This information pertains to several vegan Liege waffle recipes that currently or soon will appear in the “Sweet Dessert Waffles” category.

Background

vegan Liege waffles with blueberries

Compared to the traditional Belgian waffles familiar to most of us, Liege waffles (named after a Belgian town) are denser, sweeter, and almost cookie-like. These yeast-raised treats incorporate pearled sugar, formed into tiny spheres and larger than granulated sugar. Upon baking, the sugar forms small caramelized chunks throughout the waffle. Lieges also utilize more animal-derived dairy and eggs than a standard waffle, making them especially great to veganize.

I first had a Liege waffle in Belgium in 2005, shortly before we cut out eggs and dairy. Street vendors seemed to be selling them everywhere, with a range of toppings. They were highly addictive, and I gulped down three of them in one afternoon. I believe I then went into a sugar coma–hard to recall.

I later created several vegan Liege waffle flavor variations that quickly disappeared at non-vegan friends’ parties. However, I left Lieges out of the cookbook for a few reasons. First, they are somewhat unpredictable and gunk up the waffle iron (more on this under “Very Important Tips” below). Secondly, some initial Liege tests worked better with egg replacer than flaxseed, and for several reasons it made sense for the cookbook recipes to be free of egg replacer. Thirdly, even though they eliminate cholesterol, they are so sugar- and oil-laden that I felt uncomfortable promoting them as more than an occasional treat.

I was very excited when Global Vegan Waffle Party host (Christine “Peanut” Vardaros, also a vegan pro cyclist), made vegan Liege waffles at her party in Belgium; she has a great recipe for basic vegan Liege waffles. Because her recipe seems pretty true to most forms of the non-vegan “original” I’ve seen, I don’t attempt to repeat the basic Liege here.

The vegan Liege waffle recipes sat dormant until I learned that at least one local vendor would soon be serving the egg- and butter-laden Liege, and a bit of research suggested they were also catching on elsewhere beyond their homeland. I decided it was time to help spread the word that even Liege waffles can be veganized. Regardless of their ethical stance, restaurants and street vendors can enjoy logistical and economic benefits through using vegan waffle recipes, by reducing or eliminating their need to stock highly perishable eggs, butter, and milk.

If you don’t mind the extra work involved with cleaning your waffle maker, I also encourage you to experiment a bit with these recipes, if they’re not just right for you. Comments, including modifications that worked for you, are very welcome. We want these recipes to be as good as possible, so that we have some stellar vegan options in this area.

Very Important Tips for Baking Vegan Liege Waffles

Prior to your first vegan Liege cooking adventure, there are several things to be aware of. These waffles are amazing, but they do require above-average preparation and cleanup efforts. Thus, I don’t recommend them to the casual beginner looking for a quick and easy waffle. Vegan Lieges are for true vegan waffle aficionados, those who really like to get down, dirty, and crazy in the kitchen. Also, I don’t recommend them if you have only one really nice waffle maker and are trying to keep it in top condition. I actually have a separate waffle maker that I use just for occasional Liege baking.

Due to the very high sugar and margarine content, these waffles will cause a gooey residue to accumulate on your waffle iron. If not cleaned after each batch of waffles, major sticking will develop, and the coating may become difficult to remove. After your waffle iron has been unplugged for at least 5 minutes, but before it’s cool, clean the inside using pieces of crumbled-up paper towel on the end of a chopstick. To avoid any risk of fire, dip the paper towels in water before discarding.

My experience has been that the grids don’t need to be cleaned perfectly after each batch, at least not if the iron isn’t sitting for several weeks at a time between batches, because some of the oil and sugar residue will re-melt the next time the iron is heated. However, you do need to get out at least some of the residue. Every few batches, you may need to resort to some type of non-toxic soap and water solution, being very careful not to get water inside the iron.

Although Liege waffles contain a great deal of margarine, you still need to spray the iron grids with oil prior to each waffle. This will help to reduce sticking due to the caramelized sugar.

If possible, open a window while cooking them, and do not cook immediately beneath a smoke detector. The sugar may create a bit of smoke.

Plan to get your hands messy while making these—you’ll have to knead dough and then mix it with your hands after you’ve added ingredients including margarine.

Despite all of the above, I still believe that making an occasional batch of vegan liege waffles is well worth it. I’ve watched piles of these quickly disappear at a few parties, and it’s one of the few types of waffles that you can serve a few hours after making them, even without reheating.

Because pearled sugar can be difficult to find, and because some individuals prefer less refined sugars, the recipes provide the option of using actual pearled sugar, crushed sugar cubes, or coarser granulated sugars such as turbinado or demerara. The former two provide the most authentic taste and texture. Swedish or Belgian pearled sugar can be ordered online, and Swedish pearled sugar is available at some Ikea stores.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t bake Liege waffles just right on the first try, as it takes a little practice to avoid overcooking or undercooking. Happy Lieging!

This vegan waffle recipe (or a whole stack of waffles) would be great for a vegan breakfast, brunch, dessert, or dinner, depending upon what toppings you wish to use. I love the texture and aroma of yeast-raised waffles. I’m also posting it to provide a sample of one of the recipes from The Global Vegan Waffle Cookbook.

