Keto Chaffle Recipe {Low-Carb Cheese Waffles}
Let's start with the most important question: What are chaffles?
Cheese plus waffles equals... chaffles!
They are deliciously satisfying low-carb cheese waffles. While you're still probably getting over the shock that such a thing exists, we're here to tell you that not only are chaffles real, they also taste as good as they sound.
And if you're on the keto diet, this recipe gives you a low-carb breakfast recipe you can enjoy.
Instead of using traditional waffle ingredients, chaffles are made with three simple, protein-and-fat-packed ingredients, and follow the same cooking and preparation steps that regular waffles do.
If you make them, please post a photo on Instagram and tag @ketologic!
Continue scrolling to learn how the health benefits of this chaffle recipe are superior to traditional waffle recipes.
Why You Should Skip Other Waffle Recipes
Let's be real: you don't meet a ton of people who don't like waffles. They're basically a universally loved breakfast food. When they're made the right way, they're warm, fluffy, and usually doused with syrup or some type of delicious topping.
That being said, traditional waffles aren't exactly the healthiest thing you can have for breakfast.
Most recipes call for 2 or 3 cups of flour to make a regular-sized batch. And for every "standard" waffle you eat (the size of a waffle maker), you're taking in about 25 grams of carbs [1] (which, for some people on keto, is an entire day's worth of carbs).
And if we're still being real, you're probably not eating those waffles plain. Because traditional waffles are basically a fluffy, warm piece of bread, smothered in syrup and other sugar-loaded toppings. Even one tablespoon of syrup pushes your carb count up to 43 grams per serving [2].
With no toppings, you're already close to the keto diet guidelines for daily carbs, which is 30-50 grams or 5-10% of your daily caloric intake [3].
The fact that this recipe uses cheese instead of flour is beneficial for two reasons:
- The carb count per chaffle is much lower (just 3 grams), and
- Because it's made with cheese, it's more of a savory dish, not something you'd want sweet toppings on.
It's also made with more eggs than traditional waffle recipes, meaning you'll get a hefty dose of protein (see the next section for more on the health benefits of eggs).
Chaffles are the clear winner if you're on a low-carb diet. And believe us when we say that once you taste them, you're not going to have a hard time switching over to this recipe for good.
If you’re craving traditional waffles on a ketogenic diet, try the following recipes:
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Eggs
In this recipe, eggs work to bind mozzarella and cheddar cheese together. Without eggs, whatever you put in your waffle iron probably isn't going to come out looking like a chaffle—probably more like burnt cheese.
Before we get to the recipe, let's look at some of the health benefits of eggs [4]:
- Eggs have an excellent macronutrient ratio, as they're both high in protein and fat with only one gram per large egg [5].
- Eggs are also packed with micronutrients, the vitamins and minerals that are essential for human health. One egg contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, as well as vitamins A, B, D, and E.
- Eggs are inexpensive—this shouldn't be discounted as a health benefit; some people don't buy healthy foods because they don't feel like they can afford them. A dozen eggs only cost about $1.60 [6].
- Eggs are full of healthy bioactive compounds, which have a positive effect on blood biomarkers, cell regeneration, and tissue repair [7].
It's for these reasons that eggs are a food recommended in a ton of popular diets, and also why some health experts call eggs a superfood [8].
(A superfood is a title reserved for foods with exceptional micronutrients and macronutrients that may promote optimal human health.)
Now that you have a reason to feel good about your decision to make these chaffles, let's dive into the recipe.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the three eggs with the cheese until it’s light and fluffy. The mixture should be fully incorporated and no cheese should be dry.
- Pour in half the mixture into a waffle maker and let it cook. Chaffles take a little longer to cook and should be crispy when done.
- You can serve it plain with a little butter or use as a bun for burgers.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving
