Best Vegan Waffles Ever

It's New Year's Eve today and as I look back at 2012, I can't help but feel incredibly grateful for all the wonderful moments that happened this year. Hubby and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. We had our first family vacation at Disneyland. We bought our home. And my blog reached over one million visits. It's been such an amazing year and now I'm looking forward to what 2013 has in store.

So on my last post for this year, I thought I'd try to come up with some decadent, mindblowing dessert. Maybe something with chocolate. LOTS of chocolate. Truffles perhaps? Eh. That was so last year. Or maybe a towering cake with tons of frosting and fancy decorations? Nah. Been there. Done that. Aha! How about putting my own little spin on a trendy ingredient, like...kale. Uh...Nope. Not gonna go there. To be honest, all I could really think of is how I can make a better waffle?

Okay, as much as I love my first recipe for vegan waffles, I can't say with 100% conviction that it tastes exactly like the kind of waffles you'd get at a waffle house or you'd make at home. The distinct flavor and aroma of the coconut milk comes out too much and it keeps it from truly tasting like a "regular" waffle. Also, they were a bit more dense and chewy than I'd like them to be. This really bothered me so I had to go back and rework the recipe again.

So what's so different about these waffles? Well, I kicked the coconut milk to the curb (sorry, I 'll save you for something else) and brought back rice milk, which has a much neutral flavor. I took my vegan pancake recipe, adjusted the amounts of some of the ingredients and tried it again. This time, the waffles turned out even better than the coconut milk ones. The dough is a lot lighter and airier inside and it has a nice crispy outside. But the most important thing is they taste exactly like a waffle. Dare I say, these are the best vegan waffles ever!

Another important change I made with these waffles is that I invested in a really good waffle maker. My brother has been using a Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker for a while and he's been telling me time and time again, "You need to get this waffle maker!" After hemming and hawing about it, I finally got one for myself. And I'm soooo glad I did. It's true. It really does make the perfect waffles. I love that you can flip it over and it beeps when it's fully cooked. It takes the guesswork out of wondering if the waffles are done or not. I can't even count how many times I've burnt waffles with my old waffle maker because I left it in too long. I also had the opposite problem where I'd open it too early and the waffle splits in the middle and I'd have to scrape it off from the waffle plates. Well, I don't have those problems with this waffle maker. Wow, do I sound like an infomercial or what?

Seriously, I'm kind of obsessed with waffle making now. Good thing my kids haven't grown tired of eating them (yet). I love making a batch for Sunday brunch and freezing any leftovers for later in the week. And even though my 3 year old can't have whipped cream on top of his waffle, he's more than happy to top it with tons of fruit instead :-)

I'm so happy to share this new and improved vegan waffle recipe with you. I hope you'll like it and maybe it will become a part of your Sunday brunch tradition :-)

Happy New Year!

Best Vegan Waffles Ever
Makes about 8 waffles
Allergy note: contains wheat ingredients

3 cups flour
2 Tbs baking powder
1-2 Tbs sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups rice milk
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

cooking spray or cooking oil

garnish with:
confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, agave syrup
allowed margarine
fresh fruit

Preheat waffle maker (if you're using a Waring Pro, set it between 4 or 5).

In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients until smooth. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray or lightly brush with oil . Pour batter onto waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Serve plain or garnish with fresh fruit and syrup.