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Chaffles have taken over the social media world and it's happening for a good reason! They are super easy to make, fuss-free, versatile and you will need just a few common ingredients to make them.
Before releasing my Keto Chaffles Book in 2020, I spent over 8 months testing and fine tuning dozens of chaffle recipes to create the ultimate chaffle guide.
I’ve tried and tested every possible way there is to make these wonder waffles to finally bring you the recipes you have all been waiting for! In fact, I've been planning to share this guide for a very long time but never got the chance to do that until now. In this guide to chaffles, I will show you how to swap individual ingredients to make them dairy-free, nut-free and even egg-free.
To compile the most complete guide to chaffles, I also collected feedback from my readers on Instagram and in our Facebook Group. If you have any questions or if anything hasn't been addressed, please let me know and I'll add it to the guide.
What Are Chaffles?
Chaffles became popular online in keto communities like Reddit. I couldn't find the original author of this idea but I suppose it was someone on Reddit. Whoever the mastermind was, THANK YOU!
The word "chaffles" refers to cheese waffles. The main ingredients are grated cheese, most frequently mozzarella or cheddar, and eggs. If you can't do dairy or even eggs, keep reading because I have dairy-free and egg-free chaffle recipes for you too!
What I love about chaffles is how incredibly versatile they are. Chaffles can be used just like breakfast waffles or instead of bread. They will make the perfect keto lunch if you use them to make sandwiches, and you can even make a chocolate cake make entirely from chaffles! If you have my Keto Chaffles Book, make sure to check out the Chocolate Cake and the Birthday Cake.
What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Chaffles?
Making chaffles is really easy although there are a few rules you should follow if you strive for chaffle perfection. The basic chaffle recipe is made with just two ingredients:
- cheese (typically mozzarella or cheddar)
- eggs (or sometimes just egg whites)
While I love the simplicity of the basic recipe, the texture isn't quite what I was looking for. It's too soft, cheesy, eggy and it's oily. After some trial and error, I found the best ratio of liquid and dry ingredients. My chaffles additionally include:
- low-carb flour alternatives such as almond flour, coconut flour, sesame seed flour, or flax meal. The right amount of these ingredients makes chaffles that are soft inside and crispy on the outside.
- leavening agents including gluten-free baking powder, or a combination of cream of tartar and baking soda.
- low-carb sweeteners in sweet chaffles. You can use Erythritol, Swerve, brown sugar substitute (erythritol, stevia or monk fruit based) or Allulose.
Depending on the recipe, there may be other ingredients such as cream cheese, cacao powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon zest for sweet chaffles, or crisped up bacon, chopped jalapeños, and pesto for savoury chaffles.
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How Do Chaffles Taste? Do They Taste Eggy?
Chaffles should be soft inside and crispy on the outside. Not all chaffles are the same and depending on the ingredients you use, you will get slightly different results.
These chaffles don't taste eggy. If you follow my recipe, you won't be able to tell the difference from regular waffles! Keep in mind that we are using large eggs and to make one batch of sweet or savoury chaffles you should be using one large egg (about 50 g/1.8 oz).
If you are sensitive to eggy taste, you can go even further by using egg whites instead of whole eggs. Egg whites are ideal for completely plain flavour with no eggy taste and crispier result. To do that, swap the egg for 1 jumbo egg white or 2 small egg whites to get similar volume, or simply use 1 large egg white (slightly less volume).
What Waffle Maker Can I Use for Chaffles?
Almost any waffle maker will work for chaffles. I've tried 4 different ways to make them and all of them worked with minor adjustments to the cooking time and amount of batter used per waffle.
The most common way to make chaffles is to use a mini waffle maker. The 4-inch DASH Mini Waffle Iron is available on Amazon and costs around $15, or less when it's on sale.
Last year I cooked over 100 different types of chaffles and I can confirm that this mini waffle maker produces the best chaffles that are crispy on the outside and soft inside. Depending on the recipe, you will make 2 to 3 mini waffles for every batch.
Apart from a classic waffle maker, Dash also makes one with panini griddle that is perfect for making sandwiches and burgers; and flat grill for pancakes, eggs and single serve giant cookies. You can find the whole DASH trio on Amazon.
Finally, if you are feeling adventurous, check out the DASH Waffle Bowl Maker — imagine all those taco bowls and ice cream bowls. As a chaffle geek I got one for myself and I can't wait share some recipes with you!
