Gluten Free Banana Waffles Recipe With Coconut Flour - Easy & Fluffy (2024)

FAQs

What is coconut flour good for? ›

Coconut flour is a gluten-free flour made solely from coconuts. It's high in fiber and is a good source of protein. Adding it to your diet may promote stable blood sugar, good digestion, and heart health. It may also support a healthy body weight when consumed as part of a nutritious, balanced diet.

Pancakes and waffles typically both contain baking soda, which causes them to rise. As soon as the baking soda is combined with the wet ingredients (which contain an acidic ingredient, like often buttermilk), it starts producing carbon dioxide gas bubbles that cause the batter to rise.

Try a yeasted-waffle recipe.

Yeast gives waffles airiness and a crisp crust, and it adds flavor that waffles made with baking powder or baking soda lack. Yeast batters need to rise, though, so make the batter the night before, pop it into the fridge, and you'll be ready to go in the morning.

A good rule of thumb is 1/4 to 1/3 cup of coconut flour for 1 cup of regular flour. When flour absorbs water, the starches gelatinize, but when coconut flour absorbs liquid it becomes soggy, resulting in a heavier, denser baked good.

Use a 1:4 ratio when substituting coconut flour with all-purpose flour. This means that for every 1 cup of regular flour, you only use ¼ cup of coconut flour. Following this ratio will help make your low-carb baked goods come out the way you hope.

Coconut flour appears to have a low glycaemic index of 51 which means it should cause less of a spike in blood sugar levels than wheat flour, which has a glycaemic index of 69. This is because coconut flour is high in fat and fibre, which work to slow down the release of sugar in the bloodstream.

Coconut flour develops no gluten and so provides essentially no structure to support the rising of the dough due to fermentation by the yeast. You can get a little rise that is will be more consistent than a yeast rise by adding baking powder, but coconut flour bread will still be rather more like a cake.

Unlike grain flours, coconut flour contains a substantial amount of fat. This fat is primarily saturated and largely comprised of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which may reduce inflammation and support healthy metabolism ( 1 , 2 ).

The secret ingredient to these plush waffles is egg whites. Egg whites provide numerous textural and structural benefits to your stack of homemade waffles. The protein structure of the egg allows it to trap air bubbles and hold them throughout the cooking process.

I believe if the waffle batter was not leavened with yeast, cake flour would have faired much better. But since yeast is present to make the waffle light and airy, using a higher-gluten flour would be a wiser choice. Bread flour can probably be used as well, but it would yield a slightly tougher and denser waffle.

Why do restaurant waffles taste better? ›

While the griddles themselves likely vary from one diner chain to the next, diners are pretty much all working with a waffle iron or griddle that's already hot. IHOP, for instance, requires its pans to be heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and uses Crisco instead of butter to grease it, says Grimm.

Recommended overnight or 2 hr resting – for the tastiest waffles, rest the batter overnight in the fridge or for at least 2 hours. This makes the flour grains absorb the liquid so it makes the inside of the waffles softer.

Not whipping the egg whites separately

Separating the eggs then whipping the egg whites into soft peaks is going to improve your life. Or at least your waffles. Put simply, whipped egg whites make for a lighter batter.

If storing for a short period, say a couple of weeks, an airtight container in a cool and dry will work just fine. When stored at room temperature or below, coconut flour can last up to two months. Refrigeration is recommended if you plan on storing your coconut flour for longer than two months.

Coconut Flour Substitute

You have to do a little playing around with a recipe if you want to substitute coconut flour for regular all-purpose wheat flour. The rule of thumb is to substitute only 20 percent of coconut for wheat flour. Flour made from coconut becomes dense and soaks up a lot of moisture when it bakes.

Potential Health Benefits of Coconut Flour

Coconut flour has a lower glycemic index rating than wheat flour, meaning it takes longer to digest and absorb the carbohydrates in it. It also contains more fiber and protein than wheat flour. Coconut flour can also help you: Control blood sugar.

Depending on storage conditions, unopened coconut flour can last for up to 12–18 months in the pantry, 6–12 months in the refrigerator, and 12–24 months in the freezer. Opened coconut flour can last for 3-6 months in the pantry, 3-6 months in the refrigerator, and 6–12 months in the freezer.