Oatmeal Protein Waffles (Gluten-Free)

Light and fluffy Oatmeal Protein Waffles that are made with all wholesome ingredients for a balanced meal. This easy healthy breakfast is a great source of complex carbohydrates and boasts 28 grams of protein per waffle.

After I shared my recipe for Oatmeal Protein Pancakes, I had one reader ask if the recipe could be made into waffles. 

Having not tried it myself, I wasn’t certain how the recipe would turn out as waffles but I was confident enough in its potential success  to give it a try.

And it worked!

In my experience, most pancake recipes can be turned into waffles, especially if there is starch and fat in the recipe. 

So here we are, making waffles out of pancake batter, and protein waffles at that!

I love that these macro-friendly waffles have the perfect balance of complex carbohydrates and protein with a small amount of fat.

They are everything I want in a balanced breakfast, except I would also add a side of sauteed vegetables for some added dietary fiber. 

For my fellow gym goers or exercise enthusiasts, I think you’re going to love this healthy waffle recipe!

The best part is you don’t have to be an athlete to love this macro friendly meal. It isn’t just tolerable for a healthy recipe, it’s all around delicious!

Let’s discuss the wholesome ingredients for easy protein waffles.

Ingredients for Oatmeal Protein Waffles:

Rolled Oats: Taking the place of all-purpose flour for a whole grain waffle recipe, we use old fashioned oats. Quick oats work great too!

Oats get blended up in your blender to make a flour, which is then used as the base for these waffles.

For gluten-free waffles, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats. I use gluten-free sprouted oats.

Protein Powder (Optional): Adding a boost of protein to these waffles for a balanced meal, we add some protein powder.

You can add any favorite protein powder you love. I use a goat whey protein powder that is unsweetened and unflavored.

Vanilla protein powder works great too! Stick with a plant-based protein like hemp protein powder or pea protein powder to keep the waffles vegetarian. 

Whole Eggs and Egg Whites: The combination of eggs and egg whites serves a few important functions here. They are responsible for making fluffy waffles that are nice and airy and have the best texture.

Eggs and egg whites also help them hold the waffles together, and add fat for moisture and protein to the oatmeal waffles.

For the egg whites, I keep a carton of egg whites on hand rather than separating out the whites from the yolks.

I find this to be very useful to have around for situations where I need eggs for a recipe, like the boost of protein, but don’t necessarily want to add fat.

Milk of Choice: Choose your favorite milk! You can use regular cow’s milk or a dairy-free milk such as oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk. I like using canned coconut milk for a richer flavor but this also adds more calories.

Pure Maple Syrup (Optional): For a touch of sweetness, add a little pure maple syrup or honey to the batter. You can also use regular cane sugar or brown sugar here, or omit the sweetener altogether if you cook without added sugar.

Baking Powder: Used as the leavening agent, baking powder gives the waffles a nice crispy outside, ensures they cook evenly, and keeps them held together nicely.

Ground Cinnamon and Sea Salt: A pinch of salt and a teaspoon of cinnamon bring warmth and depth of flavor to the waffles. You can skip the cinnamon if you aren’t a fan, but don’t skip the salt!

Looking for ways to change up this easy healthy waffle recipe? Here are some potential customizations.

Recipe Adaptations:

• If you aren’t using protein powder, add another ¼ cup of oats (or oat flour) to the recipe.
• Replace the egg whites with one additional egg for a total of three whole eggs.
• Use all egg whites instead of eggs for extra protein. To do so, you will need ¾ cup of egg whites.
• Add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to the batter if you have some on hand.
• Make chocolate chip waffles by sprinkling chocolate chips over the batter once it hits the hot waffle iron. 
• For blueberry waffles, sprinkle fresh blueberries over the waffle batter after pouring it onto the hot waffle maker.
• If you prefer waffle recipes that use a gluten-free flour blend instead of oats, make The Best Gluten-Free Waffles Recipe. 
• Make my Grain-Free Almond Flour Paleo Waffles for an almond flour waffle recipe.
• Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of chia seeds or ground flax seeds into the batter for an omega 3 infusion. 
• Add two ripe mashed bananas to the batter to make banana oatmeal waffles. 

Now that we’ve covered the simple ingredients for healthy oat waffles, let’s make them!

How to Make Oatmeal Protein Waffles:

Transfer the oats to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend on a high powder for 30 seconds, or until a flour forms. Add in the protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt and blend for another 10-20 seconds or until the dry ingredients are well-combined.

Add the eggs, egg whites, milk, and pure maple syrup (if adding) to a large mixing bowl and whisk until the wet ingredients are well-combined.

Transfer the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms. Let the batter rest at least 5 minutes (it will thicken up during this time). 

Plug in your waffle iron and spray both the top and the bottom of the heating elements with cooking spray.

Make waffles according to the manufacturer instructions for your maker. Pour batter onto the heated waffle iron, place the cover, and cook until golden brown. My BELLA Classic Rotating Belgian Waffle Maker uses about ¾ to 1 cup of batter per waffle and I set it on high heat.

