Sweet potato waffles – make your waffles healthier by adding sweet potato! These delicious waffles are light and crispy with a lightly spiced sweet flavour and the added benefits of sweet potatoes and wholemeal flour.
Sweet potatoes have got to be the most versatile vegetable. I use them all the time, in everything from curries to cakes; and most lately, in these delicious sweet potato waffles.
Adding sweet potato to waffles is a great way to make them a little healthier, without them tasting overly healthy. Sweet potatoes are incredibly good for you; unlike regular potatoes they do count towards your five a day and are a great source of vitamin C, thiamin, potassium and manganese.
You can’t really taste the sweet potato in the waffles, particularly as I added some spices, but it does give them a lovely orange colour and these would be a great way of disguising vegetables for picky eaters.
As well as the sweet potato I used half wholemeal flour to up the health content some more; you wouldn’t want to use all wholemeal flour however as it would make the waffles too heavy.
While these waffles aren’t totally healthy – they do contain sugar and oil after all, they are certainly better for you than regular waffles; and they taste amazing too! I like them best topped with maple syrup and fresh berries but they would also be great with ice cream and candied pecans!
To make the waffles light and crispy, I separated the eggs and whisked the egg whites until they formed stiff peaks then folded them into the rest of the batter. This extra step really is worth it for the light and fluffy waffles that it yields.
How Do I Make Mashed Sweet Potato?
To make the mashed sweet potato, I simply stab a couple of large sweet potatoes (or three medium ones) a couple of times with a sharp knife and then microwave them whole until soft (about 10 minutes but the time will vary). Allow to cool a little then peel off the skin (it should come away easily) and mash with a fork. You can also use tinned pumpkin puree instead if you like.
Can The Waffles Be Frozen?
Yes. Once the waffles are cooked and cooled they can be frozen in a ziplock bag. Reheat them in a 180C/350F/gas mark 4 oven when needed.
Can I Make Them Savoury?
Yes. To make savoury sweet potato waffles simply omit the sugar and spices. You can also add in a teaspoon each of cumin, coriander and smoked paprika if you like. Serve with fried eggs and avocado.
Can I Make Them Vegan?
No. I tried making these waffles vegan and they were just a gloopy mess without the eggs. You can use plant based milk instead of dairy milk however to make them dairy free (I use soy milk).
Sweet Potato Waffles Recipe:
Sweet Potato Waffles
Ingredients
- 125 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 125 g (1 cup) wholemeal flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 250 g (1 cup) mashed cooked sweet potato
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) sunflower oil
- 60 g (1/3 cup) light brown soft sugar
- 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) milk (I used soy)
- 2 large eggs separated
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 140°C/275°F/gas mark 1 and place a baking sheet in the oven. Sift together the flours, baking powder, spices and salt and set aside.
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Place the mashed sweet potato in a large bowl and whisk in the oil and brown sugar followed by the milk and egg yolks. Stir in the dry ingredients.
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Place the egg whites in a large, spotlessly clean bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until they just form stiff peaks.
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Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, being careful not to knock out too much of the air.
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Brush the waffle iron generously with oil then use a ladle to portion in the waffle batter. Cook the waffles according to the manufacturers instructions (all waffle irons vary), or until golden. Carefully transfer the cooked waffles to the baking tray in the oven to keep warm. Re-grease the waffle iron and repeat with the rest of the batter.
Recipe Notes
Recipe adapted from: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/sweet-potato-waffles-117479?ftab=reviews
Want more waffles? Try my chocolate chip almond waffles, cinnamon waffles with apple and blackberry compote, peanut butter and jam waffles and healthier chocolate banana waffles.
Sally
Interesting idea Hannah
Albert Bevia
This is a pretty brilliant idea, I do love sweet potatoes, they are so tasty and healthy, I have to try this waffle recipe