Light and Crispy Vegan Peanut Butter Waffles
4.30 from 10 votes

These vegan peanut butter waffles incorporate creamy peanut butter into the waffle batter for a subtle peanut flavor and a light, crispy texture. The waffles benefit from the healthful fats and protein that peanuts provide, and they make for a nourishing breakfast with your favorite toppings. Make a batch, freeze them, and enjoy them whenever you like!

An angled image of a round, white plate, resting on a white surface. The plate holds a Belgian-style vegan peanut butter waffle, which is topped with chocolate and peanut butter drizzle.

When it comes to sweet breakfasts, I am a waffle person.

Yes, I enjoy pancakes, muffins, scones, and oatmeal. But I have a soft spot for waffles.

Maybe it’s the little wells of melted butter and syrup. Maybe it’s the fluffy texture and crisp exterior—all of those delightful ridges.

In any case, I’m always happy when I have a reason to pull out my waffle maker and whip up a fresh batch of waffles on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

These vegan peanut butter waffles are one of my go-to recipes.

Why peanut butter in waffles?

The first and most obvious answer to this question is: flavor!

If you love the way that peanut butter tastes, which I sure do, then you’ll love the hint of peanut buttery flavor that comes through in these peanut butter waffles.

With that said, I also think that peanut butter is an excellent fat source in this recipe. It contributes to the light, crispy texture of the finished waffles by providing fat, for tenderness and moisture, and protein, for structure.

Speaking of fat and protein, peanut butter happens to be a great nutrition source in addition to its creamy texture and distinctive flavor.

Peanut butter is a good source of Vitamins B3 and Vitamin B6. It also contains minerals; it’s a good source of both magnesium and copper.

Peanut butter, like all nut butters, is calorie dense, which means that it can help to provide energy and fuel for our daily biological processes and lifestyle activities. And the healthful fats in peanut butter help to keep us full and to steady our blood sugar.

A whole foods, plant-based waffle

While some of my waffle recipes call for avocado oil as a fat source, the peanut butter in this waffle recipe provides the waffles with enough fat.

This means that the waffles are oil-free. The sweetener is maple syrup, so they’re also free of refined sugars.

Though I don’t avoid either oils or refined sugars myself, I know that many readers who find this website do. This recipe is suitable for plant-based diets that prioritize whole foods!

An overhead image of a round, white plate, which is holding a light and crispy vegan peanut butter waffle. The waffle is topped with chopped dark chocolate and a drizzle of peanut butter.

How to make vegan peanut butter waffles

Any waffle can become peanut butter-themed if you top it with peanut butter. This recipe, however, incorporates peanut butter into the batter.

Here are the steps.

Step 1: Prepare your waffle iron

Before you make the waffles, you’ll want to fully preheat your waffle iron. The iron should be hot and ready to make waffles before your batter is mixed.

If you’re curious about the best appliance for this job, don’t worry: I share more details on waffle maker options below.

A white mixing bowl is filled with flour. It rests on a white surface.
The base of dry ingredients for this recipe is simple: flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.

Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients together

Dry ingredients for these waffles are flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Simple. You’ll whisk them together in a large mixing bowl to start.

Step 3: Whisk or blend the wet ingredients

Wet ingredients for this recipe include, of course, peanut butter!

The other ingredients are vegan buttermilk and maple syrup.

A word about the buttermilk: it’s a simple mixture of non-dairy milk and either lemon juice or vinegar.

If you like, you can read all about homemade vegan buttermilk, including the science behind its usefulness in making quick breads, such as pancakes or muffins.

But the upshot is that you combine a cup of plant milk and a tablespoon of acid to create it. You can scale it up or down as needed in that 1 cup : 1 tablespoon ratio.

For this recipe, it’s 1 1/2 cups liquid and 1 1/2 tablespoons acid.

A glass jar of homemade vegan buttermilk rests on a white surface.
To create 1 1/2 cups of vegan buttermilk, you’ll need 1 1/2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice, mixed with a heaping tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.

The buttermilk and maple syrup are mixed with peanut butter, which is the fat source in this recipe. I also add some ground flax. The flax helps to bind the waffles and contributes to their crispy exterior.

You can whisk these ingredients if you like, or you can blend them for speed.

Non-dairy milk is pictured from overhead in the square container of a standing blender.
You can whisk the wet ingredients—peanut butter, maple syrup, flax, and vegan buttermilk—or you can blend them till smooth, which is quick and convenient.

Step 4: Add wet ingredients to dry and mix till you have a (mostly) smooth batter

I mix the batter for this recipe with a spatula. You’re aiming for a thick, yet scoopable and pourable batter.

