Start your morning with these sweet potato waffles bursting with fall spices and a hearty texture. Made with simple gluten-free ingredients, they’re perfect with a drizzle of maple syrup for any breakfast or brunch.
In updating this sweet potato waffle recipe to include a video, I feel like we have to talk about this recipe a bit as it has since gotten some criticism (see the comments below) that I can’t seem to replicate. In fact, a more recent comment on this post is what actually inspired me to make a video showing you how to make these sweet potato waffles.
I woke up one weekend morning to someone basically telling me I ruined their life (ok, not really, but it was one of the more dramatic comments down below) because these didn’t turn out at all for them. The comment made me think twice and I thought to myself “you know what, it’s been awhile since I made these, let me just remake them again to make sure the recipe works.”
Basically, I was second guessing myself. Especially since it’s a gluten-free, grain-free recipe and those can be finicky some times. So, I whipped out all the ingredients doubting myself every step of the way and about 15-20 minutes later I nervously opened the waffle iron after hearing that beep and you know what I found?
A perfect sweet potato waffle that looks exactly like the ones you see in the pictures above or the video below.
They’re hearty, wholesome (paleo and gluten-free too), bursting with warm fall flavors of cinnamon and fresh nutmeg and really, all they need is a little drizzle of maple syrup to be breakfast ready. If you like the sound of all those things, you’ll probably also love these gingerbread waffles — so give them a try too!
So, here’s a PSA directed at the criticism in the comments – I truly don’t know what you’re doing wrong if these waffles aren’t working out for you. There’s only so many times I can say “did you spray/grease your waffle iron adequately?” or, “are you sure you followed the recipe/directions exactly?” This recipe works, it has never failed me and it’s delicious AF.
The video below in the recipe card should prove that, you can’t lie on video!
So here’s to a big stack of waffles on your breakfast plate whether they’re these sweet potato waffles, keto waffles or something else!
Why You’ll Love These Waffles
- Thick and fluffy texture like you get at a pancake house — these Belgian waffles have the perfect crevices for holding pockets of maple syrup.
- Naturally sweet from the sweet potatoes, so you can use less sugar.
- Easy to customize with sweet or savory toppings (hello, bacon and fried eggs!)
- Freezer-friendly so you can grab and go these as needed.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweet potatoes – The star of the show! They add natural sweetness and moisture. You can use leftover mashed sweet potatoes or sweet potato puree from a can (usually found near the pumpkin).
- Flour – Almond and coconut flours are used to make these gluten-free, grain-free and paleo friendly.
- Eggs – For structure and fluffiness.
- Milk – Use dairy or plant milk, depending on preference.
- Baking soda – Helps the waffles rise.
- Seasonal spices – A cozy touch of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg is all you need, but you can substitute pumpkin pie spice too.
- Coconut oil – For richness and crispy edges.
- Maple syrup – Just a touch adds some natural sweetness to complement the sweet potato flavor.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the natural sweetness.
How to Make Sweet Potato Waffles
This is a short overview of the recipe, please see the recipe card below for detailed instructions, ingredient quantities and a video.
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
If you’re not using pre-cooked sweet potatoes you can quickly prepare them by either boiling or microwaving a raw potato. Roasting or baking works too but takes much longer. You’ll need 3/4 cup of mashed potatoes so 1 medium potato should suffice.
Make the Waffle Batter
In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, then combine the two and mix until the batter is well combined and no flour pockets remain. The batter will be thick and not really “pourable” — this is normal.
Cook the Waffles
Preheat the waffle maker and grease it well with coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee depending on your preference. Spoon the batter onto the waffle maker and cook according to your waffle maker’s settings until golden brown. Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup and your favorite toppings!
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting Waffle Issues
- Use a fork to mash the sweet potatoes thoroughly or a blender for an ultra-smooth batter to avoid clumps in the waffles.
- Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate. This is important when using coconut flour.
