Looking for a healthy breakfast that has fewer carbs than regular waffles but all of the flavor and texture? This sweet potato waffles recipe is exactly that! You can quickly microwave a sweet potato to use or use leftover mashed sweet potatoes to make these delicious and crispy waffles.
Our follower Stephanie over on Instagram had this to say, "Yum! Never would have thought of this but great idea!" ★★★★★
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Jump to:
- Why this waffle recipe is the best!
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Allergy Swaps
- What's the best way to cook a sweet potato?
- How To Make Sweet Potato Waffles
- Watch How to Make This - Step by Step
- Tips for using a waffle iron!
- Common Questions
- Recipe Variations
- Want to Save it for Later? Here’s how!
- More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Recipe
Why this waffle recipe is the best!
Our healthy sweet potato waffles are so so simple to make and so darn tasty! Here are three main reasons why you need to make them!
- They're so easy that they can be made one-handed! I love a hassle-free recipe and these easy sweet potato waffles are just that. Everything gets thrown into a blender and then poured directly into a waffle iron. I have even made these blender waffles while holding the kiddo in one hand, so yes they can be made one-handed!
- Great way to use leftovers: While you can make these using baked sweet potatoes, you can also use any leftover sweet potatoes. This can be mashed sweet potatoes, sweet potato puree, or cubed yams with any flavorings other than cheese!
- Quick meal prep: These waffles are ready in 15 minutes from start to finish. This even includes the time to bake the sweet potato if needed!
Looking for other easy sweet potato recipes? Check these out: Biscoff Sweet Potato Casserole, Breakfast Baked Sweet Potato, and Sweet Potato Porridge.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
Sweet Potato: The base of these tasty waffles! Sweet potatoes keep these waffles low carb and low calorie and add natural sweetness.
Substitutions: Sorry, no substitutions for this. But, you can use a sweet potato you cook just for these waffles or leftover sweet potatoes. Check out our notes below for how to cook a sweet potato!
Eggs: Eggs bind the waffles and add protein.
Substitutions: You can use a flax egg in place of eggs. To make a flax egg, mix 3 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed to replace EACH egg. You can also check out our egg substitution guide to learn more about egg substitutes!
Cashew Butter: We love using nut butter as the primary fat in our baked goods because it also adds protein. Creamy cashew butter is the best option for these waffles thanks to its mild flavor.
Substitutions: Creamy almond butter can be used in place of cashew butter. We do not recommend peanut butter because its flavor is too strong.
Milk: We use oat milk for these waffles to keep them dairy free.
Substitutions: Any unsweetened milk you like can be used, such as cow's milk, coconut milk, and unsweetened almond milk.
Oil: Even though we use cashew butter as the primary fat, cashews are not as fatty as butter so we still need to supplement with a little oil.
Substitutions: We use avocado oil but olive oil, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil.
Flour: We use 1:1 gluten-free flour to keep these waffles celiac friendly!
Substitutions: All-purpose flour or oat flour can be used in place of gluten-free flour.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is our leavener of choice because it's strong enough to help sweet potatoes rise.
Substitutions: Sorry, no substitution for this.
Maple Syrup: 100% pure maple syrup is a must when making sweet potato waffles!
Substitutions: Honey, agave, date syrup, protein syrup, coconut sugar, or brown sugar can all be used in place of maple syrup. Basically, you have a lot of options!
Vanilla: Vanilla adds flavor and helps to enhance the buttery texture without actually adding butter.
Substitutions: We use pure vanilla extract but you can use imitation vanilla or vanilla paste.
Allergy Swaps
- Nut free: To make this nut free, use sunflower butter in place of cashew butter or use regular butter.
- Vegan: For vegan sweet potato waffles, use flax eggs in place of eggs.
- Gluten-free: To make gluten-free sweet potato waffles, use a 1:1 gluten free flour replacement.
- Dairy-free: This recipe is already dairy free! Just make sure to use plant milk!
What's the best way to cook a sweet potato?
While you can use leftover sweet potatoes for this recipe, you can also make one just for the waffles. There are 3 main ways to cook sweet potatoes.
