My toddler’s devotion to waffles has been solidified, thanks in part to the pumpkin waffle recipe we’ve been making on repeat for nearly three years. In fact, he’s so smitten with his puffy patterned pancakes, he actually insists on playing with the waffle maker when it’s not in use, something I attribute to the fact that he spends his day with a cookbook-writing mama, who’s quite enamoured with cooking tools herself.

Feeling the need to switch up the flavour profile of his beloved breakfast/lunch/snack obsession, I set out to create a summer-inspired waffle recipe. This version boasts a combination of whole grain and all-purpose flours, a minimal amount of sugar and two full cups of vegetables. Even better than the wholesome ingredients, is the fact that he adores this variation even more than the original recipe I started serving him.

Like a lot of traditional zucchini breads, we’ve added mini chocolate chips to the recipe at times, and the results were definitely crowd-pleasing, even for the teenagers in the house. You can completely bypass the maple syrup when the chocolate is added, which makes these a perfectly portable bite as well. They’re great for tucking into snack containers for road trips or late-afternoon trips to the park, and the recipe yield is large enough to leave you with lots of leftovers for the freezer.

Speaking of frozen waffles, most recipes suggest you thaw them in the toaster or toaster oven, but when we do this the result is dry and a little too crisp for my son’s small mouth. Instead, I prefer to the let the waffles thaw at room temperature and then lightly warm them in the oven, toaster oven or microwave instead. Find the rest of my tips and tricks for making waffles here.

Zucchini Bread Waffles

Adapted from Baby-Led Feeding

You’ll Need:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup spelt flour

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup 2% milk (or your favourite milk alternative)

¼ cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

2 cups grated zucchini

Optional: ½ cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the waffle iron to medium-high

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and baking powder.

3. Form a well in the middle of the bowl and add the eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir until almost combined, then add the zucchini (and chocolate chips, if using) and continue stirring until well incorporated.

4. Following the directions for use of your waffle iron, ladle the batter into the waffle iron and cook until the sides are golden brown and slightly crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

5. Cool and cut into pieces before serving. Leftover waffles can be frozen for future use. To do so, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the waffles in a single layer. Freeze, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag.

 

Note: Leftover waffles can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if you don’t plan on freezing them.