Not only is this recipe quick and easy, but it’s packed with protein! Like protein pancakes, nut butter protein balls, and even protein ice cream, these waffles use protein powder that is high in essential amino acids and fills your body with all the nutrition it needs to power through your morning.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for the best protein waffles, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Peanut Butter – Get a creamy, natural variety with no sugar added. Almond butter or other nut butters should also work (or sunflower butter for a nut-free option). Make sure that the nut butter you use is thick and creamy; runny kinds don’t work as well in this easy protein waffle recipe. Coconut Oil – Choose unrefined for a slight coconut taste, or refined for no coconut flavor — just make sure it’s the kind that will solidify at room temperature. Butter is also fine as a substitute. Eggs – Eggs give these healthy protein waffles structure and add extra protein. When combined with nut butter, they create a light and fluffy batter. I haven’t tested using egg substitutes, but let me know how it goes if you try one of those. Vanilla Extract – Adds aromatic vanilla flavor to the mix. Protein Powder – I recommend using this whey protein isolate, which has high protein content, no fillers, and works best for making the protein waffles crispy and fluffy. You could also use bone broth protein powder, collagen, or egg white protein powder, but the texture comes out more dense and less crispy using these. Flavored protein powders will change the taste (and may add sugar), but the texture will be similar as long as it’s whey protein powder. Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Adds sweet flavor and dissolves easily into the batter. I always use it for this recipe. If you don’t need to use a sugar substitute, you could use regular white sugar. Baking Powder – Makes these whey protein waffles extra fluffy. Don’t use baking soda, which is different and won’t work the same way. Sea Salt – Balances the sweet flavor.
How To Make Protein Waffles
This section shows how to make fluffy waffles with protein powder, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Flavor Variations
Dark Chocolate – Gently fold 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (or sugar-free dark chocolate chips) into the batter, or use chocolate protein powder instead of plain. Blueberry – For a fruity twist, gently fold in 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries to your batter. You could also add other fresh berries like chopped strawberries or blackberries. Pumpkin – To give them a pumpkin flavor, reduce peanut butter to 3 tablespoons, and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree.
Storage Instructions
Store: Cool healthy protein waffles completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Meal prep: Make up a triple batch of batter, make the waffles, and then store them in the fridge or freezer for a quick and easy breakfast. Reheat: Warm up the waffles in the toaster oven, the oven at 350 degrees F, or simply in the toaster. (You can reheat from frozen if needed.) Freeze: Cool waffles completely, then place into a freezer bag with parchment paper in between layers to prevnt sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With Protein Waffles
Try these various combinations to make a quick and nutritious breakfast: Check out these top tips for making the best protein waffles every time!
Measure accurately. Your protein powder waffles can cook up dry if you over-measured your protein powder or under-measured your wet ingredients. Make sure you measure each one accurately. Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. Cold eggs can solidify the melted coconut oil and make a chunky batter. Don’t overcook. Waffles are done cooking when steam is no longer coming out the sides of the waffle iron, but check earlier, once you see the steam starts to decrease. Cook time can also vary depending on the brand of protein powder you use.
Toppings – If you don’t want a plain waffle, a pat of grass-fed butter and a drizzle of syrup (or sugar-free maple syrup) is a classic serving choice. You could also spread with chia jam. Don’t forget the whipped cream! Eggs – For a brunch spread, pair protein waffles with a side of oven baked eggs, fluffy cloud eggs, or even easy peel boiled eggs. Bacon – Bacon is perfect for rounding out a sweet breakfast! Cook oven baked bacon, fast air fryer bacon, or even faster microwave bacon. Creamy Sides – Try coconut yogurt, pudding, or even a spinach smoothie. For more nutrition, try a detox smoothie. Salads – For the perfect healthy side, pair these waffles with a fruit salad or a crispy strawberry spinach salad.
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
Nothing beats a golden brown waffle, but there are plenty of other healthy breakfast options: Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. 📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle!
