Vegan Crispy Belgian Waffles with Flax and Vanilla

All I did was blink and July disappeared.  Busy weeks filled with family events sped by with lightening speed, and while we've enjoyed time together those leisurely days of sleeping in with no schedule just haven't materialized.  Until today.

With the first completely unscheduled day of summer upon us, my thoughts drifted to waffles.  Lonely in the cabinet, my Belgian Waffle Maker hadn't seen the light of day since the holidays and deserved a work out.

Assembling ingredients from the pantry I eased up on the "health" facet for these waffles in favor of a sort of "healthy summer treat".  Using my everyday recipe as a base, I increased the white flour/whole grain ratio to a higher white content.  I also added additional oil to bring extra crispness, and of course poured a generous splash of our beloved vanilla extract.  Unable to help myself chia and flax found their way into the mix as did a small handful of rolled oats.  But these additions only served to add additional nutrients in addition to increasing that creamy center that makes Belgian Waffles so special.

Watching my summer bikini figure (insert crying/laughing face emoji here), I promised myself I'd only take a quarter triangle... simply for tasting purposes, of course.  But here's were my self control (it's not known for it's strength anyway) completely disappeared.

A fan of crispy waffles, these are the first Belgian Waffles with baking powder (as opposed to the plan ahead yeasted versions) that have crisped to perfection.  Perfectly crispy on the outside and lightly creamy on the inside, the texture made them irresistible.  Add the exotic vanilla flavor and you can throw all willpower out the window.

Wafting waffle aromas filled the house, and as I knew it would it drew my sleepy teens to the kitchen.  Bleary eyed and hungry, comments of "Oh wow... these are awesome!" filled my heart.  Even my son, a man of very few words and not much of a breakfast eater, mentioned he wouldn't mind if we had these waffles every day till he leaves for summer school next week.  Apparently the UCSB dining commons doesn't serve waffles like Mom.  Yes... he still needs me.

Vegan Crispy Belgian Waffles with Flax and Vanilla
Crispy on the outside, beautifully tender on the inside - you don't need to plan ahead to make these Belgian Waffles.  Dairy-free for our dietary needs, but I think buttermilk would make a wonderful substitution for the almond if that better suits your taste.  Just don't skimp on the vanilla!  Guaranteed to make any leisurely day even more special, yet easy enough to make on a school morning, your family's comments will fill your heart with love.

1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs melted butter
2 Tbs oil (add 1 additional Tbs if desired)
3 Tbs ground flax meal
3 Tbs rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 Tbs chia seed (optional)
3 Tbs granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or sub spelt, or use all all-purpose)
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt


Preheat waffle iron.

In a large bowl add the almond milk, apple cider vinegar and water.  Stir, and add the flax and chia, whisking to combine.  Allow to sit for a few minutes, then add the vanilla extract, melted butter and oil, whisking again to combine.  

In a small bowl, measure the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt, stir to combine, then add the flour to the milk mixture.  Whisk gently to combine until just a few lumps remain, and add more water if necessary to thin to desired consistency.  (My Belgian Waffle maker works better with thinner batter, where as my regular waffle maker works better with a thicker batter.) 

Cook waffles according to your waffle maker's directions.

I've found these waffles are best when eaten right away, however they hold better than other Belgian Waffles I've made.

Liv Life Note:  We use the Waring Pro Belgian-Waffle Maker and love it!  (Below is an Amazon Affiliate Link and we receive a small commission if you purchase anything on Amazon through this link - Thank you!  Note we have not been compensated by Waring.  This purchase was my own choice after researching waffle makers and we are pleased with our decision.)