Gluten-free Waffle Cookies

I don’t even remember when was the last time I made some deliciously fluffy, perfectly crunchy waffles. Which meant it was high time to reach into the dusty corner of the store-room and air out my waffle iron. Since this grey and foggy January also needed serious uplifting, I went with the very cute and very poppable gluten-free waffle cookies.

The recipe I have down pat since 2015. That’s when I first blogged about them. Since then, I’ve made quite a bit of waffle cookies and even experimented with waffle brownies. This particular recipe is an update on an old one with a few Tasha Twists thrown in.

Gently toasted, the cookies take on a beautiful shape from the waffle grid. Besides looking adorably fancy (more than enough reason to give them a whirl), the soft yet crunchy waffle cookies are mouth-watering.

How to make gluten-free waffle cookies?

I think I jumped the gun here. Let’s backtrack. You don’t need special equipment for these beauties. They are simply cookies made in a hot waffle iron rather than being baked in an oven. Think buttery dough but with a dash of crackly crust in every mouthful!

The recipe uses a basic eggless cookie dough, liberally flavored with orange zest, and takes all of 5 minutes to make!

• Start by beating butter and raw sugar till you have a fluffy mixture.
• Beat in a flax egg and vanilla extract.

One flax egg is the equivalent of one regular egg. To make, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2 tablespoons of water. Set that to chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

• Whisk in orange zest along with a few drops of pure orange oil. The double punch imparts a delicate citrusy flavor to the cookies.
• Add buckwheat flour and gently combine all the ingredients into a ball with your hands.

Cooking the waffle cookies

• Divide the dough into small balls while your waffle iron heats.
• Brush the iron with butter, place a dough ball into each section and close the lid.
• In 2 to 3 minutes, you’ll have honey-golden cookies ready.

Quick note:

The number of cookies you can make will depend upon the size of your iron. Mine can make 2 big waffles at a time. So, I cooked 4 dough balls simultaneously – 2 in each cavity – baking a batch of 22. You may be able to cook less (or more).

Serving the gluten-free waffle cookies

Lovely orange-scented buttery, lightly sweetened cookies are what we got. They taste fabulous as is, but I decided to dunk half of them in chocolate. I also sprinkled them with finely chopped pistachios and ruby-red cranberries.

You can certainly try any other nut like almond. In my book, dipping them in white chocolate is a really good idea.  Topping with desiccated or shredded coconut is another option.

If you want to be more indulgent, dip the entire waffle cookie in dark chocolate. We don’t judge here – anything that satisfies the soul is welcomed.  One last alternate is a drizzling of caramel, which I now rue for not thinking before!

Or you can leave everything out and just enjoy the crispy exterior balancing the soft, buttery interior.

Variations of the waffle cookie recipe

Buckwheat flour never lets me down. That’s why I haven’t tried waffle cookies with all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour. You can definitely give them a chance.

• You can also add chocolate chips or chopped nuts if you like in the dough.
• For an extra crunch, replace raw sugar with granulated sugar.

How to make vegan waffle cookies?

Simply use a plant-based butter or solidified coconut oil instead of regular butter in the recipe.

Can you make waffle cookies with egg?

Yes, you can. The original recipe that I wrote in 2015 used an egg, and the waffle cookies came out delicious, chewy, and with a crispy crust. So, it’s tried and tested.

What’s the verdict?

The waffle cookies are so endearingly tiny, and the dark chocolate tangoes so well with the bright notes of orange that you won’t stop at one.

You’d be surprised how fast they get baked and how swiftly they get debauched. They’re that addictive! Anyone who doesn’t give the recipe at least one try is missing out.

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