With the exception of their outwardly crispy crust and a light, fluffy center, these Gluten Free Breakfast Banana Bread Waffles are completely reminiscent of warm banana bread fresh out of the oven and full of flavor!
Deep breaths…in, out, in, out…is this really supposed to work??? I mean, does breathing really just make everything all better and cause all the JUNK (sorry, had to throw some Hawaiian slang in there) to go away?
I didn’t think so. That seems entirely way too optimistic for my blood. I’m more of a “face the storm because it’s coming anyway” kind of gal. Thus far, this kind of attitude has served me well throughout my life. Although once the storm passes, I find myself completely and utterly exhausted. Which is about where I find myself today. Physically, mentally, and emotionally I have hit a brick wall.
For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram or Facebook, my oldest daughter Braelyn was hospitalized for five days due to a severe staph infection that has caused her entire body to peel. Literally, from head to toe her body is shedding skin. In one word, it’s disgusting.
For the sake of queasy stomachs, I will not post pictures or go into details of her symptoms. This is a recipe blog for goodness sake! How am I supposed to coax people into baking the foods I love if I’m preceding it with pictures of my daughter’s skin hanging off?! Not too persuasive in my opinion.
I’ve decided that I will save a separate post that includes the story of Braelyn’s diagnosis for those interested in reading and viewing.
But in the mean time, the only peeling I want to talk about is the peeling of super sweet, super ripe bananas that make all the difference in these delicious Gluten Free Breakfast Banana Bread Waffles.
Really they are just dang good banana waffles, but I couldn’t resist comparing them to banana bread because the flavor reminds me so much of a fresh loaf right out of the oven. And trust me, we make banana bread a lot.
Not only are these banana bread waffles so satisfying in taste and texture, but they are healthy as well. Score! The sweetness comes from the mashed bananas and a few tablespoons of coconut sugar. And as long as you are topping them with pure maple syrup or other natural and unrefined ingredients, there should be no refined sugar in this breakfast dish.
Also, I skipped the butter and opted for coconut oil for the fat. There wasn’t a hint of coconut flavor, and the waffles were surprisingly spot on with texture in the center; not overly dry, yet not wet and soggy either. It was the perfect ratio of wet to dry ingredients that made that center light and fluffy, just the way a waffle should be.
Seriously, these waffles have solidified the fact that I need to buy a waffle iron. I only make waffles once or twice a year, and that is when I am visiting my parents. They have a waffle iron. And honestly, now that I think about it, that waffle iron probably only gets used when I come into town. I think I should just steal it next time and see if anyone notices. If I start posting more waffle recipes, you’ll know that either I bought yet another kitchen gadget or I’m a fugitive on the run. Let’s be honest, the latter is more likely to happen.
One tip to ensuring these waffles are airy is to make sure that you separate the egg and beat the heck out of that egg white before folding it gently into the waffle batter. Beating the egg white incorporates air which then gives your batter more rise during the baking process. It’s pretty essential in this recipe unless you enjoy your waffles heavier and denser…which I do not. And well, I make the recipes, so I make the decisions around here! Wink, wink.
So cheers to peeling! Definitely talking about bananas again. Skin peeling is for the birds. Trust me. Put those overly ripe bananas to good use, which is by no means throwing them in the trash can. Get to peeling, mashing, and mixing!
What are your favorite waffle toppings?
- 1 egg, separated
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil or coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup (I used 1%)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- dash of cinnamon
- ⅓ cup potato starch
- ⅓ cup fine white rice flour
- ⅓ cup brown rice flour
- ⅓ cup sweet sorghum flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- ⅔ cup mashed ripe banana
- Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer directions. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to measuring cup plus enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mash banana until liquidy and smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolk, coconut sugar, cooking or coconut oil, milk mixture, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, cinnamon, potato starch, white rice flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, and tapioca starch. Whisk until smooth and incorporated. Add mashed banana and mix until smooth.
- In a smaller mixing bowl, beat egg yolk with clean beaters on high speed until stiff. Gently fold eggs whites into batter until incorporated.
- Spray waffle iron with cooking spray or coat with butter. Add batter according to your type of waffle iron. Cook according to waffle iron directions.
- Serve waffles warm with desired toppings. Store leftover waffles in an airtight container in fridge for up to 5 days or in freezer for up to 3 months.
These look absoutley delicious! I love that they are made with healthy ingredients too, perfect for Sunday Holiday!
Thank you! Holiday baking is the best!!!