A few little clumps in the batter will be fine—they’re a good thing, actually—but avoid big clumps or streaks of dry flour in the batter.

A white mixing bowl is filled with waffle batter. A spatula with a wooden handle pokes out of the bowl.
Add your blended, wet mixture to the flour mixture and use a spatula to fold them together until you have a smooth batter.

Step 5: Make waffles!

Add your waffle batter to your waffle maker in whatever amounts is appropriate for the machine you use. Allow the machine to let you know when each waffle is ready.

An overhead image of a Belgian waffle maker, which is being used to make a light and crispy vegan peanut butter waffle.
This recipe will make 4-6 round, Belgian-style waffles or double the amount of small square or round waffles.

When they’re ready, the waffles will appear golden all over. The exterior will be nice and crispy, and the texture of the waffles will be light.

Step 6: Serve

You can serve up the vegan peanut butter waffles with whatever waffle toppings you love. I’ve got my favorites, and I’m sure that you do, too!

Here are some of the things that I like to sprinkle or drizzle on my warm, crispy waffles:

Or, my personal favorite: a drizzle each of peanut butter and maple syrup, and roughly chopped vegan dark chocolate.

This. Is. The. Best.

An overhead image of a round, white plate, which is holding a light and crispy vegan peanut butter waffle. The waffle is topped with chopped dark chocolate and a drizzle of peanut butter.
Take the vegan peanut butter waffles to the next level by adding drizzled peanut butter and maple syrup and chopped dark chocolate.

By the way, as lovely as these waffles are for breakfast, they also make a stellar snack! Try spreading one with a little extra peanut butter and topping it with some apple slices as an afternoon pick-me-up.

What type of peanut butter do I need for the waffles?

This is a great question.

When it comes to peanut butter for baking and sweets, smooth texture is often key for good results.

Smooth peanut butter is the only type that will work in my vegan peanut butter frosting, for example. It also creates the best results in my vegan peanut butter and jam cake.

This means that very natural-style peanut butters—ones that tend to separate and have a more gritty texture—aren’t ideal for this recipe or others.

For these peanut butter waffles, there are a few smooth peanut butters that have worked really well for me:

If you feel strongly about using a peanut butter with minimal added ingredients, which is likely to be a bit more textured than the options above, that’s OK. The recipe will still work out; the texture of your waffles may be slightly less light and airy.

What if I have a peanut allergy?

If you or a person in your home has a peanut allergy, you can use any other smooth nut or seed butter in this recipe instead.

SunButter is an especially good choice, and Barney Butter is a nice, smooth nut butter to work with..

You’ll lose the peanut flavor in the waffles, but here’s the thing: that peanut taste in the waffles is actually pretty subtle. When I created the recipe, I didn’t want them to be overpoweringly peanutty.

What the peanut butter really does is to add structure, texture, and flavor to the waffles. Other nut and seed butters can ably step in and do the same thing.

Can the peanut butter waffles be made gluten-free?

Yes, these waffles can be modified for gluten-free diets. I recommend using a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend, such as the Measure for Measure flour from King Arthur Baking.

The right waffle iron for the job

You may be wondering what type of waffle iron is best for the recipe.

I actually have two waffle irons. One is a round Belgian waffle iron, which is what I use nearly all the time. The other is a Dash mini maker, which is great for small batches and for saving space in small kitchens.

I know that getting a waffle maker can feel like a potentially unnecessary purchase. When I got mine, I was worried about buyer’s remorse. But now I them both very often.

As a result of having the waffle irons, warm, crispy homemade waffles have become one of the most regular weekend breakfasts in my home.

Meal prep and storage

If you’ve read my post about vegan meal prep breakfasts, then you know that waffles are one of my favorite types of breakfast recipes to prepare ahead of time.

Batch cooked waffles are easy to freeze. And, once frozen, they can sit for a while and come to the rescue any time you’d like a cozy, sweet, homemade breakfast.

There are two ways that you can reheat your frozen, homemade vegan peanut butter waffles. The first is to pop them in a standing toaster or toaster oven. Toast them on a medium high setting until they’re hot and crisp on the outside.

I also sometimes use my air fryer to reheat waffles. Five or six minutes at 400°F / 200°C usually does the trick.

These peanut butter waffles will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 8 weeks.

If you’re wondering whether you can store freshly prepared waffles in your fridge, the answer is yes, you can. But I only recommend doing so overnight. Any waffles that you haven’t eaten by then should be frozen in order to preserve their freshness.

The Vegan Week

Embrace the joy of eating homemade food every day with the hearty and wholesome recipes in The Vegan Week.

Whether you have three, two, or even just one hour of time to spare, The Vegan Week will show you how to batch cook varied, colorful, and comforting dishes over the weekend.

