These Vanilla Whole Wheat Waffles are always a hit for breakfast with my kids. I love that they have extra protein, fiber, and whole grains…and that the leftovers freeze so well for future easy breakfasts!
We usually have Yogurt Pancakes or waffles on the weekend, and I love having this straightforward recipe in rotation. It boasts more nutrition than many other basic waffle recipes—which is great since they help keep us full a little longer—because the recipe has cottage cheese and whole grain flour in the batter. The cottage cheese is an unexpected ingredient, but one that adds moisture and tenderness.
I love making some of these mini and some full size so they’re just the right size for all of the members of my family. My kids love to dip the little ones into syrup or cinnamon applesauce, no forks needed.
I usually try to make a double batch so we have leftovers on hand for future easy breakfasts.
(You may also like Healthy Waffles, Savory Waffles, Sweet Potato Waffles, and Banana Waffles.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make these Vanilla Whole Wheat Waffles, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand.
- Whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour: A mix of these creates nutritionally dense waffles that are still nice and light.
- Baking powder: This helps the waffles to rise nicely as they cook. Make sure that yours is fresh.
- Cottage cheese: I prefer to use whole milk cottage cheese so there’s fat in the waffles (which kids need). It blends into the batter nicely, so don’t worry about the curds.
- Egg: Egg helps the mixture bind together and cook up as expected.
- Melted coconut oil or butter: Either of these create the slightly crisp edges that you expect from waffles. I prefer coconut oil here, but unsalted butter will work too.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds really pleasant flavor to these waffles so they’re delicious enough to eat on their own.
- Milk: You can use dairy or nondairy milk.
- Maple syrup, applesauce, nut butter, sliced fruit, and/or additional cottage cheese for serving
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the simple process involved in making these homemade whole wheat waffles. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe with amounts and the timing.
Step 1. Add wet ingredients to a bowl.
Step 2. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Step 3. Warm the waffle iron, coat with nonstick spray, and cook as mini or full size waffles.
Step 4. Serve or let cool to store for a future easy breakfast.
TIP: I like to make some mini and full-size to accommodate all of the appetites at my table.
Frequently Asked Questions
These whole wheat waffles have a nice mix of nutrients making them taste great and also satisfy with long lasting energy.
I like to use a combination of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour so you get the nutritional benefits from the whole grains and tenderness from the lighter flour.
Sure, you can substitute melted butter, if you prefer.
Best Waffle Maker
I have a very basic Cuisinart Waffle Maker that makes one round waffle at a time. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a nice place to start if you want to try making waffles at home!
How to Store
To store, let waffles cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to serve. To freeze, store cooled waffles in a zip top storage bag, with as much air removed as possible, for up to 3 months.
Warm waffles on a plate in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, turning over halfway through, or in the toaster oven.
Best Tips for Success
- I prefer to use cottage cheese with either 2% or 4% milk fat.
- You can use all all-purpose flour if you prefer.
- Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the batter for additional flavor.
- We like to top our waffles with almond butter and maple syrup, to dip them in applesauce or yogurt, or to have them with sliced fruit or applesauce. You can of course add a side of bacon or even some eggs if you want to go full on classic breakfast!
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 style of gluten-free baking mix or use buckwheat flour, adding up to an additional ¼ cup milk as needed to make a batter that’s easy to stir and dollop.
- Dairy-free: Look for a lactose-free or vegan cottage cheese if needed. Or omit the cottage cheese and add another egg instead.
- I have this very basic, but very reliable Cuisinart Waffle Maker.
Related Recipes
Breakfast
Favorite Banana Waffles
Breakfast
Healthy Waffles (with Raspberries)
Dinner
Favorite Savory Waffles
Recipes
Favorite Yogurt Pancakes
I’d love to hear your feedback on the recipe, so please comment below if you make them!
Vanilla Whole Wheat Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup 2% or 4% cottage cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups milk
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled (or melted and slightly cooled butter)
- Maple syrup, applesauce, nut butter, sliced fruit, and/or additional cottage cheese for serving
Instructions
- Combine both flours, baking powder, and salt, in a large bowl.
- Add the cottage cheese, egg, vanilla extract, and milk combine thoroughly. Stir in the melted coconut oil. (I add the coconut oil last as it helps to prevent it from solidifying in the batter.)
- Warm the waffle iron. (I use the 4 out of 5 setting on my waffle iron.) Coat with nonstick spray.
- Place 1 tablespoons of batter in each center of the four sections of the waffle iron to make four mini waffles at once. Or place just one tablespoon of patter in the center of the waffle. Or use ⅓ cup batter to make a regular size waffle.
- Close the waffle iron and cook until done. Transfer to a plate and serve, or to a baking sheet in a 225 degree F oven to keep warm until the batch is done.
- Repeat to finish the batch. Serve waffles with desired toppings.
Equipment
Notes
- To store, let waffles cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to serve. To freeze, store cooled waffles in a zip top storage bag, with as much air removed as possible, for up to 3 months. Warm on a plate in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, turning over halfway through, or in the toaster oven.
- I prefer to use cottage cheese with either 2% or 4% milk fat.
- You can use all all-purpose flour if you prefer.
- Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the batter for additional flavor.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 style of gluten-free baking mix or use buckwheat flour, adding up to an additional ¼ cup milk as needed to make a batter that’s easy to stir and dollop.
- Dairy-free: Look for a lactose-free or vegan cottage cheese if needed.
- I have this basic, but very reliable Cuisinart Waffle Maker.
Nutrition
This post was first published February 2020.
My family loves this recipe! My son is a pretty picky eater and won’t usually meat. The only breakfast foods he’d eat, besides fruit, is waffles and pancakes. We needed a high protein waffle and then was has been a game changer. Thank you so much for posting!