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These cinnamon roll waffles are soft and pillowy inside and crispy on the outside. Packed with protein, these dessert-inspired waffles are a healthy breakfast option that takes only a few minutes to make.
If you haven’t put your waffle maker to use for a long time just because you try to eat healthy and keep your carb intake at bay, here’s the perfect recipe to try.
My famous cinnamon roll waffles may sound decadent, but they are actually healthy and use wholesome ingredients. The highlight is the glaze on top, which is just melted coconut butter.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Easy and quick. It takes only a minute to whisk all the ingredients together and cook the waffles.
- High-protein. Made with egg whites and coconut flour, these waffles are a lot higher in protein than classic waffles. Having a serving of these waffles for breakfast will keep you full until lunch.
- Freezable. Just like our cinnamon roll pancakes, these waffles are freezer-friendly. You can make them in a big batch and freeze some for later.
Ingredients needed
- Coconut flour. A little goes a long way with coconut flour. Acting like a sponge, when mixed with the other ingredients, it soaks it up and yields a cake-like and fluffy internal texture.
- Granulated sweetener of choice. Any granulated sweetener of choice works. White sugar works, but I sometimes cut the sugar and use allulose instead.
- Cinnamon. Saigon cinnamon provides the most robust and flavorful cinnamon. Dutch-processed will work, but you need to sprinkle some over the top.
- Baking powder. To ensure the waffles are thick and rise.
- Egg whites. Egg whites, as opposed to whole eggs, avoid the eggy flavor you can sometimes get from low carb waffles. They also help make the waffles fluffy.
- Milk of choice. I used coconut milk, but almond, cashew, and other dairy-free (or dairy!) milk will work.
- Vanilla extract. To bring out the natural sweetness.
- Coconut yogurt. Help keep the waffles moist, and also ensure the waffles don’t dry out. Any yogurt of choice will work.
- Coconut oil. Gives the waffles a crispy exterior.
- Coconut butter. To drizzle over the top of the waffles for a mock glaze.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to make cinnamon roll waffles
Making these fluffy and crispy cinnamon roll waffles is ridiculously simple- You simply prepare the ingredients and let them sit for 5 minutes, before cooking them up in the waffle maker!
Step 1- Make the batter. Prepare your waffle ingredients by combining the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whisk in your egg whites, milk, yogurt, and oil, and mix very well.
Step 2- Rest. Let your waffle mixture sit for 10 minutes, or until it thickens. If the batter is too thick, add a dash more milk.
Step 3- Cook the waffles. Heat up the waffle maker. Once ready, pour the waffle mixture in and cook until crispy on the outside. Repeat until all the waffle mixture is used up.
Recipe variations
- Swap coconut flour with wheat flour if you don’t mind extra carbs and gluten. To keep it gluten-free, use oat flour instead. As coconut flour has high absorbancy, you will need to use more wheat or oat flour to achieve the needed batter consistency.
- Make this recipe vegan by substituting egg whites with flax eggs. A rule of thumb is to use a mixture of ½ tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 1 ½ tablespoons of water or plant milk to replace one egg white.
- Add a scoop of unflavored protein powder to the batter to make these waffles more filling.
- Make a keto cream cheese glaze for the waffles for the ultimate cinnamon roll experience.
Storage instructions
To store. Refrigerate waffles in an airtight container or sealable bag. They will be good for 2 to 3 days.
To freeze. Freeze these waffles in an airtight plastic bag for up to 2 months.
To reheat. The best way to reheat waffles to make them crispy again is to pop them in the oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, reheat the waffles in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds and crisp them up in the oven or a toaster oven.
Frequently asked questions
Adding oil to waffle batter is key if you are aiming for crispy waffles. Adding some cornstarch to the batter is another hack you can use to make the waffles extra crispy.
And if nothing seems to give you the level of crispiness you want, crisp the waffles in the oven for a couple of minutes once they are cooked.
Yes, you can put dough in a waffle maker. Spray the waffle maker with cooking spray to make sure the dough doesn’t stick.