For me, each waffle takes about 5 minutes to make for a crispy outside that’s golden brown.

Repeat for the remaining waffle batter. My Belgian waffle maker makes 4 large waffles out of the batter. A small waffle maker makes about 8 small waffles. 

If you’d like, you can store finished waffles on a baking sheet while the rest of the waffles are cooking.

Serve waffles immediately with butter, pure maple syrup, and any other desired toppings. Whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries, sliced bananas, Greek yogurt, almond butter, peanut butter, in season fresh fruit, jam or jelly are all great topping options for waffles.

Store any leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze waffles in a large zip lock bag for up to 3 months.

And that’s it! A great option for a  healthy waffle recipe you’ll want to put on repeat.

Make these healthy waffles for meal prep or weekend breakfasts! It’s a great way of increasing your protein intake or ensuring you’re getting enough daily protein. 

If you’re serving more than four individuals or if you want leftovers, consider making a double batch of these high protein waffles. You can always reheat any leftovers in a toaster oven on busy mornings.

As I mentioned in my Oatmeal Protein Pancakes, we often eat recipes like this for dinner since there is adequate protein (especially if you’re eating two waffles) and it feels like you’re getting a treat. 

Nutrition Facts:

If you’re making Belgian waffles (large waffles) out of the batter, you will end up with 4 large waffles. Each waffle contains 345 calories, 8 grams of fat, 42 grams of carbohydrate, 7 grams of fiber, and 28 grams of protein.

For those of you who workout, this is an excellent pre or post workout meal, as it gives you the amount of protein you need for muscle synthesis and also replenishes glycogen so that you’re getting the most out of your effort.

If you’re looking for more healthy breakfast recipes that are macro-friendly like this, also try my Chicken and Spinach Breakfast Casserole with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta and my Sweet Potato Rolled Oat Protein Pancakes. 

Interested in more breakfast recipes? Here are some of my most popular options.

More Breakfast Recipes:

• Mediterranean Breakfast Casserole
• Roasted Veggie and Avocado Breakfast Burritos
• Pear Apple Cheddar Caramelized Onion Bagel Sandwiches 
• Pesto Sun-Dried Tomato Breakfast Scramble
• Roasted Vegetable Scramble 
• Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins
• Vanilla Chai Overnight Oats  

What are your favorite waffle toppings?

Oatmeal Protein Waffles

Easy, healthy oatmeal protein waffles made gluten-free! Enjoy a delicious boost of protein and complex carbs for breakfast with your favorite waffle toppings.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

4 Large or 8 Small Waffles

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups rolled oats*
• ▢ 6 Tbsp protein powder of choice, optional**
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cinnamon, optional
• ▢ ½ tsp sea salt
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 egg whites, ⅓ cup
• ▢ 1 cup milk of choice***
• ▢ 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup, optional

Optional Additions:

• ▢ ½ cup chocolate chips
• ▢ ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

• Transfer the oats to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend on a high powder for 30 seconds, or until a flour forms. Add in the protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt and blend for another 10-20 seconds or until the dry ingredients are well-combined.
• Add the eggs, egg whites, milk, and pure maple syrup (if adding) to a large mixing bowl and whisk until the wet ingredients are well-combined.
• Transfer the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms. Let the batter rest at least 5 minutes (it will thicken up during this time).
• Plug in your waffle iron and spray both the top and the bottom of the heating elements with cooking spray. Make waffles according to the manufacturer instructions for your maker. Pour batter onto the heated waffle iron, place the cover, and cook until golden brown. My BELLA Belgian Waffle Maker uses about ¾ to 1 cup of batter per waffle and I set it on high heat. For me, each waffle takes about 5 minutes to make for a crispy outside that’s golden brown.
• Repeat for the remaining waffle batter. My Belgian waffle maker makes 4 large waffles out of the batter. A small waffle maker makes about 8 small waffles.
• If you’d like, you can store finished waffles on a baking sheet while the rest of the waffles are cooking.
• Serve waffles immediately with butter, pure maple syrup, and any other desired toppings. Whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries, sliced bananas, Greek yogurt, almond butter, peanut butter, in season fresh fruit, jam or jelly are all great topping options for waffles.

Notes

*You can also use 2 cups of oat flour.

**If you don’t add protein powder, increase the amount of oats (or oat flour) to 2 ¼ cups. 

***Use regular cow’s milk or a non-dairy milk like oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, etc. For rich and luscious waffles, use full-fat canned coconut milk.

Store any leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze waffles in a large zip lock bag for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1large waffle (of 4) – Calories: 345kcal – Carbohydrates: 42g – Protein: 28g – Fat: 8g – Saturated Fat: 1g – Trans Fat: 1g – Cholesterol: 99mg – Sodium: 631mg – Fiber: 7g – Sugar: 4g

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten free protein waffles, gluten free waffle recipes, healthy protein waffles, oat waffles, oatmeal protein waffles, protein oatmeal waffles

Servings: 4 Large or 8 Small Waffles

Calories: 345kcal

Author: Julia

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