These Carrot Cake Waffles are a cross between a hearty, wholesome whole-wheat waffle and a slice of carrot cake. They are the perfect breakfast for a lazy weekend morning in the fall or to serve house guests during the holidays.

a pitcher of maple syrup drizzling over waffles with cream cheese

Why We Love This Recipe For Carrot Cake Waffles

Feast your eys on these Carrot Cake Waffles! I know, I know,  you’re probably thinking what the heck are carrot cake waffles?? And that I have completely lost my nut and gone to the dark side of recipe development…

But I assure you my dear friends and readers that I haven’t! These Carrot Cake Waffles are not nearly as indulgent as they sound.

Really, I just took the concept of all of the naturally healthy goodies that you add into carrot cake batter: shredded carrots, raisins, walnuts and crushed pineapple, and folded it into a simple whole-wheat waffle batter.

I sweetened the batter up naturally with apple juice and a touch of our homemade maple syrup.

Think of them as the love child of my Morning Glory Muffins and Maple Carrot Sheet Cake.

To top them off I piped on whipped cream cheese to sub in for cream cheese frosting. So even though they sound uber-indulgent, they really are quite nutritious! One waffle provides nearly ¼ of your daily Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Each one has 9 grams of protein and 5 grams of hunger-busting fiber.

close-up of the waffles with syrup being poured over them

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Apple juice

I used apple juice to help sweeten the waffle batter. To keep it healthy, get 100% apple juice with no added sugar.

Carrots

Look for carrots that are larger, firm and bright in color. The larger they are, the easier they will be to grate.

Pineapple

Pineapple also helps add a natural sweetness to this recipe. You could buy fresh pineapple and crush it yourself, but I used canned for convenience. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Toasted walnuts

I love adding nuts to recipes for added crunch. Toasting them prior helps to bring out a nutty and toasty flavor. You can also omit them or use another nut like pecans if you’re not a huge fan of walnuts.

Raisins

I used completely normal raising for this recipe but you can use other kinds like golden if that’s what you’d prefer.

Additional Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil or organic canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons dark pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
  • 3 tablespoons raisins
  • 1 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • whipped cream cheese, optional
a bite of the carrot cake waffle on a fork, drizzled with syrup resting on the plate with the waffle

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make These Carrot Cake Waffles

Step 1: Preheat

Preheat the waffle iron according to box instructions.

Step 2: Mix wet ingredients

Meanwhile, beat together the eggs, juice, oil, and 3 tablespoons maple syrup in a large bowl. Stir in the grated carrot, pineapple, raisins and walnuts.

Step 3: Mix dry ingredients

Whisk together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Step 4: Combine

Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture with a silicone spatula until well combined and not many flour clumps remain.

Step 5: Cook waffles

Cook batter according to the waffle maker’s instructions. Serve carrot cake waffle topped with whipped cream cheese and additional maple syrup, if desired.

several waffles on a cutting board, baking sheet and plate from overhead on a wooden table

FAQs and Expert Tips

Can you make waffles ahead of time?

Waffles are definitely best eaten fresh, however you can make them ahead and either freeze them for up to one month, or store them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make sure they’re completely cooled before storing. You can begin the batter ahead of time, too. The recipe can be prepared through step 3 up to 1 day in advance. Store wet mix in the refrigerator. Reheat thawed leftover waffles in a toaster oven until completely heated through.

What if I don’t have a waffle iron?

If you don’t have a waffle iron but still want to try this recipe, turn them into pancakes instead. If doing so, use less oil and more water instead to thin it out.

How to get the waffles extra crispy?

Make sure the waffle iron is extra hot and spray it well with cooking spray (or brush with oil.) After adding the batter, leave them in until they’ve reached your desired crispiness.

overhead view of a waffle on a black plate from overhead with cream cheese piped on top and drizzled with maple syrup

Additional Healthy Sweet Breakfast Recipes to Try

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Carrot Cake Waffles | Breakfast | 30 minutes or less | White Whole Wheat Flour | Healthy Seasonal Recipes | Katie Webster

Carrot Cake Waffles


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 waffles 1x

Description

These Carrot Cake Waffles are a cross between a hearty, wholesome whole-wheat waffle and a slice of carrot cake. Ready is less than 30 minutes and packed with 9 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber they make a nutritious and delicious breakfast!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup apple juice
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil or organic canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons dark pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
  • 1 cup peeled and shredded carrots, about 2 medium
  • 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well
  • 3 tablespoons raisins
  • 3 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
  • 1 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • whipped cream cheese, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat waffle iron.
  2. Meanwhile, beat eggs, juice, oil, 3 tablespoons maple syrup in a large bowl. Stir in carrot, pineapple, raisins and walnuts.
  3. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
  4. Stir flour mixture into the egg mixture with a silicone spatula.
  5. Cook batter according to waffle maker’s instructions. Serve topped with whipped cream cheese and additional maple syrup if desired.

Notes

Make Ahead:

This recipe can be prepared through step 3 up to 1 day in advance. Store wet mix in the refrigerator.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Small Appliance
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 waffle
  • Calories: 377
  • Sugar: 13 g
  • Sodium: 323 mg
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 52 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 9 g

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