More favorite vegan waffle recipes

If you love these peanut butter waffles, then you might enjoy one of the follow plant-based waffle recipes as well:

In the meantime, here’s a nutty, wholesome waffle to add to your vegan breakfast repertoire.

An angled image of a round, white plate, resting on a white surface. The plate holds a Belgian-style vegan peanut butter waffle, which is topped with chocolate and peanut butter drizzle.
4.30 from 10 votes

Light and Crispy Vegan Peanut Butter Waffles

Author – Gena Hamshaw
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yields: 4 Belgian-style waffles

Ingredients

  • 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (240g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter* (85g; a heaping measurement will be better than a scant one here)
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax meal
  • 2 tablespoons maple or agave syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups vegan buttermilk (1 1/2 cups / 360ml plant milk mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider vinegar)
  • Oil spray for the waffle iron, if needed (this is likely unnecessary if your iron has a nonstick surface)

Instructions

  • Preheat your waffle iron on a high setting according to appliance instructions.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the peanut butter, flax, maple syrup, and vegan buttermilk to your standing blender. Blend till smooth.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a spatula or a whisk to mix the batter until smooth. Little lumps are fine, but avoid large lumps or streaks of unincorporated flour.
  • Spray your waffle iron with oil or lightly oil it, if needed. Add the waffle batter to your iron in appropriate amounts; I typically use 1/2-3/4 cup (120-180ml) for a round, Belgian-style waffle and 1/4 cup / 60ml for a mini waffle. Cook according to appliance instructions till each waffle is golden and crispy. Waffles can be held in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350°F / 175°C oven while you finish using all of the waffle batter.
  • Serve the waffles with your favorite toppings, or store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 8 weeks.

Notes

*See post text, above, for more information on the best smooth peanut butter options for this recipe.

If you give these a try, I hope you’ll get a kick out of their irresistable texture and that faint, tasty peanut butter flavor. Plus, I hope you have fun dressing them up with all sorts of toppings!

I can’t wait to hear how you like them.

xo

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Categories: Recipes, Pancakes & Waffles
Dietary Preferences: No Oil, Soy Free, Vegan
Recipe Features: Meal Prep

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Recipe Rating




    17 Comments
  1. 5 stars
    My husband and I became vegan in the Spring of 2020 and we love finding recipes where we can still enjoy food. These waffles are a go-to when we want to have a different breakfast – so delicious!

  2. I’d love to make these for me and my family! How many large waffles does this recipe yield? Also, could I replace the peanut butter for PB2 powder because that’s all I have at the moment.

    Thanks a ton!

    • Hi! The yield is 4-5 large waffles—sorry not to have listed. But I’m afraid I’m not sure how to replace the PB with PB2—I haven’t tried it, and since the peanut butter adds moisture and fat, I’d be worried giving you a swap without having played around with the recipe myself. If you try reconstituting it and have success, let me know 🙂

      • 5 stars
        Hi! Thanks for the quick reply, I did up making it twice now! The PB2 was successful, but I was only able to make about 3 and a half waffles (maybe the powder changed the overall amount of batter I had). Thanks again! It was delicious.

        • I’m so glad you enjoyed in spite of the change in yield! Waffle makers can affect that, too. Anyway—really happy it tasted good 🙂

  3. These look so good, I’m adding them to our menu plan for next weekend!
    A quick question though, do you use natural peanut butter or something like Jif/Skippy?

    • Great question! For these and for baking, I always use a very smooth and more processed PB. I like Earth Balance or PB & Co Smooth Operator. Jif will also work.

  4. Proud of you for getting through this year, Gena! Looking forward to your thoughts on the DI and hearing about your next steps when you’ve gotten a chance to rest and reflect. The waffles look delicious. 🙂

  5. Congrats on making it through the DI. Major Kuddos for that! please take some time to really drink in that accomplishement and acknowledge your strength and courage in seeing it through.

    • I haven’t calculated them and don’t currently publish that info on my site. You can definitely do so using an app or online program—they make it easy to enter recipes nowadays 🙂

  6. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

    Relaxing breakfast involving peanut butter and just letting yourself come back to life! Sounds like it will be a good rotation!

  7. I’ll rate this as soon as I make it, but I KNOW I’m going to love it – you had me at peanut butter. Can’t wait! Yours is one of my very favorite vegan cooking blogs!

  8. 5 stars
    Gena, I love your Sunday posts. I was excitedly awaiting it yesterday, but figured you’d just post it later in the day. I checked in just now, Monday, and saw this recipe and started reading. And then started tearing up. I’m so happy that you took the weekend to yourself to decompress from your DI. All the best!