Waffles are the new muffin.  You heard it here first, Dusty Baker style.

Last weekend I was bequeathed with a waffle iron, that I dutifully packed into my carry-on and brought back to NYC from Cincinnati (thanks, Rae!).  This morning I had guests to prepare breakfast for, and was frustrated with my lack of muffin options – I had no nuts, berries, raisins, fruit, nothing to put into a muffin!  I had thoroughly explored the gluten-free muffin world last year in Cincinnati, and now that trip inspired what will surely be one of many gluten-free waffle recipes to grace this site.  I popped out all the flours I had open in the fridge, consulted classic waffle recipes, and got to work.

The result: these waffles are deliciously whole-grain and sweet because of the use of amaranth and quinoa flours.  I used two different types of cinnamon to give them bite.  And 6 tablespoons of butter gave a perfectly creamy balance to the grains.

If you don’t have all of these ingredients, substitute with what you have.  Cow’s or soy milk can be substituted for the almond milk, as can a soy/vegetable alternative to butter and egg replacer for the eggs easily makes them a gluten-free vegan waffle recipe that holds its own comparatively.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup amaranth flour (provides sweetness and a soft texture)
• 1/2 cup quinoa flour (provides a bit of protein and aids digestibility)
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour (provides body and heft)
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch / flour (binds the flours together)
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds (provides fiber for digestibility)
• 1/4 cup sweet sorghum flour (it’s sweet and I’d never used it before!)
• 3 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp xantham gum
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon (I used half Chinese and half Indonesian cinnamon)
• 2 eggs
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (or soy butter)
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or cow’s, soy or rice milk, just try to use unsweetened)

Directions:

• Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl
• Melt the butter and set aside to cool
• Heat your waffle iron
• Beat the eggs in a small bowl and slowly add the milk
• Add the melted butter, stiring to combine
• Pour liquid ingredients into dry and stir with a fork or spatula to combine
• Use 1/4-1/2 cup batter per waffle, cook until toasted

Makes 8 waffles.