These cinnamon apple waffles are made with real apples, unsweetened applesauce, and whole wheat flour to make them super healthy and delicious! Packed with lots of fiber, protein, and Omega3s, these waffles are not only perfect for fall mornings, but they're great for your body too!
These waffles aren't too sweet, so I love topping them with coconut whipped cream, maple syrup, and fresh apple slices to bring out the vibrant fall flavors. I've made these time and time again and they always hit the spot!
You can make these apple waffles vegan, or if you want another fall baking idea, this vegan pumpkin banana bread is a fan-favorite, too.
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Ingredients For Apple Waffles
What I love most about these apple cinnamon waffles is how healthy they are! Each waffle packs 7g fiber, 6g protein, and only 3g of natural sugar. They will keep you full for a long time and provide your body with plenty of nutrients to fuel your day.
- white whole wheat flour: this has all the benefits of whole wheat flour, but with a lighter, milder flavor that is perfect for baked goods and light breakfasts.
- ground flax seed: this is SO important to the recipe because it adds so much fiber, protein, and Omega3s!
- coconut sugar: this is a natural, unrefined sweetener that is vegan and low on the glycemic index.
- baking powder: this helps your waffles become nice and fluffy!
- apple pie spice & cinnamon: these spices add that perfect fall flavor to the waffles and pairs nicely with the fresh apple.
- salt: salt helps balance the flavors and bring out the taste.
- egg: the egg adds structure to the waffles and helps the ingredients mix together well.
- unsweetened applesauce: this adds sweeteness to the recipe and gives it more apple flavor.
- pure vanilla extract: vanilla extract helps bring out the sweet flavors in the recipe.
- unsweetened almond milk: this is the liquid in the recipe that also adds lots of calcium to the waffles.
- fresh apple: you can use any kind of apple for these waffles. I used a gala apple, but granny smith and honeycrisp are great too.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Waffles
You can whip up these cinnamon apple waffles in less than 15 minutes. They are so easy to make and great for busy mornings!
STEP 1: Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, flaxseed, coconut sugar, baking powder, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Then set aside.
STEP 2: Chop apple. Wash a large apple of your choice and cut it into small chunks about the size of a dime. These will be cooked into the waffle so be careful not to make them too big.
STEP 3: Whisk wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, and vanilla. Then add in the almond milk and stir to combine.
STEP 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold the mixtures together until about half of the flour has combined. Then, fold in the chopped apple. Stir until the remaining flour has been incorporated.
TIP: Don't overmix your batter. It's okay if you still see small specks of flour in the batter. If you mix too aggressively or for too long, the waffles could become tough.
STEP 5: Heat your waffle iron. Be sure to spray it with a non-stick cooking spray. Add about ½ cup batter (depending on your specific equipment) per waffle and cook for about 3 minutes, or until steam stops coming from your waffle maker.
TIP: Quickly use a spoon to smooth the batter into the edges of the waffle iron to have nicely shaped waffles. Do this fast, before your waffle starts to cook through!
STEP 6: Repeat the process until all your batter has been used. In my waffle iron, the batter made 6 square waffles. Top your waffles with coconut whipped cream, fresh apple slices, extra cinnamon, and pure maple syrup.
TIP: You could also top your waffles with your favorite nuts. I like using pecans or walnuts for fall bakes!
Making Apple Waffles Vegan
These apple waffles can easily be made vegan with a simple change!
- egg - instead of using an egg in the recipe, you can use a flax egg. Mix one tablespoon ground flax seed with three tablespoons water and stir. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to thicken. This acts as the emulsifying agent in the recipe instead of using a real egg.
- milk - this recipe already calls for unsweetened almond milk. Be sure to use a dairy-free whipped cream like the coconut whipped cream mentioned in this recipe to keep it vegan.
I truly believe these waffles taste just as good if you make them vegan! I guarantee your friends, family, and kids would never be able to tell you made any substitutions.