If you live in the UK like I do, you may find it hard to get a mini waffle maker. I had to order mine form the US and it wasn't cheap as I also had to buy transformer with a USA Voltage Converter Plug to work with UK sockets. If you can't easily get a mini waffle maker, use one of the following two options.
Can I Make Chaffles in a Belgian Waffle Maker?
Don't worry if you can't get a mini waffle maker, you can use a regular sized square Belgian waffle maker. If you do that, the yield will change and instead of 2 to 3 small round chaffles, you'll get 1 1/2 to 2 regular sized (5-inch/12.5 cm) Belgian square chaffles.
With a large round Belgian waffle maker you'll get about 1 1/4 large round Belgian waffles if you use a 7-inch/18 cm round Belgian waffle maker like this one, or about 1 waffle if you use an 8-inch/20 cm round Belgian waffle maker like this one.
Note that chaffles made in a Belgian waffle maker (square or round) also tend to be drier and may crisp up more so keep that in mind.
If you live in the UK: I have this 7-inch/18 cm Belgian Waffle Maker although you can find many more options on Amazon. I bought and used it to make chaffle cakes including a Triple Chocolate Cake and a Birthday Cake for my new Chaffles Cookbook!
Can I Make Chaffles Without a Waffle Maker?
If you don’t have a waffle maker, simply cook the batter on a greased pan just like pancakes. They won't be as crispy and even as waffles but they will still be delicious.
How To Make Chaffles Step-By-Step
For my Basic Savory Chaffle Recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (57 g/2 oz) grated cheddar, mozzarella or hard cheese of choice
- 1/4 cup (25 g/0.9 oz) almond flour
- 1/4 tsp gluten-free baking powder
For my Basic Sweet Chaffle Recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (57 g/2 oz) grated mozzarella
- 1/4 cup (25 g/0.9 oz) almond flour
- 3 tbsp (30 g/1.1 oz) granulated low-carb sweetener such as erythritol or Swerve, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- Optional: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp sugar-free vanilla extract, pinch of vanilla powder or cinnamon
I'm using less baking powder in sweet keto chaffles compared to savoury keto chaffles. The reason for that is that erythritol in sweet chaffles acts as a leavening agent. Too much baking powder may lead to overflowing of the batter which we want to avoid.
To make chaffles, follow the steps below:
- Preheat the waffle maker. You can use a mini waffle maker or a mini panini maker.
- Mix or blend all of the ingredients, apart from the sweetener (if using).
- If using a sweetener, stir in using a spoon.
- Spoon the batter into the waffle, making sure that you don't use too much and overfill the waffle maker.
- Cook for 2 to 4 minutes. The exact time spends on the recipe and your preferred level of crispiness.
- Open the lid and let it cool down for a few seconds. Use a spatula to gently transfer the chaffle onto a cooling rack.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
What Is the Best Cheese for Chaffles?
If you're looking for a neutral tasting chaffle recipe, use shredded, part-skim, low-moisture mozzarella. It can be used for both sweet and savoury chaffles.
For savoury chaffles you can use any hard cheese including mild or mature cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, Emmental, Goat's or Sheep's Cheese, etc.
What Are the Best Sweeteners for Chaffles?
To keep your chaffles low in carbs, use low-carb sweeteners such as erythritol, Swerve (made with erythritol and FOS), allulose, monk fruit and stevia. Keep in mind swapping granulated sweeteners for stevia will affect the yield as stevia does not have bulking effects. You can also use xylitol and yacon syrup in moderation.
Top Tips For Perfect Chaffles
Making the perfect keto chaffles is really easy if follow a few simple rules.
1. Blend the Batter
My top tip for the perfect chaffles is to blend the batter. It's a game changer. Ever since I shared my blending tip, it went viral on social media and everyone has been using it to make the fluffiest, most delicious chaffles!
I discovered the blending hack when I was working on my Keto Chaffles Book. I tested several different versions of the chaffle dough which I then used in over 75 chaffle recipes.
For best results I use a small Bamix blender which is ideal for blending small amounts of batter, although you could double the batch and use a regular food processor or even a stick blender will work.
Blending the batter really does make a difference — I don't make chaffles any other way. Here's why:
- The flavour is much better with blended batter.
- Blending the batter before pouring it in the waffle maker makes the batter thicker and less likely to leak out.
- Also, blending produces the perfect fluffy texture with no cheese bits and no eggy aftertaste.