More healthy breakfast recipes to try
Cinnamon Roll Waffles
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sweetener of choice
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder use paleo version if strictly paleo
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut butter for drizzling on top
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients. Add your egg whites and the rest of your ingredients, and whisk very well, until no clumps remain. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes, to thicken. If the batter is too thick, add a dash more milk.
- Heat waffle iron and once hot, pour the batter and cook until crispy. Repeat until all the batter is used up.
- Place waffles on a plate and drizzle with coconut butter and shake more cinnamon on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe originally updated November 2019 but updated to include new information for your benefit.
Hey, I just tried this recipe in my new waffle maker… It was amazing! It tasted just like a real flour waffle! Perfectly moist, perfectly fluffy, bread-like texture. The only difference is I used 2 tbsp of pumpkin puree instead of the almond milk because I love pumpkin. I think I’ll experiment with the type/amount of liquid added since I make waffles so often. Next time I think I’ll try it with Greek yogurt instead of the pumpkin.
Thank you so much for the recipe! This one’s definitely a keeper!
Wow! thanks so much for the feedback, Ella- I’m a huge pumpkin fan so I like your changes 🙂
Any idea how it might go if I made the batter the night before?
Hi Jen! That’s a great idea- I usually batch cook and freeze them- I haven’t tried making the batter the night before, I assume it will be fine, just add a dash more milk in the morning! 🙂
Hi
Thanks. I love the idea and would make them now.
But this throws this newbie:
1/2 scoop paleo friendly vanilla or cinnamon protein powder (can sub for any vanilla protein powder if not 100% paleo)
I know vanilla extract but understand “scoop” of vanilla to be something else
And Cinnamon protein powder makes it difficult as it’s not common 🙂
What is the purpose?
I have no problem with protein powder or cinnamon or vanilla but just need some more understanding.
Thanks.
Hi Johan!
Of course! A ‘scoop of vanilla protein powder’ is usually 15-17 grams- Would you mind telling me what brand you have on hand? I can work it out for you 🙂
Hi
Thanks. The scoop size is not my issue. 🙂
Your description “paleo friendly vanilla” trip me over.
I have now deducted it’s paleo friendly protein power vanilla.
This I assume means: paleo friendly protein power with a vanilla flavour.
If this is correct why is the protein power added?
Is there a substitute for the protein powder? I don’t have any.
Hi Michelle 🙂 You can omit it and just add a dash more oat flour and reduce the liquid 🙂
When you say a scoop of protein powder, what size scoop do you mean? I have a couple different powders with different sized scoops depending on the serving size. I made protein cookies with one “scoop” the other day, and it turned out to be half as much as I needed! Thanks!
Hi Veronica! apologies for that oversight- My scoops are around 33-34 grams 🙂
I can´t wait to make these! What does the T in the ingredient list stand for?
Hi Natalie! 🙂 It stands for tablespoon 🙂
These look amazing, Arman! I haven’t tried grain free waffles yet, but I keep thinking that I need to.
Looks so yummy!! I do that same thing with my Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal by using coconut butter as the icing! So good! I definitely need to try the vegan version of these. I haven’t had much luck with coconut flour, I hate the taste and everything is always crumbly and dry. But these look awesome. Do these taste strong of coconut? They look so easy and I want to try them!
Not going to lie, I legit salivate whenever I pin your oatmeal 😉
That is what I hate about coconut flour + vegan baking- It’s ALL about the liquids- They don’t have a strong coconut flavour, but I did need to add more non dairy milk to the vegan version. 🙂
“the nice part of a subway station” – HA! exactly.
I like buns too, but me and my friend Angela are the only ones I know who call them that – they are ROLLS here too.
looks like I will be getting my waffle iron out soon… I need a break from cookbook recipes, and these waffles sound GOOD.
Go for it, Kristina- Although the place I had my favourite one was in a NYC Subway station. the next day, someone got shot there. :/
oh I can believe it. some of my best food memories come from NYC, some of my best memories overall come from there, actually – but there is always the other side of that coin.
still one of my very favorite places, ever.
YASSSS! You’re like an mad scientist with the breakfast treats — i love it!
You are the pizza queen with a side of veggie patties.