I enjoy getting artistic with the toppings, having been inspired by the creations of Global Vegan Waffle Party hosts and guests. I mean, food like kiwi fruit and strawberries are works of art all alone–add a waffle and some vegan whipped topping, and you’ve practically got a gastronomic Van Gogh!

Makes 4 (7-inch) round Belgian waffles

Because the dough needs time to rise, begin at least 3 hours in advance of baking the waffles or 1 1/2 hours in advance if you are using quick-rise yeast.

• 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (see note below)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup soymilk or other nondairy milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Dissolve the yeast in the water in a large non-metal bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt until well blended.

Cover the bowl and place it in a warm location until the flour mixture has almost doubled. You can use your oven to create a warm spot for the flour mixture to rise. Make sure the oven rack is low enough for the bowl to fit in the oven. Turn the oven on for 1 to 2 minutes at 200 degrees F. (It shouldn’t actually reach 200 degrees, but just warm up slightly.) Turn off the oven, place the covered bowl on the rack, and close the oven door to keep in the warmth. If you wish to let the batter stand overnight, strengthening the yeast flavor, covering the bowl and leaving it at room temperature will work fine.

After the flour mixture has risen, combine the brown sugar, oil, maple syrup, soymilk, vanilla extract, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly, breaking up any clumps of baking powder or baking soda. Pour into the raised flour mixture and stir until well blended. Mixing with the handle end of a spoon or other thin item like chopsticks can make it easier to break up the long strands into smaller clumps. The batter does not need to be completely smooth, but you don’t want too many clumps larger than the last segment of your pinky finger.Let stand for 15 minutes.

Preheat the waffle iron for 3 to 5 minutes while the batter is standing. Spray both grids of the waffle iron with oil. Pour or ladle the batter into the center of the iron, covering no more than two-thirds of the iron’s surface for the first waffle. Adjust the amount as needed for subsequent waffles. Bake each waffle for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it can be removed easily.

Note: Use warm water between 105 and 115 degrees F. You can judge this by splashing a bit onto the sensitive skin of your inner wrist—it should feel warmer than lukewarm but not hot or painful.

This waffle recipe (revised 4/27/09) is especially great for the fall or early winter, and for desserts near holidays including Halloween and Thanksgiving. My wife grew up near a farm that makes delicious apple cider donuts, and laments that no vegan version of them is available locally. These waffles, however, revived some of her childhood memories. Perhaps they’ll do the same for you.

Ingredients

• 1/3 C raw pecans, finely chopped
• 1 C whole wheat flour
• 1 C all-purpose wheat flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t xanthan gum powder
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1/2 C + 2 T soymilk
• 1 1/2 C apple cider
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1/2 C canola oil
• 1 t vanilla

Directions

Chop the pecans and set them aside. In a large bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, xanthan gum, and nutmeg. In a small bowl, mix the soymilk, apple cider,  sugar, canola oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until the dry ingredients are saturated. Fold in the chopped pecans. Spray the waffle iron generously with oil, and cook for about a minute longer than normal cooking time. Drizzle with hot maple syrup or sprinkle with additional cinnamon and sugar.

From time to time I try an existing recipe and decide that it still doesn’t quite match the ideal in my mind. Thus, it’s back to the waffling board. I’m happier with the updated version of the Sinful Cheesecakey Vegan Waffles, and would love to hear your thoughts. It’s a little tangier, fluffier and toastier on the outside.

Craving something cheesecakey, but don’t want to wait for more than an hour before you can take the first bite?

While this vegan waffle recipe produces treats that are much more wafflish in consistency than a baked cheesecake, they still have a nice “cream cheesy” flavor and relatively dense texture, something like a vegan cheese danish. The hints of cinnamon and vanilla give it a nice edge. And with some strawberries or blueberries on top–yeeeeeeah!

It is dedicated to our friends Rich Bjork, a talented chef whose birthday happens to be today, and Matt Hannigan, a social change catalyst who has a strong addiction to popcorn with a cinnamon/cream cheese flavor.

Singredients

• 1 C + 2 T white all purpose flour (Variation: Replace 1/4 C of this with whole wheat flour, or replace the whole C with Bob’s Red Mills gluten-free all purpose flour-I got decent results with both. In fact, the waffles in the 2nd picture were made with the GF flour.)
• 1 1/4 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 1/4 t cinnamon
• 3/4 t salt
• 1 – 8 oz. container non-hydrogenated plain vegan cream “cheese”
• 1/2 C + 2 T unsweetened plain soymilk
• 3 T canola oil
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/2 C raw sugar
• 2 t vanilla

Directions

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, microwave the vegan cream cheese just until softened (this probably won’t take more than 30 to 45 seconds). With the cream cheese, whisk together the soymilk, oil, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour this mixture into the big bowl with the flour mixture, and mix everything just until blended.

Cook for a minute or two longer than you usually cook your waffles on a generously oiled waffle iron. This recipe makes roughly 3 1/2 round Belgian-style vegan waffles on our Waring WMK-300. Enjoy!