When it comes to food, breakfast is definitely a favorite in my house. Whether it’s eggs, waffles, oatmeal or pancakes, we love it! Breakfast foods can be savory, sweet or even a combination of the two. You can also make breakfast for dinner which is also a favorite in my house. It would be hard for me to choose just one breakfast food that is my favorite, but if I had to narrow it down to one (or two!) I would have to say pancakes or waffles. Not only are they delicious, but they are easy to make and freeze well, earning them high marks in my book. Today I am going to share my banana bread waffle recipe with you. They are filling, healthy and will be loved by even the kids!
Time For Breakfast!
Mornings in my house tend to be pretty hectic. I am up early in the morning to tutor before the kids wake up. By the time the rest of the crew awakes (normally by 6am) my husband is hustling and bustling to get ready for work. To say that making a decent breakfast is difficult would be an understatement. The kids are hungry, or should I say hangry when they wake so they want their breakfast to be ready in a flash! I hate the idea of buying premade waffles or pancakes, although I will be the first to admit I have been there. Instead, I have found it just as simple and much healthier to make a large batch of pancakes or waffles on the weekend and then freeze them so they are ready to go in seconds!
I have a tendency to stick to the usuals or kid favorites such as blueberry or peanut butter. But today I decided to try one of our other faves, banana. We go through so many bananas in a week that you would think we were raising monkeys! Bananas are great because they are good for you and great for baking! Some of my favorite ways to use bananas include smoothies, pancakes, banana pudding and my most favorite of all, banana bread! There is just something about the smell of banana bread baking in the oven that just warms me right to the soul. Banana bread is not exactly something that can be put together in a flash though, so I wanted to find a way to have all the great flavor of a freshly baked bread packed into a super simple waffle. Can it be done? Of course!
Banana Bread Waffles Need Bananas!
You can’t make banana bread waffles (or banana anything) without bananas. Now, we all have our opinions on when a banana is ripe enough to just peel and eat. Some like them when they have just turned yellow but are still firm, while others prefer to wait a little longer until the sugars have developed and they are a little more soft. But when it comes to baking with them, the riper the better. This helps to bring sweetness to your recipe and also makes it easier to mash the banana for even distribution. And when I say riper, I mean riper. In fact, they can be almost complete mush and still be fine for baking purposes. So if you have bananas that are too far gone for eating, use them!
Make Banana Bread Waffles In A Flash!
Putting the waffles together is really quite simple. Start by mashing your bananas in a small mixing bowl. You will want to mash them really well so that they are easy to mix in. Then add all of your other ingredients and mix until just combined. The yogurt in the waffles adds some healthy protein to help make them more filling. You will also feel more satisfied if you use the oat and wheat flour combo. White flour might be your flour of choice, but you are missing out on health benefits and will feel hungry much sooner.
Once your batter is ready to go, let it sit for a minute or two while the waffle iron heats up. You will notice that by doing so, the leavening agents have time to get going and you will get a fluffier batter. I like to use a Belgian waffle iron because, well, I like Belgian waffles! But feel free to use whatever iron you have. The rule of thumb for any of them is to not overfill! I do it all the time and it is not fun to clean up. The batter will expand as it cooks. You also want it to be a thin enough layer that the middle cooks evenly. I usually cook mine on medium heat for about six minutes or so until the outside starts to brown. Let me tell you, they smell just like banana bread in the oven when they are cooking!
Banana Bread In A Waffle
Speaking of banana bread, there is another reason why I call these “banana bread” waffles besides just the taste. It is also because of the texture. Traditionally, waffles are slightly crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. These waffles are a little more dense. When I eat them, I almost feel as though I am eating a fresh slice of banana bread! If the thought of a dense waffle turns you off, don’t fret! There are some things that you can do if you absolutely must have a more waffle-like consistency. Trust me though, you should try them first because you might be surprised! I personally wouldn’t change a thing! After all, there are plenty of “regular” waffle recipes out there, right?
For all of you waffle connoisseurs out there that must have the crispy/fluffy waffle, here are some tricks to try: separate your egg yolk from the whites. Add the whites to a bowl and beat them until stiff peaks form. You can then gently fold the whites into the batter which will incorporate more volume/air thus a lighter waffle. This could really be done to any waffle recipe. I prefer to keep waffle making simple though, so I have found a much easier way to get some crisp on the outside. Simply make your waffles as is, then place them on a baking tray and pop them in the freezer until they are firm enough to toast or freeze overnight. I always make a batch on the weekend and freeze them. In the morning, I take one out and put it in the toaster. Frozen waffles will not be as delicate so you don’t have to worry about having to fish it out of the toaster.
Let’s Eat!
Ready for breakfast (or dinner!) yet? If you love waffles and love bananas then you must give this recipe a try! They are great any time of the day or any time of the year! You can make them ahead and have them ready to go on those hectic mornings. Your kids will get a healthy and filling breakfast that you can feel good about. So grab your waffle iron and some ripe bananas and get cooking! Breakfast is served!
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Banana Bread Waffles
Equipment
- Waffle Maker
Ingredients
- ½ c milk or almond milk
- 12 oz vanilla yogurt
- 1 c whole wheat flour
- 1 c gluten free oat flour
- 2 large, ripe bananas mashed
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 6 tbsp butter melted
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Mash the banana and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add egg, milk, yogurt, sugar and melted butter and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Allow batter to rest for a minute or two while the waffle iron preheats.
- Preheat the waffle iron to medium heat and grease if it is not nonstick.
- Add the batter to the waffle iron in a thin even layer (about 2/3 cup), keeping in mind that the batter will continue to rise and spread as it cooks.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes or until the waffle has cooked through and has reached the desired level of crispiness.
- Remove and serve warm.
