Zesty Hazelnut + Oatmeal Waffles

Stack of hazelnut and oatmeal waffles with drizzling chocolate sauce and topped with hazelnuts

Waffles. What a way to start the day! You’ve got to love this light-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside treat! Our hazelnut and oatmeal waffles are extra special. The batter is made with oatmeal and ground hazelnuts, giving them an unmistakable flavor and buttery texture. We also add a little orange zest. Why? Well, if you haven’t tried the hazelnut/orange flavor combination – you’re in for a delicious surprise! It’s awesome.

So start the coffee, heat the waffle iron, and get ready for a terrific breakfast treat*!

*Note: waffles aren’t just for breakfast. No judgment here!

Ingredients to make hazelnut and oatmeal waffles

Where do Waffles Come From?

We’d forgive you for answering “Belgium.” After all, it’s called a Belgian Waffle, isn’t it? Well funnily enough, what we know as a Belgian Waffle was actually born in the USA! The recipe is descended from Brussels-style waffles served at the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens, NYC. However, the modern Belgian Waffles served in America are quite different from anything you’ll find in Europe.

Although the American love for waffles was sparked by a modern Belgian recipe, this food goes much further back. In fact, waffles were filling bellies in medieval times! Folks were cooking them up in France during the 14th to 16th centuries. What’s more, people have been cooking batter between hot iron plates since Ancient Greece. Who knew the humble waffle was an antique?

Our waffles are different again! They’re thin, crispy, and shaped like hearts. In this way, they’re closer to Norwegian waffles!

Are Waffles Healthy?

Let’s face it, you don’t usually sit down to a plate of waffles thinking about nutrition. Indeed, most waffle recipes contain refined flour and sugar. You’ll also find them piled with all sorts of decadent “bling,” like powdered sugar, cream, ice cream – even gravy!

You can definitely get indulgent with our recipes, too (just look at the pictures). However, they clearly pack a more wholesome punch than a regular recipe. After all, the waffle batter is based on a gluten-free blend of whole oats and hazelnut meal. That means you get fiber and protein from the oats. Also, hazelnuts bring plenty of healthy fats.

What’s more, our waffles are entirely vegan. So, enjoy them in moderation, but feel good about the low saturated fats and zero cholesterol.

Bowl of orange and oatmeal waffle batter

How to get your Waffles Just Right

Are you having trouble making the perfect waffle? Here is what to do if …

  • Your waffles are sticking to the Waffle Iron:
    • Make sure you grease the Iron with cooking oil spray.
    • If that isn’t working, add some more vegan buttery spread to the batter.
  • The waffles aren’t crispy enough:
    • Make sure you add the batter to a hot Waffle Iron (it should sizzle!)
    • Don’t remove the waffles until steam stops escaping from the sides of the Iron.
    • Put them in the oven at 200-250F for 5-10 minutes after they’re done. This way, more moisture will evaporate. Make sure they’re in a single layer on top of a rack.
Waffle iron with cooked waffle

Topping Ideas

When it comes to toppings, it all depends on how you’re feeling. For a simple snack, just smear on some vegan buttery spread or dust with powdered sugar. If you want to go classic, try strawberries and dairy-free cream. However, if you want the ultimate waffle experience, load up on the chocolate sauce and extra hazelnuts – just like us! We promise you won’t be disappointed.

Preparing Waffles Ahead of Time

It’s quite easy to make waffles ahead of time and freeze them. Once they are cooked, just lay them out on parchment paper in a sheet pan. After that, put them in the freezer for six hours. You can then stack the waffles up and put them in a sealed container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to eat them, you can:

  • Warm them in the oven.
  • Heat them in the toaster (use the bagel setting and watch them to make sure they don’t burn).
  • Use your microwave, heating on high for 1-1.5 minutes.

Have fun cooking these Zesty Hazelnut and Oatmeal waffles! Their buttery texture, nutty taste, and orangey finish are just perfect! If you try them, let us know what you think with a comment and rating. Every bit of feedback helps make the blog even better!

And if you’re looking for more classic breakfast recipes, check out our super-easy recipes for Fluffy Pancakes and Creamy Oatmeal!

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Stack of hazelnut and oatmeal waffles with drizzling chocolate sauce and topped with hazelnuts

Zesty Hazelnut + Oatmeal Waffles


  • Author: Rachel Steenland
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 waffles 1x

Description

These Zesty Hazelnut and Oatmeal waffles are nutty and buttery with a delightful touch of orange. What’s more, these waffles are vegan and gluten-free!


Ingredients

Scale

 

To serve (optional)


Instructions

  1. Preheat waffle iron and prepare flax eggs by mixing together ground flax seeds with 6 tablespoons of water. Allow to thicken for five minutes. 
  2. Into a medium size bowl add hazelnut flour, oat flour, orange juice, plant milk, maple syrupbaking powder, orange zest, a pinch of salt and flax eggs, whisk to form a batter. 
  3. Spray waffle iron with cooking oil. Pour 1/2 cup of batter into the waffle iron cavity.** Cook waffles until golden brown on each side, around 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer waffle to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining batter.

 

Enjoy waffles warm with toppings of your choice! We like to drizzle ours with vegan chocolate sauce and hazelnuts, but a little vegan butter or chia jam is also another tasty option!

Notes

  • *Make your own hazelnut flour by adding raw hazelnuts to a food processor or blender, and process for 15 seconds until the hazelnut flour resembles cornmeal (keep processing time short otherwise you’ll end up with hazelnut butter!). Similarly, make your own oat flour by adding rolled oats to a food processor or blender, and process for about 45 to 60 seconds until the oats represent flour. 
  • **A Norwegian 5-Heart Waffle Iron was used to make these waffles, which requires 1/2 cup of waffle batter. If you’re using a Belgium Waffle Iron, you may need to increase the amount of hazelnut batter to 3/4 cup. Adjust as necessary to suit the needs of your waffle iron.
  • Nutrition facts are to be used as a guide only and are calculated without optional toppings.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 385
  • Sugar: 4.5 g
  • Sodium: 166.9 mg
  • Fat: 26.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 32.7 g
  • Fiber: 6.6 g
  • Protein: 10.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: hazelnut waffles, oatmeal waffles, gluten-free waffles, vegan waffles

This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll make a small commission if you purchase using these links. The price you pay as a consumer does not change.

Rachel Steenland

Rachel Steenland

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