Carrot Cake Waffles: Low Carb, Keto and Gluten Free
Last updated on April 1st, 2025
Dive into a delicious treat with these low-carb Carrot Cake Waffles! Bursting with warm cinnamon, healthy carrots and crunchy walnuts, these keto-friendly waffles are perfect for breakfast or dessert. Drizzle with low-carb cream cheese frosting or sugar-free maple syrup for an irresistible finish.
Carrot Cake Waffles: Low Carb, Keto and Gluten Free
Make these quick and easy low-carb Carrot Cake Waffles for breakfast, then have them again for dessert; no one will know. They are perfect for Easter or when you want to make a sweet and festive treat for the whole family to enjoy.
These waffles are a great way to use up short, stubby carrots that you might have in your fridge. Besides, this recipe only needs a small amount to keep the carb count low.
As these waffles are quite a treat, make a large batch to store in the fridge for the week. Heat them in the toaster or air fryer and top them with cream cheese frosting to bust a sweet tooth craving when it arises.
Why you will like Carrot Cake Waffles
- Low-Calorie Recipe: Made with almond flour, these waffles are gluten-free and lower in carbohydrates than regular flour. This makes them a good choice for those looking for healthier breakfast options. Plus, there’s no white sugar in the recipe to elevate your blood sugar levels, so you can indulge without the worry.
- Quick and Easy Preparation: This recipe eliminates the need for baking, making achieving that carrot cake craving simpler and more convenient. Also, there’s no need to grease pans or manage oven temperatures, allowing for a fuss-free breakfast where it’s all made on your countertop!
- Versatile Serving Options: You can serve these low-carb carrot cake waffles in various ways, besides topping them with cream cheese frosting. For instance, serve with fresh fruit and homemade jam for a lighter option.
- Customizable Ingredients: You can quickly adapt the recipe by adding ingredients such as raisins, coconut, or additional spices, allowing you to personalize the waffles to suit your taste.
- Classic Carrot Cake Taste: These waffles combine toasted walnuts and cinnamon spice, closely mimicking the traditional carrot cake taste. Each bite is infused with the sweet and spiced flavors that you love.
Carbs and Servings in Carrot Cake Waffles
This recipe makes two round waffles or eight quarter pieces, yielding two quarter waffles per serving. Each serving contains:
under 5g net carbs per serving
- 21.7g of carbohydrates
- 17g of fibre
- 4.7g of net carbs
Ingredient Notes
Almond Flour: I use Costco’s Kirkland brand, but blanched almond flour from other brands can also be used. Almond flour is lower in carbs and replaces all-purpose flour, typically used in carrot cake-making.
Monk Fruit/Erythritol Blend Sweetener: This natural low-carb sweetener does not spike blood sugar levels and replaces white sugar to make these waffles sweeter. I use Volupta from Costco, but Lakanto and So Nourished Brands also work well.
Baking Powder: Since we’re using almond flour in this recipe, a little raising agent is needed to make the batter fluff up while it cooks in the waffle maker.
Cinnamon: What kind of carrot cake skips the cinnamon? No doubt, it’s the secret ingredient that elevates the carrot cake flavour, but feel free to scale it back if you’re not a cinnamon enthusiast!
Unsweetened Almond Milk: This is a non-dairy, plant-based substitute for regular whole milk with lower carbs. Using almond milk helps the batter be slightly thinner and allows it to spread evenly onto the waffle maker. Oat or cashew milk will also work.
Salted Butter: Melted butter adds extra moisture to the waffles and helps crisp the outer coating.
Egg: A large egg helps give the waffles a little lift as they cook, binding all the ingredients together.
Vanilla Extract: A little extract enhances that carrot cake flavour.
Carrots: Shred or grate the carrot, then wrap it in a paper towel and gently squeeze to remove excess moisture, similar to what you would do in a carrot cake recipe.
Walnuts: Toast them in a preheated skillet, cool them, and then chop them up. This will help them integrate smoothly into the batter. Pecans will also work in this recipe.
Equipment You’ll Need
- A Waffle Iron like the Oster Belgian Waffle Maker, which makes 8-inch round Belgian waffles, or the Dash Mini Maker, which makes small individual servings (pour less batter in the Dash and spread it around to cover it evenly).
- Use a good spatula to spread the batter evenly over the waffle iron. This will ensure perfect waffle shapes every time.
- Use tongs or a knife to lift the waffle and flip it over. This is not necessary if your waffle maker cooks evenly on both sides. I have to flip mine with mine so the underside also gets crispy.
How to Make Carrot Cake Waffles
Make the Batter
- Gather all your ingredients, melt the butter, grate the carrots, toast, and chop the walnuts.
- Mix almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl.
- In another bowl or measuring jug, whisk together the almond milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to incorporate into a thick batter.
- Fold in the grated carrot and toasted walnuts and mix well, but do not over-mix to prevent the batter from drying up.
Cook the waffles
- Preheat the waffle iron to medium heat and lightly spray the plates with your preferred cooking oil.