- Don’t skip preheating the waffle iron — this keeps the waffles from sticking and gives you crispier edges.
- Too soft? Cook a little longer and let the waffle sit before removing.
- Keep the waffles warm after cooking if you’re making a big batch by placing them on a wire rack stacked on top of a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 200/250°F.
Toppings and Pairings
Drizzle some maple syrup, pile on fresh fruit, or add a dollop of whipped cream for a classic, cozy breakfast. Or if you want to take it up a notch? A sprinkle of chopped nuts or a spoonful of nut butter makes it even better. I love almond butter with sweet potato baked goods. It’s my favorite topping for sweet potato pancakes and sweet potato bran muffins.
If you’re more of a savory waffle person, go all in with crispy bacon, juicy sausage patties or a perfectly fried egg on top. A little hot sauce or a drizzle of honey over the savory toppings is absolute magic. You can also try this savory hummus waffle recipe made with Italian sausage, basil and sun-dried tomatoes.
Storage & Prepping Ahead
Keep leftover waffles fresh by storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer bag for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy, pop them in the toaster or oven for the best texture.
Other Things To Bake With Sweet Potato
Sweet potato lends itself wonderfully to baking. Not only is it a tasty, but it brings a nutritious boost to things like cookies, cornbread, biscuits and bread too.
You can even blend it into an amazingly creamy and decadent ice cream too!
Sweet Potato Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron.
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (everything through the nutmeg).
- Whisk together all the other (wet) ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter (it will be thick and you’ll need to spread it out with a spatula) onto the waffle iron and cook according to the directions on your waffle.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
I love sweet potatoes, and if you’re doing paleo this is a great recipe!
I love sweet potatoes and this is a great way to use them. I can’t wait to give them a try.
These waffles turned out perfectly! They were nice and crisp on the outside, and the sweet potato added such a great flavor.
They are great and always come out perfect!
I made this recipe this morning; substituted pumpkin for the sweet potato, and they were yummy! My hubby, who is not a fan of almond flour, ate every bite! I had some issues with it sticking but used coconut oil on my antiquated waffle iron for the second batch. Note to self- time to replace that 45 year old wedding present!LOL
Your recipe didn’t ruin my day (but I don’t have hungry kids waiting on me either!). Thanks to the other comments and my own experience, these turned out great! I used my blender cup for the wet and spice ingredients and added some more mylk to get it moving (I used goat kefir and soy mylks). I left out the syrup to cut down on high glycemic sugars. Then poured the wet into a bowl with the almond and coconut flours, and lastly mixed in 3 T of melted coconut oil/ghee (because that’s how I can make waffles in my iron that come out in one piece since I don’t use cooking sprays). Cooked as usual in our older Cuisinart regular waffle iron and they came out beautifully. I topped them with walnut butter and thawed raspberries, and will clean out the blender cup by making the latte mentioned by the other commenter. Thanks to everyone!
So glad you liked it and it worked out well with your swaps!
This post makes me so happy! Can’t wait to try these 😂
This recipe is a heartier and healthier take on the standard waffle recipe and I love it!
I LOVE waffles for breakfast but have avoided them since eating healthier. I am so thrilled to have found your recipe! The sweet potato is a genius ingredient. And they tasted amazingly satisfying and filling. Can’t wait to have them again.
I came across this recipe on Pintrest, it looks amazing. I wish I had a waffle iron! I was reading through the comments and I wonder if people are having problems because they are using too much batter? Your batter fits entirely in the iron with “rough” edges vs perfectly square or round waffles. Maybe the smaller amount allows the waffles to cook better? Anyway just a thought from someone who has never made waffles.
@Jenny, Great point. The recipe doesn’t give much detail for how to actually cook the waffle in the iron, and everyone’s waffle iron is different. It came up first in a google search for sweet potato waffles which I’m craving this morning so I’m going to give it a try (with more coconut oil in the batter, because that’s what works in our “non-stick” waffle iron.