Gluten-free waffles (with tapioca flour) that you can easily prepare in just 10 minutes with simple ingredients. They have a soft, chewy, and super cheesy center with a lightly crispy exterior. You can make them ahead and freeze them!
Gluten-Free Waffles Recipe
I have already shared here Brazilian cheese bread recipe, gluten-free breadsticks, tapioca crepes with cheese, bacon and cheese hot pockets, and cheese rolls which are all made with tapioca flour just like these Gluten-Free Waffles (aka Waffle Pão de Queijo Recipe).
Yes, they are Brazilian Cheese Bread made into Waffles! How cool is that?
For pão de queijo lovers like me, it is exciting news!
These gluten-free waffles are quicker to make than baked pão de queijo.
Can you believe that only takes 3-5 minutes for them to cook?
Our Brazilian waffles are also naturally gluten-free because they are made with tapioca flour -- which is widely available under different brand names both online and at local supermarkets.
Our waffles are cheesy and soft, and can be served for breakfast, brunch, or snack time -- or even as a dessert!
For breakfast and brunch (savory), you can eat our gluten-free waffles fresh from the waffle maker and spread a little softened butter on top, drizzle maple syrup over, and accompany them with bacon, breakfast sausage, hard-boiled eggs, or sunny side up eggs, fruits, and jams (American style).
For snack time or as a dessert (sweet), you can eat them with homemade dulce de leche and chopped roasted cashew nuts, or guava paste sauce (Brazilian style). It is really up to you!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Unlike Van's gluten-free waffles, ours won’t crumble easily. In fact, they will hold their shape quite well!
To make these gluten-free waffles, you’ll need 7 simple ingredients:
- Whole milk – You may replace it with full-fat plant-based milk such as almond milk.
- Vegetable oil – You can use olive oil or avocado oil if you prefer!
- Eggs – They must be at room temperature!
- Tapioca flour – It is a naturally gluten-free flour often used in easy Brazilian recipes like Brazilian cheese bread, tapioca crepes, and more. It gives these gluten-free waffles a chewable texture. If you don’t have tapioca flour at home, you may use old-fashioned oats that you can blend ahead until obtaining a fine texture (flour) to make oat four waffles instead. You can also use cassava flour to make cassava flour waffles, or (gluten-free) all-purpose flour. All of them will call for a ratio of 1:1 (1 cup of tapioca flour= 1 cup of finely blended rolled oats, cassava flour, or (gluten-free) all-purpose flour. But be aware the flavor of our gluten-free waffles won’t be the same if you use any of those substitutes. Some use sweet rice flour combined with all-purpose flour to make mochi waffles!
- Parmesan cheese – Use either shredded or grated Parmesan. It will add flavor and saltiness to the waffles.
- Salt – If your Parmesan cheese is already quite salty, you may cut off the amount of salt in half.
- Mozzarella cheese – Sue shredded mozzarella to fill the waffles. The total amount of mozzarella cheese will depend on the number of waffles you make which varies according to the size of your waffle iron. Mine yielded 5 waffles so I needed 10 tbsps of shredded cheese!
How to Make Gluten-Free Waffles
Heat the waffle iron well.
Meanwhile, blend all the ingredients together in a blender until obtaining a creamy, homogeneous mixture.
Lightly brush your waffle machine (both top and bottom) with oil, or spray with cooking spray. Then, almost fill the bottom with the blended mixture. Place 2 tablespoon of the mozzarella cheese on the center of each waffle and pour just enough of the blended mixture on top to cover the mozzarella.
Close the waffle iron. Let cook for about 3 minutes (soft, my fave way) to 5 minutes (well-toasted).
Remove the gluten-free waffles from the waffle iron and serve right away.
WATCH OUR QUICK STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO RECIPE!
What to Serve Gluten-Free Waffles With
If you are serving them for breakfast or brunch, enjoy them with a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, or you can serve them with boiled eggs or fried eggs, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, bacon, sausage links, and fruits like berries.
As a dessert, serve them with dulce de leche and chopped roasted cashew nuts or guava paste sauce (snack).
Pro Tips for Homemade Waffles
- Make sure to heat your waffle maker well before pouring it into the batter.
- Grease your waffle iron (top and bottom) with no-stick cooking spray or brush it with oil.
- Do not overfill your waffle machine in order to avoid spillage!
- Blend the ingredients well until forming a creamy and smooth waffle mixture.
- These gluten-free waffles made with tapioca flour are best consumed warm, right after making them – or they can become too chewy!
- Pour just enough batter over the shredded mozzarella cheese to cover before closing the waffle maker.
Can I substitute tapioca flour in this recipe?
Yes! If you don’t have tapioca flour in your pantry, you may use old-fashioned oats that you can blend ahead until obtaining a fine texture (flour).
You can also use cassava flour or (gluten-free) all-purpose flour. All of them will call for a ratio of 1:1 (1 cup of tapioca flour = 1 cup of finely blended rolled oats, cassava flour, or (gluten-free) all-purpose flour.
