As busy as my mornings are, I really like to have some variety in the breakfasts I serve my family. Sometimes I make breakfast sandwiches, sometimes it’s eggs and sausages or a breakfast casserole or egg bites, sometimes it’s yogurt bowls with granola, and often it’s bowls of cereal with berries. The point being: I aim for variety.
And that’s exactly the reason I love these protein waffles: They help shake up the morning meal and add a welcomed change. Also, I can make them fresh or pre-cook an entire batch to reheat.
Recipe Highlights
Few ingredients: I only need some everyday pantry and fridge staples to make a batch of the waffle batter.
High protein: Just ½ cup of the batter, which makes 2 standard-size waffle squares or 3 mini waffles, provides 17 grams of protein. If I want even more protein, I can easily increase the serving size or pair these waffles with other protein-rich items, such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, breakfast meats, or cooked eggs.
Freeze well: Who needs packaged freezer waffles when you can make your own so easily? I like to pre-cook an entire batch of waffles and then freeze them for a quick breakfast in the future.
Easy to modify: This recipe can easily be made gluten free and/or dairy free with simple swaps that work.
The Many Benefits Of Protein
One question I get often, as a dietitian, is how much protein do I need? The answer is, at a minimum, most adults need an average of 50 to 60 grams of protein in a day. It’s not hard to meet that mark if you consistently eat three meals where protein-containing foods are included. However, there are many types of people who could benefit from getting more, including aging adults, people with malabsorption issues or inflammatory disease, someone who is pregnant, and those who skip meals and don’t consistently include protein foods in their day.
If you’re not including some type of protein food in most breakfasts, it can be hard to meet your protein goals for the day. That’s why I like to include high-protein breakfast ideas when I’m meal planning for my week. Getting some breakfast early in the day is beneficial for:
- muscle growth, and weight loss by increasing muscle mass
- burning calories
- regulating blood sugar
- decreasing the desire to snack, especially later in the evening
These waffles naturally contain some protein from the oats, eggs, and milk. But they get the most protein content from whey or plant-based protein powder, which can be incorporated into many types of protein powder recipes. When selecting a protein powder, be sure to pick one that is third-party tested for efficacy and contaminants.
Ingredient Highlight: Rolled Oats
Adding oats to a recipe like this one is a simple way to increase the nutrition. I like the addition of oats to this batter because they help increase the protein content, as well as increase the beta glucan fiber, which is connected to health benefits, including:
- lowering cholesterol levels
- lowering blood pressure
- reducing blood sugar spikes
Main Kitchen Tools Needed
- Waffle iron (regular size or mini)
- High-speed blender (using a blender is preferred and much easier, but you can mix by hand with a bowl and spoon instead)
- Spatula
Make A Double-Batch To Freeze
For easy mornings in the future, make a double batch of the batter and cook extra waffles. Once the waffles have cooled to room temperature, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat the waffles in a toaster, toaster oven, or skillet just until warmed through.
This freezer method is so helpful for busy people who are trying to get in a high-protein breakfast, but don’t have the time to make waffles from scratch before heading out for the day.
Serving Up Breakfast Like A Pro
When I serve these waffles for breakfast, they are the main food item on the plate. But I like to supplement with other things, including fresh fruit or berries, hard-cooked eggs or scrambled eggs, cooked breakfast sausage or bacon, or a side of Greek yogurt.
Some of my favorite toppings for these waffles are a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt and berries (plain and simple). Sometimes a drizzle of warmed peanut butter, melted butter, and maple syrup are what the morning calls for!
Storing Leftover Waffles
After the cooked waffles have cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container or reusable bag in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat the waffles in a toaster, toaster oven, or skillet until warmed through.
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Protein Waffles Recipe
It only takes a few minutes and a few ingredients to make a delicious batter for high-protein waffles. Make a batch ahead of time and freeze for a quick and healthy breakfast option you can reheat quickly in a toaster.