- Microwave: This is our preferred method because it's quick and foolproof. Pierce the potato with a knife ⅓ of the depth and then wrap it in a damp paper towel. Microwave for 3 minutes, then flip it over and microwave for another 3 minutes. Carefully remove it and then slice it open.
- Boil: To boil the sweet potato, peel it and chop it into 1” cubes. Add them to a pot of boiling water and cover to cook. Cook for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Oven: To bake the potato, pierce all around ⅓ of the depth with a knife and place on a baking sheet. Wrap in foil and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until tender, at 400 degrees.
How To Make Sweet Potato Waffles
Step one: cook the sweet potato
If not using leftover mashed sweet potatoes, we recommend microwaving the sweet potato so it's ready quickly (in 6 minutes!). It's also helpful to heat the waffle iron now.
Step two: add everything to the blender
While the potato cooks, add everything else to a high-powered blender. Alternatively, you can mix everything in a bowl and use a fork to mix everything.
Step three: add the potato
After the potato is done, cut it open carefully (remember, it’s very hot!), and scoop out the insides. Put this into the blender and blend on high until smooth. If using a bowl, use the fork to mash the potato to combine it with the other ingredients.
Step four: cook the waffles!
Pour approximately ⅓ of a cup of the sweet potato waffle batter into each waffle spot. The waffle batter should be about 1”-2” inches from the edge of the waffle iron. It will get pressed down when you close the lid.
Cook on medium until the waffle iron light turns off. This is about 4 minutes for our waffle iron. Check out our expert tips below for using a waffle iron!
Step five: remove and top
Remove the waffles and serve with your favorite toppings! I love to make these savory waffles with a fried egg, avocado, and cilantro lime dressing. Otherwise, make these into delicious waffles sweet with bananas, maple syrup or cashew butter, yogurt, and cacao nibs or granola!
Watch How to Make This - Step by Step
Tips for using a waffle iron!
If you've never used a waffle iron, they can be a little intimidating. Here are our top tips for using a waffle maker! These apply to all types of waffle makers - 2 waffle iron, 4 waffle iron, Belgium, and mini waffle makers.
- Let the waffle iron warm up before adding the batter. You'll know it's heated fully when the light turns off.
- Spray the waffle iron: If you have an older waffle iron or one whose non-stick coating has worn off, you should spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray.
- Don’t overfill the waffle iron. You only need enough batter in each waffle spot so that the batter is about 1”-2” from each edge. This should be a little less than ⅓ of a cup in each spot. The batter will spread as you press the lid closed.
- Close the waffle maker all the way or until you hear the clasp clip together. This helps to press the batter evenly throughout the shape.
- The waffles are done when the light turns off. After you add the batter and close the waffle iron, the light will come back on. When the light turns off, the waffles are ready!
Common Questions
Certainly! When using leftovers, I like to measure out how much sweet potato I have and then adjust the other ingredients accordingly. This can work well for making more or less waffles. If making more, it can be helpful to bake the sweet potatoes so you can bake multiple at a time.
Yes! You can make the batter and store it in an air-tight container for up to 2 days before cooking. Or, you can make the waffles and store them in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
This might sound simple, but the best way to get crispy waffles is to cook them long enough. This is especially easy with sweet potato waffles because they don't dry out the same as normal waffles. You can also add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the batter to ensure the waffles are extra crispy.
Recipe Variations
This batter is pretty darn versatile. Here are a few other ways to use it!
- Sweet Potato Pancakes: To make these into pancakes, simply use the batter to make pancakes on the skillet as you would normally make pancakes. It will make about 6 pancakes 4”-5” in diameter.
- Sweet Potato Muffins: For an on-the-go option, try pouring this batter into muffin tins or a cupcake tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Chocolate Chip Waffles: Of course, we need a chocolate chip version! I like to add mini chocolate chips to the waffles to have a perfectly sized chocolate taste in every bite. You can also add warm spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
Want to Save it for Later? Here’s how!
Leftover sweet potato waffles are so tasty and they make awesome meal prep! Here is how to save and store these little gems.