But be aware the flavor of these gluten-free waffles made with tapioca flour won’t be the same if you use any of those substitutes.
Can I make a gluten-free waffle mix ahead?
Yes, you can! You can blend all the ingredients together, except the mozzarella cheese, and store the mixture in a mason jar. Chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Remove the jar out of the fridge at least 10-15 minutes before cooking the waffles in a waffle iron.
But before pouring the mixture onto the heated waffle machine, you will have to whisk the mixture quite well. If needed, add just enough milk and oil to the mixture to lose a little. It has to have the consistency that had before chilling.
How can I make these waffles dairy-free?
Simply replace whole milk with full-fat plant milk such as soy, almond, coconut, or oat milk. Moreover, use dairy-free cheese.
Can I make these waffles egg-free?
Yes, you can! Because our gluten-free waffle recipe already calls for vegetable oil, the best substitute would be a puree of ground flaxseed and water.
Make the puree by mixing 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tbsps of water to replace each egg called in the recipe.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
It is one of those easy freezer recipes you can make ahead!
Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles
You can freeze the gluten-free waffles in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
But make sure to place a piece of parchment paper in between each waffle; otherwise, they will get stuck one to the other.
Reheat from frozen in a toaster until hot. Serve right away!
Other Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes
- Baked oats
- Protein overnight oats
- Breakfast chilaquiles
- Keto egg muffins
- Oat flour pancakes
- Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
PIN & ENJOY!
Gluten-Free Waffles
Equipment
- 1 waffle iron
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 medium eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese (2 tablespoon per waffle) The total amount of mozzarella cheese will depend on the number of waffles you make which varies according to the size of your waffle iron. Mine yielded 5 waffles so I needed 10 tablespoon of cheese)!
Instructions
- Heat the waffle iron well.
- Meanwhile, blend all the ingredients together in a blender until obtaining a creamy, homogeneous mixture.
- Lightly brush your waffle machine (both top and bottom) with oil, or spray with cooking spray. Then, almost fill the bottom with the blended mixture. Place 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella cheese on the center of each waffle and pour just enough of the blended mixture on top to cover the mozzarella.
- Close the waffle iron. Let cook for about 3 minutes (soft, my favorite way) to 5 minutes (well-toasted).
- Remove the gluten-free waffles from the waffle iron and serve immediately.
- If you are serving them for breakfast or brunch, enjoy them with a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, or you can serve them with hard-boiled eggs or sunny side up eggs, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, bacon, sausage links, and fruits like berries.
- As a dessert, serve them with dulce de leche and chopped roasted cashew nuts or guava paste sauce (snack).
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
Post first published on January 13, 2014.
The Café Sucre Farine says
I could most definitely eat these for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. Very delicious looking!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Chris! It is already a fave!!!
Marty Musser says
This looks so delicious. I can't believe the idea never occurred to me either! I always just use the box mix to make my pao de quijo (it's just too easy to resist!). Is there a way I could use the boxed stuff for this? Would I need to adapt the normal dough preparation so it's more like a waffle batter?
I've been anonymously enjoying your blog for months now and have SO many of your recipes pinned. Thanks for writing, I love your blog!
Denise Browning says
Thank you, Marty, for enjoying my blog and sharing my recipes. I do appreciate a lot...
Yes, you can use the pao de queijo mix to make waffles but you would have to adapt the recipe for sure. The batter for pao de queijo is not as diluted as for waffles. I do not use a mix to make mine, so this adaptation below is my attempt to help you. You might try a different way if you wish. For now, I'd suggest the following: If you use YOKI pao de queijo mix, the instructions ask for 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of water. Since Yoki mix already contains tapioca starch, cheese and dry whole milk, you can try to make your waffles blending together 1 cup of the pao de queijo mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup water (or milk), 1/4 cup oil, a pinch salt, and 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese. Then, follow the other steps stated in my recipe. Please, let me know how your waffles turned out. Have a great week!
Amy (Savory Moments) says
This looks delicious -- I love the idea of a savory waffle and the plate of food looks truly wonderful! I'd love to have it 🙂
Denise Browning says
Hey, Amy...Thanks! I hope you try these waffles one day.
Lail | With A Spin says
Oh, these waffles will be an instant hit at my home. Not sure if I have ever mentioned to you that we had a Brazilian nanny for a very short period of time and she introduced us to pao de quijo. Now, I make sure I make and have few stored in the freezer as the daughter absolutely loves them.
I am hoping to try these this weekend and let you know the outcome.
Denise Browning says
Hi, Lail! Thanks so much for stopping by. Since your daughter loves pao de queijo, I hope you make these waffles for her. It is as tasty as the pao de queijo but much more simpler and quicker to make. xx
Sugar et al says
When I saw the lovely pictures, I couldn't imagine the recipe will be this simple. You are amazing! I will love this for breakfast but the dulce de leche combo sounds mind blowing to me.