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (70 g) (use gluten-free flour, if needed)
- 2 servings protein powder of choice (60-70 g or about ¾ cup)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the waffle iron.
- To a high-speed blender, add all ingredients. Secure the lid in place and blend on low until well mixed together, 15-20 seconds.
- Pour a small amount of batter (amount will depend on size of waffle iron) into waffle iron and let cook until lightly golden. When the waffle is cooked through, remove it to a plate or keep warm in the oven set to the Keep Warm setting.
- Continue the process of cooking waffles until all batter is used up. Makes 12 standard size waffle squares or 18 mini waffles.
- Serve with desired toppings.
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Notes
If making waffles ahead of time to freeze for later, allow the cooked waffles to cool to room temperature then store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat in a toaster oven for an easy breakfast option.
For gluten-free, use an equal amount 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour.
For dairy-free, use a plant-based protein powder and any favorite unsweetened non-dairy milk, such as almond milk or oat milk.
Looking for a good protein powder? Here are our dietitians’ favorite whey protein powders and favorite plant-based protein powders.
For the nutrition analysis, a serving is equal to ½ cup of the batter, which makes 2 regular size waffles or 3 mini waffles.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 2 standard waffles
- Calories: 221
- Fat: 5 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 207 mg
- Carbohydrate: 25 g
- (Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 5 g)
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 136 mg
Dietary
We previously published a version of protein waffles that is grain-free and pumpkin flavored, made with paleo baking flour, collagen, and pumpkin puree. If you’re looking for that version, you can find it here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Waffles may stick to the waffle maker if the surface of the waffle maker is older (has lost its nonstick ability), if the waffle maker is not hot enough, or if the batter has not cooked long enough.
Waffle batter has higher fat content than pancake batter, which helps create a crispier exterior. When making a large batch of waffles to serve at once, keep the cooked waffles warm on a wire rack inside of an oven that is set on the Warm setting so the waffles don’t get soggy while you’re making the rest of the batch.
Due to the higher fat content, this batter is best when made into waffles. However, it can be used to cook pancakes, they might just be a little extra crispy at the edges, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
I also have a protein pancake recipe that makes batter that is designed just for making high-protein pancakes.
I have a recipe for grain-free waffles that is based on almond flour and tapioca starch, which helps create a crispy exterior, even when the recipe doesn’t call for flour.
I don’t have a waffle iron. Could this recipe be used for pancakes? Would any adjustments need to be made? Thanks!
Hi Linda,
We haven’t tested the recipe as a pancake so I can’t speak to how it might turn out. I’d say that if your batter is really thin, add a little more flour – and if it’s really, really thick then add some liquid to achieve the consistency of your usual pancake batter (assuming you make pancakes on the regular). Other than that, I can’t think of anything else you might add or subtract. We’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them as pancakes.
I use a different brand of collagen – Organika. It doesn’t use a scoop. What would be the equivalent amount in tablespoons?
One scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides is about 1 ¼ tablespoons.
Can you substitute arrowroot powder for the tapioca powder?
And how much is one scoop of the collagen peptides you’re using? I have a different brand and want to make sure I’m using the correct quantity.
Hi Tanya,
You can sub arrowroot for the tapioca with very similar results. One scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides is about 1 ¼ tablespoons.
Could you modify this recipe to use the unflavored Vital Proteins collagen peptides? Thanks! Love the idea of this recipe
Hi Heidi,
Yes, you can use the unflavored collagen peptides. You’ll just want to add a little vanilla extract to the wet ingredients.
Could you guys recommend another protein powder that isn’t so expensive? My family of 4 would go through that container so quickly.
Hi Valerie,
You could probably use any protein that fits your budget. We did test the recipe initially using a plant-based protein (Perfect Fit, which is similar to Vega) and found that you need to add more water to get the right consistency. Depending on the protein powder you use, you may also get a different flavor since many are artificially sweetened – thus, we recommend looking for one that is unflavored. Hope that helps!