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Norwegian Waffles

By Nicole Vranjican

5 from 1 vote

on Oct 22, 2020, Updated Jan 27, 2022

This Norwegian style waffle recipe might not look traditional since I used the only waffle maker I currently own – which happens to be mini and pumpkin shaped…who’s surprised? – but they are every bit as soft, fluffy, and speckled with cardamom as the vaffler my Norwegian Grandma used to make every Sunday morning when I was a kid, and making these waffles today took me straight back to those cozy weekend mornings with my Bestemor (Grandma 😊)

WHAT MAKES NORWEGIAN WAFFLES SPECIAL?

Norwegian waffles (vaffler) are different than American waffles in a few ways, but the biggest difference might be the texture. American waffles are crispy on the outside and airy on the inside, making them perfect for soaking up lots of maple syrup and butter. But Norwegian waffles are something else entirely. They’re soft and fluffy, and instead of getting doused in syrup, vaffler are traditionally served with a dollop of sour cream and a swirl of strawberry jam on top.

Cardamom is a key ingredient since it gives vaffler a distinctive flavor. Ground cardamom, as well as cinnamon, is commonly used in breads and pastries in Norway, and if you haven’t tried cooking with cardamom, this is the recipe to do so. It’s a game changer! The combination of warm cardamom scented waffles topped with tangy sour cream and sweet strawberry jam is incredibly delicious so don’t snooze on trying it!

MAKE IT VEGAN

The waffles I grew up eating on Sunday mornings contained eggs, milk, and butter so I created a vegan version of my family’s recipe that I think my Grandma would be proud of.

Instead of eggs, I use a a flax egg. Which is just ground flax seeds mixed with water and it works to bind the ingredients together, just like a chicken’s egg would. And instead of sour cream made from cow’s milk, I use a vegan sour cream (Tofutti and Kite Hill make good ones) or my preferred alternative which is unsweetened plain yogurt. My favorite is Whole Foods 365 Unsweetened Plain Almond Milk Yogurt. It’s cool, tangy, and super creamy just like sour cream.

WHY STRAWBERRY JAM?

Norwegians love their strawberries so I recommend using strawberry jam rather than another kind of jam for an authentic Norwegian experience.

In my family we serve these cardamom scented waffles on a big plate in the center of the breakfast table along with warm cups of coffee. Norwegains also love their coffee! Sometimes we serve fresh fruit or a few open-faced sandwiches with the vaffler too, especially if guests are joining us for brunch – which was often when I was growing up as our home in Florida seemed to be the place where a lot of visiting snowbirds would come to escape the cold Norwegian winters! My sister and I referred to these guests as “The Waffle People” and they seemed to stay all afternoon, sipping coffee while chatting about everything under the sun. It always made Sunday feel like the longest day of the week in the best way.

I have so many happy memories of Sunday mornings with The Waffle People, and I hope that making my vegan Norwegian waffle recipe gives you that same slow ‘n cozy Sunday morning feeling in your home.

Happy cooking!

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5 from 1 vote

Norwegian Style Vegan Waffle Recipe

By: Nicole Vranjican

A vegan version of a traditional Norwegian waffle recipe. Vaffler are softer and fluffier than American waffles, and they're lightly spiced with cardamom and topped with a dollop of sour cream and a swirl of sweet strawberry jam. So delicious! I hope you enjoy!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

optional rest time: 15 minutes mins

Total: 5 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

Wet Ingredients

• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil , refined not virgin, or melted vegan butter

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

For cooking

• vegan butter , for greasing the waffle iron

Toppings

• strawberry jam
• vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt

Instructions 

MAKE THE FLAX "EGG"

• In a small bowl, mix together the ground flax seeds and water. Stir and set aside to thicken. About 10 mins. In the meantime prep the rest of the ingredients.

MAKE THE "BUTTERMILK"

• Combine the almond milk and vinegar together, stir, and set aside to curdle.

MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS

• Add all of the dry ingredeints to a large mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork or a whisk and then add the curdled buttermilk, thickened flax egg, and vanilla. Stir to combine, but do not overmix. Lumps are ok.
• Add the melted coconut oil and maple syurp, mix until incorporated then let the batter rest at room temp for 15 minutes. I use this time to pour myself a cup of coffee and take out the vegan sour cream and strawberry jam to serve on top of the waffles when they're ready 😊

  Note: for waffles that are a little crispier, sub granulated cane sugar instead of maple syrup and add it into the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients.

Warm the waffle iron according to the manufacture's instructions. I like to lightly grease the iron with some melted refined coconut oil or melted vegan butter. My Norwegian Grandma always used butter so I often to do that do the flavor.

• When the waffle iron is warm, spoon the batter into the center. Do not overfill. Then close and cook until golden brown.

  Tip: Let them brown into an even golden brown color. Try to resist the urge to remove the waffle right when it shows the first sign of browning. You want an even, lightly golden hue all over the surface of each waffle.

Serve

• Serve these waffles while still warm with a dollop of vegan sour cream or (my favorite) plain unsweeteend almond milk yogurt. Then add a spoonful of strawberry or lingonberry jam on top and enjoy! 😊

Notes

1. Allow the flax egg to properly thicken into a gel. This couldn’t be simpler, just mix and let it sit for 10 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. Doing the step first ensures that it’s ready and waiting for you, not the other way around.
2. Don’t over mix the batter or the waffles will become tough. Some lumps in the batter are ok.
3. No one likes waiting but letting the batter rest for a few minutes really does make for a better waffle. 10 – 15 minutes of rest is optional but recommended as this will allow the flour to rehydrate, which gives these waffles a nice texture.
4. Grease the waffle iron with some vegan butter. My Grandma loved butter and the little bit of vegan butter on the waffle iron not only adds a little flavor, but it also helps the surface of the waffles to brown evenly.
5. Freeze leftover waffles by allowing them to cool completely, then freezing in a single layer and storing in an airtight container. Toast to reheat. This will make them crispier than when they were first cooked but I think they still taste great!
6. If you don’t have cardamom, sub cinnamon or just leave it out. I do recommend making this with cardamom if possible though, it makes for such a distinctly Norwegian waffle 🙂