batter
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains, about 15 strokes.
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- It will thicken.
- If it is too thick to pour (like cookie dough), stir in extra almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it falls from a spoon in a thick ribbon.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The batter is thick but pourable and holds a ribbon for a second on the surface.
Tip: Don't overmix. A few small streaks are fine and keep the waffles tender.
7
Preheat iron and ovenOven 200°F / 95°C
- Heat the waffle iron on a medium-high setting until its ready light comes on.
- At the same time, heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and put a wire rack set over a baking sheet inside to keep finished waffles warm and crisp.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The iron's indicator light shows it is fully heated.
8
Cook the waffles
- Brush or spray both plates of the iron lightly with oil.
- Pour about ⅔ cup (160 ml) batter into the center and spread it nearly to the edges.
- Close the lid and cook for 4 to 6 minutes.
- Don't open the lid early.
- Transfer each waffle to the rack in the oven and re-grease the iron before each new waffle.
- Repeat with the remaining batter to make 6 waffles.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Steam slows to a trickle, the waffle is deep golden-brown, and it releases easily from the plates.
Tip: Sweet potato waffles are fragile when hot. If one sticks, close the lid for another 30 seconds and try again. Lift with a fork or silicone tongs, not a metal knife.
9
Serve
- Serve the waffles straight from the warm oven with maple syrup, sliced banana, chopped pecans, or coconut yogurt.
- They crisp up more as they sit on the rack for a minute or two.

Good to know

Tips

Mash the sweet potato until very smooth. Lumps leave dense spots in the waffles.
Don't skip the 10-minute rest. Oat flour needs time to hydrate, or the waffles come out gritty and crumbly.
Keep finished waffles in a single layer on a rack in the oven. Stacking them traps steam and makes them soft.
Use a generous light coating of oil on the iron every time, since the natural sugars in sweet potato and maple can stick.

Make ahead

Mash the sweet potato up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. You can also cook and freeze the finished waffles (see Storage). The mixed batter does not keep well because it keeps thickening and the baking powder loses strength, so mix it fresh.

Storage & reheating

Cool the waffles completely on a rack. Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: up to 4 days in an airtight container with parchment between waffles. Freezer: up to 2 months, flash-frozen on a tray first, then bagged. Reheat from fridge or freezer in a toaster or a 375°F (190°C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes until hot and crisp. Don't use the microwave, which makes them soft.

Substitutions

oat flour → Rolled oats blended until fine. Blend 2⅔ cups (240 g) old-fashioned oats in a high-speed blender for about 1 minute to make about 2 cups of flour.
unsweetened almond milk → Oat milk or soy milk. Use unsweetened. Any plant milk works, and soy gives slightly more browning.
ground flaxseed → Chia seeds. Use 2 tbsp ground chia with the same amount of water, and let it gel for 5 to 10 minutes.
sweet potato → Canned pumpkin purée or cooked butternut squash. Use 1 cup (245 g). Pumpkin is wetter, so you may need less extra almond milk.