Fridge: To store these in the fridge, store leftover waffles in a plastic bag or airtight container in a single layer with a paper towel between each layer. This helps to keep moisture at bay. These will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezer: To store these in the freezer, wrap individual layers in plastic wrap and then store them in an airtight freezer-safe container or plastic bag. These will keep for 2 months in the freezer.
Reheating: Whether you are reheating from the fridge or freezer, the best way to reheat is in the toaster or air fryer. There are other ways to reheat, however, that we detail below.
- Toaster or air fryer/toaster oven: Set your toaster to level 5 or your air fryer to 350 degrees for 5 minutes to reheat from the fridge. If frozen, add 2 minutes to the total time.
- Microwave: To quickly reheat these waffles, heat for 30 seconds if from the fridge and 90 seconds from frozen, or until heated through.
- In the oven: To heat a large batch of these waffles, lay them flat on a large baking tray. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes from the fridge. If frozen, add 3-5 minutes to the time.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
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Recipe
Dairy Free Sweet Potato Waffles (with vegan and gluten free option!)
Ingredients
- 1 cooked sweet potato ((about ⅔ cup))
- 2 eggs (or flax egg (see notes below for how to make))
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- ¼ cup oat milk (or any other milk)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup all purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten free flour replacement)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
To Make:
- Cook your sweet potato in the microwave by poking it all around with a knife or fork. Wrap in a wet paper towel and microwave for 3 minutes, flip and microwave another 3 minutes. (Check the notes below for using leftover sweet potato casserole or pie).
- While that cooks, add everything else to the blender. Heat your waffle iron (or pan if making pancakes).
- Carefully scoop out the insides of the sweet potato and add it to the blender. Blend the mixture till smooth.
- Use this mixture to make waffles or pancakes like you normally would. See our waffle iron tips in the post above if you need more details on how to use a waffle iron.
Topping Ideas:
- For a sweet waffle, top with any of the following: maple syrup, whipped cream, yogurt, bananas, fruit, cashew butter, and cacao nibs.
- For a savory waffle, top with any of the following: Avocado, eggs, bacon, sausage, and salsa.
Video
Notes
- Microwave: This is our preferred method because it's quick and foolproof. Pierce the potato with a knife ⅓ of the depth and then wrap it in a damp paper towel. Microwave for 3 minutes, then flip it over and microwave for another 3 minutes. Carefully remove it and then slice it open.
- Boil: To boil the sweet potato, peel it and chop it into 1” cubes. Add them to a pot of boiling water and cover to cook. Cook for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Oven: To bake the potato, pierce all around ⅓ of the depth with a knife and place on a baking sheet. Wrap in foil and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until tender, at 400 degrees.
- Combine 1 tablespoon of water and 2 tablespoon flax seed for each egg (so for this recipe use 2 tbsps water and 4 tablespoon flaxseeds)
- Let this sit until it thickens into a paste.
- Mix again and use as you would an egg.
- Let the waffle iron warm up before adding the batter. You'll know it's heated fully when the light turns off.
- Spray the waffle iron: If you have an older waffle iron or one whose non-stick coating has worn off, you should spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray.
- Don’t overfill the waffle iron. You only need enough batter in each waffle spot so that the batter is about 1”-2” from each edge. This should be a little less than ⅓ of a cup in each spot. The batter will spread as you press the lid closed.
- Close the waffle maker all the way or until you hear the clasp clip together. This helps to press the batter evenly throughout the shape.
- The waffles are done when the light turns off. After you add the batter and close the waffle iron, the light will come back on. When the light turns off, the waffles are ready!
- Toaster or air fryer/toaster oven: Set your toaster to level 5 or your air fryer to 350 degrees for 5 minutes to reheat from the fridge. If frozen, add 2 minutes to the total time.
- Microwave: To quickly reheat these waffles, heat for 30 seconds if from the fridge and 90 seconds from frozen, or until heated through.
- In the oven: To heat a large batch of these waffles, lay them flat on a large baking tray. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes from the fridge. If frozen, add 3-5 minutes to the time.
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
perfect recipe for thanksgiving leftovers