Chaffles are one of the best and most customizable recipes in the keto diet world. They’re low carb, delicious, easy to make, and provide a way to flex your creative culinary muscles.
What are chaffles?
Chaffles are very simply cheese and waffles. The recipe is naturally low carb and while it’s been switched up and further developed by thousands, I do believe it was originally founded in the keto community.
To my understanding, the term was coined by Instagram user ketomadman and the original recipe featured ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and 1 egg.
Since then, chaffles have exploded in both popularity and innovation. They can be sweet or savory, a snack, meal or dessert, and they can even be made with different kinds of cheeses.
The founding principle still stands, though. Chaffles are an easy and delicious low carb recipe that can satisfy any flavor craving.
How to make keto chaffles
Everybody puts their own spin on chaffles, in a similar way to how different people make different variations of keto fathead dough. When I make basic chaffles I like to use:
Ingredients
- Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella is my preferred cheese when doing low carb baking because it melts very well, and doesn’t taste like much at all. (Note: if you’re switching up the flavor profile like in these broccoli cheddar chaffles, feel free to change up the cheese!)Mozzarella is great for binding ingredients together and creating the bread-like texture without all the extra carbs.Pre-shredded mozzarella is totally fine to use, but if you have the extra time, I recommend shredding it yourself off of a block of mozzarella.Blocks of cheese don’t have the added fillers in them to keep the shreds from caking together. Freshly shredded mozzarella melts easier and tastes better!
- Egg: This recipe uses one large egg.
- Almond Flour or Coconut Flour: You don’t need to use a keto flour when making chaffles, but they definitely add structure to the recipe.I prefer working with almond flour, but coconut flour is a worthy substitute, especially if you’re making dessert recipe, like these Oreo keto chaffles.Some people like to swap in coconut flour, but it’s important to keep in mind the substitution ratio is not 1 to 1.Coconut flour is much more absorbent than almond flour, so you’ll need less of it.
Usually when making a coconut flour substitution I start with ⅓ as much of the almond flour the recipe calls for. You can see this in my recipe for keto coconut flour cupcakes, which was based on my recipe for keto pound cake.
- Baking Powder: The baking powder helps give these keto chaffles a bit of a rise. It’s not completely necessary, but it definitely adds something to the texture.
What waffle maker should I use?
The most popular waffle maker for making keto chaffles is the Dash Mini Waffle Maker. You can, however, use any mini waffle iron or double the recipe to use a larger waffle iron that you already own.
The biggest perk to using a mini waffle maker is that the serving size is already perfectly portioned for you, making for a more manageable meal whether you’re cooking something quickly or prepping your meal plan.
Step by step instructions for making basic chaffles
- Preheat your waffle iron. In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon of almond flour and ¼ teaspoon of baking powder.
2. Pour the mixture onto the pre-heated waffle iron until it’s about ⅔ of the way full.
3. Close the waffle iron and cook chaffle for 5 minutes until chaffle is slightly brown and crispy on the edges.
4. Remove cooked chaffle from waffle iron and repeat the steps for as many chaffles as you’ll be making. Serve warm.
Can you freeze keto chaffles?
Yes! If you’re interested in making your chaffles ahead of time and freezing them for later, I would recommend wrapping them tightly in cling wrap before storing in the freezer.
When it’s time to make your chaffles, toss them in the air fryer or toaster to warm them up and get them crispy!
How many carbs are in chaffles?
Even though this recipe is very low carb, it still comes with some. For 1 chaffle you’re looking at:
Calories: 270.5 Calories
Total Carbs: 3.975 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Net Carbs: 2.975 grams
Protein: 23.5 grams
Fat: 17.3 grams
And here’s a breakdown for each ingredient:
Chaffles are one of the best recipes in the keto diet world. They’re low carb, delicious, easy to make, and highly customizable!
Ingredients
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron. In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon of almond flour and ¼ teaspoon of baking powder.
- Pour the mixture onto the pre-heated waffle iron until it’s about ⅔ of the way full.
- Close the waffle iron and cook chaffle for 5 minutes until chaffle is slightly brown and crispy on the edges.
- Remove cooked chaffle from waffle iron and repeat the steps for as many chaffles as you’ll be making. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1
Serving Size:
1 Chaffle
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 270.5Total Fat: 17.3gCarbohydrates: 3.975gNet Carbohydrates: 2.975gFiber: 1gProtein: 23.5g