2. Use a Kitchen Scale
To get perfect results every time, it's better if you use a kitchen scale for most of the ingredients. Generally speaking when it comes to keto baking, cup measurements are not 100% reliable as product density may vary.
3. Why Use Baking Powder in Chaffles?
Baking powder will give the chaffles volume and make them fluffier and less dense.
If you can't find gluten-free baking powder, you can use a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar. You only need an equivalent of 1/8 tsp baking powder so it may be hard to measure out if you only make one batch. To get 1 teaspoon of gluten-free baking powder, simply use 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and 1/4 tsp baking soda. If you don't have cream of tartar, use the same amount of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
Make sure to stick with the recommended amounts of baking powder. You'll need less baking powder in sweet chaffles than you will in savoury chaffles, as most sweeteners also act as a raising agent. If you use too much baking powder, the batter is more likely to overflow and your chaffle maker will get messy.
4. Do Not Overfill Your Waffle Maker
Make sure not to overfill your waffle maker and stick with the recommended amounts per each waffle. What may seem like a small amount will expand several times once heated.
5. The Size of the Egg Matters
A large egg should weigh approximately 50 grams (1.8 oz). A large egg white will weigh about 33 g/1.2 oz, but you may get 10-20% more or less even if it's a "large" egg.
The recipe will still work with a slightly larger egg but the batter is more likely to leak out of your waffle maker, so do keep an eye on it and gently lift up if the batter starts to overflow. This will reduce pressure on the batter and it will be less likely to spill (see tip below).
6. Always Keep an Eye on Your Waffle Maker
With a mini waffle maker you will be are working with small amounts of batter so there will always be the risk of overflowing. For that reason, always keep an eye on the batter and if it's about to overflow, slightly lift the lid to reduce the pressure on the batter. This should stop the leak. You can also use a spatula to gently move any batter that is about to leak out back inside.
Another way to prevent leaking is to add the batter in two parts per each chaffle. To do that, spoon part of the batter into the waffle maker. Close the lid and cook for a minute. Lift the lid and spoon more batter in. Close the lid and cook for 2 to 4 more minutes.
7. What To Do If the Batter is Too Runny
When you blend the eggs, cheese and sweetener, the batter will be too runny. To prevent that from happening, add the sweetener after you blend the cheese with the egg by simply mixing in with a spoon.
Finally, if you're working on your own recipe and the batter seems too runny, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of coconut flour, or up to 1 teaspoon of psyllium husk powder. This will thicken the batter and it will be less likely to overflow.
8. Let the Chaffles Cool Down Before Serving
Warm chaffles fresh from the waffle maker will be soft and some types of sweet chaffles may be fragile. That’s why it’s best to first open the lid of your waffle maker and let the chaffle cool slightly (15 to 30 seconds) before using a spatula to gently transfer them on a cooling rack.
As the chaffles cool down, they will harden and crisp up. Depending on the batter and the cheese you used you’ll get slightly different textures. The cooking time for chaffles varies between 2 to 5 minutes, or even longer if you prefer your chaffles crispier.
Beware that some types of cheese like shredded mozzarella and ingredients like cacao powder or chocolate chips may burn so make sure to check the chaffles after 2 minutes and then every minute.
How To Store Chaffles: Can I Freeze Them?
Cooked chaffles can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature, in the fridge for up to a week. Wrapping the chaffles in tin foil keeps them fresh while zip lock bags make them sweat and they can go mouldy.
Yes, you can. Chaffles are freezer-friendly and ideal for meal prep! Cooked chaffles can be frozen for up to 3 months and allowed to defrost at room temp. To reheat (if required), pop them in a toaster, waffle maker or oven for a few minutes to crisp up.
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Substitutions and Allergy Swaps
When I was working on my Keto Chaffles Book I tried every possible swap I could think of. Here's all the allergy-friendly chaffle recipes you can make with a few simple adjustments.
Nut-Free Chaffles
Swap the 1/4 cup (25 g/0.9 oz) almond flour with any of these options:
- 1 tablespoon (8 g/0.3 oz) coconut flour
- 2 tablespoon (12 g/0.4 oz) fine sesame flour
- 1/4 cup (25 g/0.9 oz) ground sunflower seeds
- 2 1/2 tbsp (18 g/0.6 oz) flax meal
- 3 tbsp lupin flakes, powdered (27 g/1 oz) + 1 tbsp water
My verdict: All nut-free substitutions work really well in these chaffles. Coconut flour is great for more plain tasting chaffles, while flax meal will add a more savoury, bread-like flavour. If you use sunflower seeds, don't panic if you get a green hue, it's perfectly safe in your chaffles.
