Buckwheat Waffles

These delicious buckwheat waffles are naturally gluten-free! EASY to make, they're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

buckwheat waffles
Elise Bauer

Do you like buckwheat?

When I lived in Japan I used to eat buckwheat soba noodles all the time, and a few years ago I started making buckwheat pancakes which have become a favorite. The taste is a little bit like whole wheat or whole grain versus white flour, but not wheat-y.

Buckwheat, Naturally Gluten-Free

Buckwheat isn't actually grain—it isn't a grass, but a plant that produces seeds that are used like wheat, hence the name. It is completely gluten-free.

So if you are trying to avoid gluten for any reason (my mother and I are a bit sensitive to gluten), buckwheat is a great option.

Many recipes that use buckwheat, mix buckwheat flour with all purpose flour. You can certainly do that with this waffle recipe if you want; the gluten in the all purpose flour will help create structure in the waffles.

buckwheat waffles
Elise Bauer

Making Buckwheat Waffles Crispy and Fluffy

With this recipe I was looking for a method that would produce waffles that were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, with 100% gluten-free buckwheat flour.

So, to help this batter achieve structure, that in my opinion a waffle demands (more so, say than a pancake), we are pulling out all the guns. We are using baking powder, which will help with leavening, as well will the combination of baking soda and plain yogurt.

We are also using extra egg whites, whipping them, and folding them into the batter. The result is more air in the batter, creating a fluffy interior, and structure for the waffle, so the outside is crisp, not spongy.

buckwheat waffles
Elise Bauer

I made several batches of these waffles, varying the number of egg whites, whipping and not whipping the egg whites, and even trying an overnight yeast-based rise for the batter. The following recipe is what I ultimately settled on. I can eat these straight without any added syrup or butter, and still want more.

Are you a crispy waffle person? or a fluffy waffle person? When I asked the question on Facebook recently, almost everyone said "crispy". Almost everyone else said, "crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside". I do have friends that just want them fluffy, and could care less about the crisp.

Here's the deal, cook them in your waffle maker to a light brown, and they will be fluffy. Cook them longer, and the outside will start to get browner and crispier.

Buckwheat Waffles

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 to 5 servings

The fluffiness of these waffles is greatly enhanced by whipping the egg whites and folding them into the waffle batter. The whipped egg whites also help to provide structure for the waffles. You can skip this step, but the result will be a little more dense.

When whipping egg whites it's important that everything that touches the egg whites is very clean. Even the smallest amount of fat, butter, or egg yolk can interfere with the whip-ability (is that a word?) of the egg whites. So make sure you separate the eggs carefully, and remove any specks of egg yolk that may have wandered into the whites (it's easiest to do that with a large piece of egg shell).

You can substitute the plain yogurt and milk combination with buttermilk.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • Pinch salt

  • Pinch cinnamon

  • 2 eggs, separated

  • 2 egg whites, for extra lightness

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 cup milk (low fat or regular)

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 cup plain yogurt

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

  • Extra pats butter, for serving

  • Heated maple syrup, for serving

  • Berries, for serving

Method

  1. Turn on waffle maker, whisk dry ingredients:

    Turn on your waffle maker, with the setting on medium. In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

    whisk dry ingredients for buckwheat waffle batter
    Elise Bauer
  2. Beat egg whites:

    Place the egg whites in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer or egg beater. Sprinkle in the sugar as you beat the egg whites. Beat egg whites until you have soft peaks.

    beat egg whites for buckwheat waffles
    Elise Bauer
    beat egg whites until fluffy for buckwheat waffles
    Elise Bauer
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, the melted butter, yogurt, milk, and water
  4. Combine wet and dry ingredients:

    Pour the yogurt/milk/butter/egg mixture into the buckwheat flour mixture and stir until just combined. It's okay if it's a little lumpy.

    pour egg mixture into dry mixture for buckwheat waffles
    Elise Bauer
    beat batter for buckwheat waffles
    Elise Bauer
  5. Fold in egg whites:

    Stir a third of the beaten egg whites into the batter until completely incorporated. Gently fold the remaining beaten egg whites into the batter until just combined, and there are no streaks of egg whites. Be gentle so that you do not deflate the egg whites too much.

    fold egg whites into buckwheat waffle batter
    Elise Bauer
    fold egg whites into buckwheat waffle batter
    Elise Bauer
  6. Make the waffles:

    When your waffle maker is ready, working in batches, pour or spoon the batter into the wells, until they almost come to the edge. You will know if you've over-filled it because the batter will spill out of the waffle maker. No harm done, but it's a little messy.

    I like to grease the inside of my waffle maker with a little butter, to help make it easy to remove the waffles.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Cook until the waffle maker indicator indicates that the waffles are ready, or wait until steam stops rising out of the waffle maker. Gently pull the waffles out with a fork.

    cooked buckwheat waffles in waffle maker
    Elise Bauer

    As you make the batches, the batter may thicken while it sits. If you want, thin it out a bit with some water.

    Getting the right balance of doneness is key here. Lightly browned means the waffles will be fluffy, but not crisp. Dark brown means the waffles may be crispy, but a little dry inside. It depends on your preference and your waffle maker. You may need to experiment with a few test waffles to see what works best for you.

  7. Serve:

    Serve with pats of butter, warmed maple syrup, and fresh berries.

Buckwheat Waffles
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
388 Calories
23g Fat
37g Carbs
13g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 388
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 128mg 43%
Sodium 727mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 285mg 22%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 442mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.