- Split the batter into two portions and spoon 1/4 of one portion into each quarter segment of the waffle iron; I suggest using slightly under a ¼ cup for every section.
- Next, use the leftover batter from that portion to fill in the spaces, and spread it with a spatula to cover the entire waffle plate.
- Close the waffle iron and set a timer for 10 minutes. After 4 minutes, you can open the waffle iron and check for doneness to ensure the waffle is cooked enough to hold together. If needed, close it and cook until the remaining minutes on the timer are up to help firm up the waffle.
- Next, flip the waffle and cook for an additional 5 minutes. I prefer to cook my waffles longer for even browning on both sides. Cooking times can vary by appliance, so adjust based on your preference.
- Once done, use tongs or a spatula to transfer the waffle to a wire rack. Repeat the process with the remaining portion of batter.
How to Serve Carrot Cake Waffles
Serve these carrot cake waffles with low-carb and sugar-free cream cheese frosting. It’s easy to make and quick to whip up ahead of time.
Sugar-free maple syrup is a classic syrup that goes perfectly with these waffles. I don’t have a recipe yet, but it’s on my list to try, though brands like Lakanto and Steeves sell sugar-free syrup online.
Additional toppings to try are:
- Whipped cream
- Low-carb Ice Cream
- Whipped Coconut Cream (the thick part that forms at the top from an unshaken can of coconut milk)
- Grated coconut
- Raisins (if you’re not doing low carb)
- Shredded carrots
- Toasted walnuts or pecans
- Powdered sweetener dusted over your waffles
How to Store Carrot Cake Waffles
This recipe makes two whole Belgium-style waffles, so you may not have any left to store. However, you can double or triple the recipe to make a large batch to freeze or refrigerate for later.
You can refrigerate waffles in an airtight container for up to a week. To ensure crispness, warm them in your toaster or air fryer.
Freeze waffles by laying single layers on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes, then transfer them into a freezer-safe container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to 1-2 months.
Best Tips and Variations
- Use Stevia, Erythritol sweetener or regular sugar instead of Monk Fruit.
- If you want to make a nut-free version of this recipe, use Lupin flour instead of almond flour and leave out the walnuts. Lupin flour is a low-carb substitute for regular flour, so I will try to make it with this recipe and share how it turns out.
- Use an extra-large egg or two small eggs. This helps to give the batter the correct consistency.
- Alternatively, three tablespoons of egg whites can replace whole eggs.
- Add ground cloves, ginger, and star anise to the recipe to add extra spice.
- If your batter is too thick, add a tablespoon of almond milk or egg whites to thin it out a little.
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Carrot Cake Waffles: Low Carb, Keto and Gluten Free
EQUIPMENT
- 1 waffle Iron Makes 8 quarter pieces / 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1¼ cup Almond Flour
- 3 tbsp Monk Fruit Sweetener - or any low carb sweetener of choice
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ cup Salted Butter - Melted and cooled slightly
- 1 Egg - Extra Large
- ½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Carrots - Grated or shredded
- ¼ cup Walnuts - Dry-roasted
- Avocado or Olive oil - For coating waffle iron
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Batter
- Gather all your ingredients, melt the butter, grate the carrots, toast, and chop the walnuts.
- Mix almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl.
- In another bowl or measuring jug, whisk together the almond milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to incorporate into a thick batter.
- Fold in the grated carrot and toasted walnuts and mix well, but do not over-mix to prevent the batter from drying up.
Cook the waffles
- Preheat the waffle iron to medium heat and lightly spray the plates with your preferred cooking oil.
- Split the batter into two portions and spoon 1/4 of one portion into each quarter segment of the waffle iron; I suggest using slightly under a ¼ cup for every section.
- Next, use the leftover batter from that portion to fill in the spaces, and spread it with a spatula to cover the entire waffle plate.
- Close the waffle iron and set a timer for 10 minutes. After 4 minutes, you can open the waffle iron and check for doneness to ensure the waffle is cooked enough to hold together. If needed, close it and cook until the remaining minutes on the timer are up to help firm up the waffle.
- Next, flip the waffle and cook for an additional 5 minutes. I prefer to cook my waffles longer for even browning on both sides. Cooking times can vary by appliance, so adjust based on your preference.
- Once done, use tongs or a spatula to transfer the waffle to a wire rack. Repeat the process with the remaining portion of batter.
RECIPE NOTES
Best Tips and Variations
- Use Stevia, Erythritol sweetener or regular sugar instead of Monk Fruit.
- If you want to make a nut-free version of this recipe, use Lupin flour instead of almond flour and leave out the walnuts. Lupin flour is a low-carb substitute for regular flour, so I will try to make it with this recipe and share how it turns out.
- Use an extra-large egg or two small eggs. This helps to give the batter the correct consistency.
- Alternatively, three tablespoons of egg whites can replace whole eggs.
- Add ground cloves, ginger, and star anise to the recipe to add extra spice.
- If your batter is too thick, add a tablespoon of almond milk or egg whites to thin it out a little.
Nutrition Information*:
- 21.7g of carbohydrates
- 17g of fibre
- 4.7g of net carbs