Variations to the Waffles
These healthy waffles aren't very sweet. That's one of the things I love about them because you have the ability to make them sweeter with toppings or enjoy them as is. If you prefer a sweeter waffle or are serving to picky kids, you can make a few adjustments.
- coconut sugar - for a sweeter waffle, you can use four tablespoons coconut sugar instead of two. You do not have to change the amount of flour you use if you do this.
- unsweetened applesauce - another option to make the waffles sweeter is to use ½ cup applesauce instead of ⅓ cup. If you do this, use only ¾ cup almond milk to avoid the batter becoming too runny.
- pure maple syrup - if you don't want to change the ingredients in the waffles, you can easily make the waffles sweet by adding pure maple syrup on top. Use as much or as little as you like to achieve the desired sweetness!
- apple pie spice - if you don't like the flavor of strong fall spices, you can reduce the apple pie spice to 1 teaspoon if you want a milder taste. Don't omit it completely, though, or these waffles will lack flavor!
Waffle Iron Equipment
All waffle irons are a little bit different. Depending on what type of waffle maker you have, you might have to adjust the cooking time by a minute or so. One way to easily tell when your waffles are done cooking is to notice the amount of steam coming from the waffle maker. When you first add the batter, you will notice a lot of steam. As the waffle cooks, it becomes less and less. When there is little or no steam left, the waffle is typically ready to come out.
In my waffle maker, I was able to get 6 square waffles from this recipe. However, your waffle maker might be different, so the serving amount may vary depending on what equipment you use.
TIP: You can double the batch if you want to ensure you have plenty of waffles to serve to your family, kids, or friends.
Storing the Cinnamon Waffles
While these waffles taste best warm, if you don't enjoy all the waffles right away, you can store them easily in the fridge for up to one week by placing them in an airtight container. To freeze the waffles, wrap them in plastic saran wrap and put them in an airtight container in the freezer. Let them thaw on the counter before enjoying.
More Fall Recipes to Enjoy
Fall is the best time for baking! For more delicious recipes, try these:
Video: How to Make Cinnamon Apple Waffles
Recipe
Cinnamon Apple Waffles
Equipment
- Waffle Maker
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup ground flax seed
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 egg (see notes for vegan option)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or preferred milk)
- 1 large apple finely chopped
Optional Toppings
- coconut whipped cream
- pure maple syrup
- fresh apple slices
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, flaxseed, coconut sugar, baking powder, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Stir, then set aside.1 cup white whole wheat flour, ¼ cup ground flax seed, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons apple pie spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Wash a large apple and chop it into small, fine chunks about the size of a dime. If they are too thick and chunky, it may be harder to bake.1 large apple
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Then add in the almond milk and stir.1 egg, ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until about half of the flour is incorporated. Then, fold in the chopped apple. Stir to combine the remaining flour. Be careful not to overmix.
- Heat your waffle iron and spray with a non-stick cooking spray. Add ¼ to ½ cup of batter (depending on your equipment) and cook for 3 minutes or until there is no more steam coming from the waffle iron.
- Remove the waffles from the waffle iron and repeat the process until all batter has been used. Top waffles with coconut whipped cream, apple slices, cinnamon, and pure maple syrup.
Julia says
These were so good. I made that my mother-in-law's, as she has a waffle iron. We all really enjoyed them so I've left the recipe with her so she can make them more often. Really good!
Kayla DiMaggio says
Yum! I am loving these Cinnamon Apple waffles! They are such an amazing recipe and so delicious!
Nora says
These apple cinnamon waffles look so so delicious! Can't wait to try them out! Thanks for sharing!
Bobbie says
Apples and cinnamon is the perfect fall combination! Love this recipe!
Luca says
My partner and I made these today for breakfast for his family and everyone was amazed! Very easy to make and super yummy!
Akshita says
These are so easy to make and they looka delish!
Brianna says
Perfect fall breakfast!
Andrea White says
These waffles are the absolute best! So fluffy and so flavorful!