Vegan Gluten-Free Matcha Waffle Recipe

The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Waffles (using matcha or not!)

Since everyone is staying inside and practicing social distancing during this wild time we thought it would be a perfect time to cook up a new recipe to share that features a local partner Mizuba Tea! Since breakfast is a favorite we wanted to incorporate the granola and some matcha to create something special for anyone to make at home. Vegan gluten-free matcha waffles, duh!

We have said it before and we will continue to say it as long as we are making granola, but our granola is a great flour substitute. You can grind it down and use it in almost any recipe. This is also a great tip if your granola is soon to or has expired and you want to use it quickly or reduce food waste.

What is matcha powder?

Matcha powder is essentially green tea leaves that have been finely ground into a loose powder. A little goes a long way for matcha powder which is why this recipe only calls for 1 teaspoon. You can purchase matcha powder from almost every co-op or tea shop in your area. You can also buy directly from Mizuba’s website to support a small Portland owned business.

This recipe will be using aquafaba for the egg substitute. Basically every vegan’s dream came to life when aquafaba was introduced to baking. It’s probably the coolest egg substitute around which is also super versatile and creates the fluffiest baked goods. You can use it straight from the can or whip it.

Okay, we are getting hungry. Let’s dive in…

YOU WILL NEED:
  • 1 1/2 cups Nora's Kitchen Granola flour (grind down enough granola to use for recipe, any extra can be saved in the fridge for later)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 3 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla or coconut extract (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk (from a can, well shaken)
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter melted
  • 1/3 cup aquafaba
  • 1 tsp matcha powder
  • Optional additions: 1 cup blueberries + 1 tsp coconut sugar + 1/2 tsp avocado oil (for blueberry reduction)
MAKES:
4 waffles
TIME:
30 minutes
DIRECTIONS
  1. With a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients.
  2. To a medium mixing bowl, add coconut milk, vanilla/coconut extract (optional), and melted vegan butter. Whisk thoroughly and set aside.
  3. To a small mixing bowl, whisk aquafaba or beat until soft peaks form (it's okay if they don't quite form peaks - just get it as light and foamy as possible).
  4. Add wet ingredients (excluding aquafaba) to the dry ingredients until everything seems combined. Then add aquafaba and fold into the batter with a mixing spoon until mixed well.
  5. Let the batter rest while your waffle iron preheats - about 5 minutes.
  6. Once preheated, add roughly 1 cup of batter (or until your iron is almost completely covered) to the waffle iron. My new waffle iron (which I cried over when I opened it for my birthday) makes Belgium-style waffles that flip the waffle over to spread the batter evenly and has a light indicator on when to do so. Depending on your model these should cook for 5-7 minutes or until edges are slightly crisp.
  7. While my was waffle cooking I used this time to add some last minute reduced blueberries. Reduced blueberries are simple and you can use fresh or frozen blueberries depending on your preference. Heat avocado oil & coconut sugar in a small frying pan right under medium heat until they dissolve into one another. Don't heat too high or sugar mixture + blueberries will burn. Throw in blueberries and lightly stir until blueberries are coated with sugar/oil. I like to pull mine before they turn into a thick syrup, but you can let these sit for however long you would like. Keep in mind you should reduce heat the longer they sit. I kept mine on the stovetop for about 5 minutes (about the same time as the waffle).
  8. Once waffle is ready, pull from iron and add desired vegan butter to waffle. Then pour blueberry reduction over top. Adding some maple syrup is okay if you'd like too (I like the flavor of both combined)! Finish by sprinkling Nora's Kitchen Granola last for a crunchy addition.

And there you have it! A delicious matcha waffle to kick off your day.

Want to purchase the waffle iron I mentioned in this recipe? You can do so here.

Hope everyone is staying safe out there.

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