Crispy Vegan Cornmeal Waffles Recipe

If you've enjoyed polenta, you will understand the whole sweet/savory vibe that cornmeal rocks, in the same way as fresh sweetcorn, and this is what makes it such a fun ingredient to work with.

Cornmeal not only adds a natural sweetness and unique flavor to baked goods, but it also adds a delicious crunch, making it great for cookies or bakes that don't require fineness of texture.

Regular readers will know that I love waffles, and am constantly trying to find the best waffles recipe (we've got close here though with my recipe for vegan fluffy waffles!), and adding cornmeal to waffle batter was like an epiphany!

It adds the perfect level of both sweetness and crunch that a good waffle needs, thereby allowing you to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe! Furthermore, these are egg-free, dairy-free, and could be made gluten-free too!

What is Cornmeal?

Yellow Cornmeal is made from ground yellow corn and comes in a few different textures, ranging from coarse to fine. For this recipe, we want the crunch of cornmeal, so we're using coarse. Real Simple breaks down the different types of cornmeal, including how and when to use them, here.

Polenta can be used if you can't find Cornmeal in the supermarkets. Again, it is made from yellow corn but is coarser still.

Is Cornmeal Gluten-Free?

Yes, it is 100% gluten-free because it is just made from dried corn!

How do you make vegan cornmeal waffles?

As with most waffle recipes, you place your dry ingredients (plain or all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornmeal, sugar, salt) in a large mixing bowl. Then you add the wet ingredients!

My waffle recipe doesn't use egg replacer, flax eggs, or additional yogurt, getting their rise from the baking soda.

OK, so there's a little bit more to it than that, but not much!

• You need to first turn your non-dairy milk into "buttermilk" by adding the juice from half a lemon to it, You will see it start to curdle almost instantly. I use soy milk, but you could use almond milk, coconut milk, or any plant-based or nut milk of your choice
• While your milk is curdling, if you are using coconut oil or vegan butter, melt this in a small bowl in the microwave. Let cool slightly before adding the melted butter or coconut oil to the milk, along with the vanilla extract.
• Whisk this mixture then pour into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until you can't see any more lumps of flour.
• Leave to stand for about 5 minutes at room temperature. This activates all the rising agents in the flour and baking soda, helping to promote light crispy waffles.
• At this point, you can clingfilm the bowl and place it in the fridge overnight, ready for the next day!
• When you are ready to make your waffles, heat your waffle maker in accordance with the instructions. I have a Belgian waffle maker, which I love, but which makes them in a different shape to the regular "toaster" shape ones! It's also harder to give specific quantities for yield, depending on the size of your waffle iron.
• As a very rough guide, I use ¾ cup batter for my machine.

How do you serve Vegan Cornmeal Waffles?

You can serve these as savory waffles, with some vegan sausage, tofu scramble, or cheeze melted on top, or serve them sweet, drizzled with some pure maple syrup or coconut whipped cream and fruit.

Modifications

You can easily modify these cornmeal waffles.

• Add some chopped green onion to the batter
• Add some fresh corn kernels to the batter
• Stir in some chopped fresh herbs, like parsley or a little thyme
• Add a little chopped red chili for some heat!
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon for a little spice

Try my other delicious vegan breakfast recipes:

• My delicious and simple Tiramisu Pancakes
• Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes
• Gluten-Free and Vegan Granola
• Vegan Black Forest Protein Smoothie