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, my sweet friend! In Brazil, we love to combine cheese with fruit (just like Italians do) and also cheese and dulce de leche (it would be similar to a dulce de leche cheesecake but in a much simpler way). These waffles are made with the same batter that we make one of the versions of Brazilian cheese bread but they were transformed in waffles. 🙂 For me, it is a quicker way to devour one of my fav breads that are sometimes filled with dulce de leche. 🙂 xx
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says
waffles with Parmesan in the mix are simply BRILLIANT! I completely understand your family not wanting to stop eating these! GORGEOUS photos Denise!
Denise Browning says
Thanks so much, Shashi! See you in a sec...Wishing a wonderful week!
Rebecca says
Nossa! Sounds incredible! My husband is a pao de queijo nut! I'm sure he'll LOVE these!
Abracos,
Rebecca
Denise Browning says
Hi, Rebecca! I hope you make these waffles for your husband one day. My husband loved this new way to make pao de queijo... It is much simpler and super quick to cook yet it is still delicious! Have a blessed week!!!
Deb says
Savory waffles! Yes! This means waffles for dinner as well as weekend brunch! Thank you for the introduction to these splendid treats!
Denise Browning says
My pleasure, Deb! xx
Anne@FromMySweetHeart says
Oh my gosh, Denise....I wish I had thought of this, too! What a perfect blend of sweet and savory....and a great idea for breakfast and brunch! : )
Denise Browning says
Thanks so much for stopping by, Anne! Enjoy this breakfast/brunch!!!!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
i can think of so many ways to enjoy these. Now i'm going to find some tapioca flour. Great waffle, Denise!
Denise Browning says
I hope you make them and enjoy, Abbe!
Liz says
I'd actually pick a savory waffle over a sweet one! These look scrumptious!!!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Liz!
Adele says
Ola, voce ja tentou fazer o bolo pao de queijo? e a panqueca pao de queijo? OMG ! ... a minha receita eu uso somente um ovo(mais economica do que a sua ha ha ha ) e 1/2 colher das de cha de fermento em po. Como eu achava a massa muito liquida com um so cup de polvilho doce...eu resolvi testar com 1 1/4 cups e achei que ficou perfeito...para meu gosto e claro!
Obrigada pela nova descoberta de como fazer do nosso famoso pao de queijo uma delicia internacionalmente amado por todos aqueles que comem pela primeira vez !!! meu marido ama pao de queijo...
Adele
Denise Browning says
Adele: Obrigada pela visita. Eu nunca ouvi falar do bolo pao de queijo. Adoraria experimentar! Da pancake e sanduiche sim. Eu nao quis colocar fermento em po no meu pra ficar mais autentico e parecido com a massa rapida de pao de queijo, entao o segundo ovo faz o trabalho do fermento. Haha. Os waffles sairam perfeitos. Eu ja nem posso estar fazendo muito porque os ponteiros da minha balanca sobem que eh uma beleza. 🙂 Meu marido tambem ama pao de queijo e as minhas filhas tb. Uma boa semana pra voce! xx
Raymund says
Those waffles plus load of bacon and a hefty maple syrup is what I call breakfast made in heaven!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Raymund! I do agree with you... 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Your waffles sound so good. Is tapioca flour and tapioca starch the same thing?
Denise Browning says
Hi, Karen! Yes, tapioca flour and tapioca starch are exactly the same (have a similar texture to cornstarch). Different brands name their product under tapioca flour while others, under tapioca starch. xx
Daniela says
Wow, this is an amazing looking and creative new way to prepare waffles.
I'm sure it' s going to make it to our " best of goodies" list at home :))
Denise Browning says
Enjoy, Daniela! This is gluten-free and super quick to make (and delicious too)!!!
Juliana says
No....my first thought was no...waffles pao de quiejo? Only Denise can come up with this kind of recipe...looks delicious and I sure would love to try this...
Hope you are having a great week my dear 😀
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Juliana! It has been a busy week so far but I cannot complain about it... xx
Amira says
Very nice, I've never tried gluten free recipes before and was planning to start on some and see if it will improve our health or not... and now I have a delicious recipe to start with. 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Amira! I think you will enjoy these waffles...They are as delicious as the ones that are not GF.
John@Kitchen Riffs says
Wow! These look terrific! I'll eat them any time of the day, any meal. Or for any snack. 😉 Good stuff - thanks.
Denise Browning says
Thank you, John!
Ash-foodfashionparty says
I love sweet and savory waffles. I have never heard or tried it, quite intrigued.
The use of only tapioca flour sounds quite tasty, I can't wait to try this one out Denise.
Denise Browning says
You won't regret for trying these waffle recipe, Ash! It is a family fave!!!
Jesse says
How dare you interrupt my diet with this! 😛
Denise Browning says
LOL... So sorry, Jesse!!!!! It might break your diet but it'll put a huge smile on your face. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!!!! Have a happy Sunday!