Egg-Free Chaffles
Swap the egg with one of the options below:
- 1 tablespoon (7 g/0.3 oz) flax meal, plus 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon (8 g/0.3 oz) ground chia seeds, plus 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
My verdict: I love these egg-free chaffles. From all the recipes I've tried, these taste closest to savoury bread and I love using these as a side with soups and stews. They are a little less fluffy and get crispier than other chaffles using eggs.
Dairy-Free Chaffles
If you can’t eat dairy, some types of grated hard vegan cheese will work. The ones I’ve tested were almond-based and coconut oil based, some were nut-free too (no soy). Keep in mind that not all vegan cheese is healthy (always check the label!), and most are relatively high in carbs (chances are that most vegan cheese will have starches in it).
To make your chaffles dairy-free, swap the 1/2 cup (57 g/2 oz) grated cheese with:
- 1/2 cup (57 g/2 oz) grated vegan cheese
My verdict: These chaffles get a bit crispier than regular dairy-based chaffles. I like the texture although it works best for savoury chaffles. It really depends on the type of cheese you use and whether it tastes salty or plain (preferred). If you can’t use cheese and don't like or can't find vegan cheese, you can always make my Classic Keto Waffle recipe that can be made with or without sweetener.
Vegan Chaffles
To make chaffles that are both dairy-free and egg-free, you'll need to combine the egg-free and dairy-free substitutions. I've tried it and it works!
To make the chaffles egg-free swap the egg with:
- 1 tablespoon (7 g/0.3 oz) flax meal, plus 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon (8 g/0.3 oz) ground chia seeds, plus 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
Additionally, to also make them dairy-free, swap the 1/2 cup (57 g/2 oz) grated cheese with:
- 1/2 cup (57 g/2 oz) grated vegan cheese
My verdict: This is a very different chaffle. Vegan chaffles are the crispiest of all and taste savoury. Not bad if you use them for savoury recipes, although I wouldn't use them to make sweet chaffles.
Chaffle Toppings
Apart from the swaps listed above, you can make the following swaps in the toppings you are using to make almost any chaffle recipe allergy-free! You can substitute one with anoher:
- Heavy whipping cream or mascarpone for coconut cream
- Almond milk for coconut milk or seed milk
- Nuts and nut butters for seeds, seed butters and coconut butter
- Butter in sweet chaffles for palm shortening (use sustainable sources)
- Butter used for frying for ghee, duck fat, lard and even olive oil (only light cooking)
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Are Chaffles Healthy?
There isn't a simple answer to this question. They can be a healthy option if you're eating chaffles in moderation, as part of a whole foods based low-carb diet.
Chaffles are naturally high in protein which plays an important role in satiety. When combined with nutritious toppings and fillings, such as avocado, smoked salmon or beef patties, they will help you stay full for longer.
However, chaffles can also be high in calories, especially when combined with high-fat toppings. If you're making a chaffle sandwich or a burger where you use chaffles instead of burger buns, make sure to check the overall macros and adjust the serving size if needed.
If you practice intermittent fasting and often skip a meal like I do, chaffles sandwiches are ideal for you, especially if you need a quick meal that will provide more energy.
Another way to adjust protein and fat values per serving is by using different types of cheese. For example, cheddar cheese contains more fat, calories and less protein than mozzarella.
Tip: You can use our KetoDiet App to calculate your macros and create recipes suitable for your unique dietary requirements!
How Many Chaffles Can I Eat?
Depending on the recipe, occasion and type of meal, you can serve one to two chaffles per person. In some recipes where generous toppings are used, or it's a dessert recipe, one serving can be just half of a chaffle.
How Many Carbs Are in Chaffles?
Chaffles are very low in carbs and compatible with the ketogenic diet. On average, one chaffle will contain 1 to 2 grams of net carbs, and 4 to 5 grams of total carbs.
The exact carb count depends on the type of cheese and low-carb flour alternative you use. Most types of cheese are very low in carbs although the values differ (e.g., 3.2 g net carbs per 1/2 cup grated part-skim low-moisture mozzarella but only 1.7 g net carbs per 1/2 cup grated cheddar). Finally, don't forget to also count carbs from any toppings and fillings you add.
To effortlessly calculate macros in any meals and track your diet, download our KetoDiet App!
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