How to make Red Velvet Waffles

If you love red velvet everything, you’re going to love these from-scratch Red Velvet Waffles! Calling for a handful of easy-to-find pantry and refrigerated ingredients, this red velvet waffle recipe makes slightly chocolatey, beautifully deep red waffles that pair perfectly with a drizzle of cream cheese icing. No cake mix necessary!

The Year of the Waffle continues today with RED VELVET!

As someone who is into red velvet flavors, I made it my mission to make these waffles utterly perfect.

This recipe is a breakfast twist on the classic Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. They’re wonderfully sweet and decadent, tender and fluffy.

These waffles are more similar to that of cake than traditional waffles, so they are perfect for this occasion.

What is red velvet?

Red velvet is a mild flavored chocolate cake that once turned red due to the ingredients it used. The buttermilk reacts with the unsweetened cocoa powder, which in turn these waffles (and their cake counterpart) a brick red color.

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However, we use red food coloring these days to pump up that red color.

Fun fact: Bakers can use boiled beets to add a natural red color to baked goods!

Why we love this recipe:

Before we dive in, let me state for the record: you do not need red velvet cake mix to make this red velvet waffles recipe. This recipe is completely from scratch, and it is oh-so-good. Think of it as the classic cake in waffle form.

Like many of our other waffle recipes this year, these Red Velvet Waffles start with our classic buttermilk waffle base.

Not only does buttermilk add an awesome gentle tanginess to waffles, but it is a key ingredient for red velvet. It is also acidic. So when you combine that with baking soda, it gives the batter a little extra lift and fluff. (Hello, kitchen chemistry!)

Also, red velvet cake is made with a little cocoa powder, so we’ve added that to this recipe, too, tinkering with the amount of cocoa powder necessary. We went a little heavier on this so that you get more chocolate flavor because that is my personal preference… and my kids agree.

This Red Velvet Waffle recipe have awesome cocoa flavor and are sweet without being overwhelmingly saccharine. When paired with a drizzle of cream cheese icing (the same one we use for cinnamon rolls!), it’s a match made in heaven.

The texture of these waffles is also excellent.  The exterior is crispy and the interior is tender, moist and fluffy.

Be sure you’ve got enough red food coloring (the regular kind or gel, never the natural kind) before getting started so that the waffles have their trademark brick red color. That was the trickiest piece in developing this recipe because I wanted to get the color right without being overwhelmingly red.

Other waffle recipes you might enjoy: Pumpkin Waffles with Cinnamon Maple Syrup | Blueberry Waffles | Chocolate Chip Waffles | The Best Waffles (without buttermilk)

Need breakfast inspiration, but don’t know where to start? Head on over to my Breakfast and Brunch Recipe Index.

What you need to make this recipe:

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In addition to these tools, you’ll need a few ingredients from the grocery store or your pantry:

• All-purpose flour — we always have unbleached AP flour at our house, but the regular kind works, too!
• Cocoa powder — unsweetened natural cocoa powder is what you want. This gives a chocolate-y kick to the waffles.
• Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this adds sweetness to the batter.
• Cornstarch — this helps the exterior of the waffles crisp up. There is no substitute.
• Leaveners — we use a combination of baking powder and baking soda. Make sure yours are fresh.
• Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is my go-to. Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand. You may use a similarly sized sea salt. Keep in mind that table salt is saltier than kosher.
• Buttermilk — this makes an impact on the texture of these waffles. If you don’t have buttermilk at your house, you can make a buttermilk substitute easily!
• Eggs — large eggs or extra large eggs are what I use in all baking recipes.
• Flavorless oil or melted butter — avocado, vegetable or canola oil are perfect. If you’re using melted butter, make sure you give it a little time to cool so it won’t scramble the eggs!
• Vanilla extract — the real deal pure vanilla extract is where it’s at. This adds amazing flavor.
• Red gel food coloring — this is going to transform our waffles from a muddled red color to a brighter brick red. You can use regular food coloring, but you’ll need about a tablespoon of it to get the same color. Do no use natural food coloring, as it will not be as bold or brilliant.
• Cream cheese glaze — we use the recipe for my icing for cinnamon rolls, as it’s thinner than my pipeable Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.

How to make Red Velvet Waffles 

First, we’re going to make our waffle batter.

Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl. This is the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Whisk them together until combined and set aside.

Pour the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup or a separate bowl. Add the oil, eggs, vanilla and red gel coloring.

Whisk them or stir them with a fork until everything is combined. Be sure not to splash it, as the gel food coloring will dye your skin bright red.

Once the wet ingredients are well combined, pour them directly into the dry ingredients.

Use a rubber spatula to gently stir them together until just combined.

If you overmix the batter, the waffles will become tougher, so just stir until the flour is incorporated. It’s OK if this homemade batter has lumps.

Set the homemade waffle batter aside, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. It can rest up to 30 minutes. 

You’ll notice that the batter starts expanding almost immediately, thanks to the chemical reaction between the buttermilk and the baking soda.

While the batter rests, preheat the waffle iron and give it a spritz of nonstick cooking spray or brush it with melted butter.

Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to dollop the batter onto the hot waffle iron. I used a ½ cup to scoop these waffles.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until your waffle iron alerts you that the waffle is done. Open the waffle iron and remove when golden brown and delicious.

Serve your waffle with a drizzle of cream cheese icing, a dollop of whipped cream and/or some pure maple syrup.

How to store and freeze

Leftover waffles store and freeze easily! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or a toaster oven on a lower heat until crispy.

To freeze, line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Lay out the leftover waffles in a single layer. Transfer to the freezer, and freeze until frozen. Transfer to a plastic freezer baggie and keep frozen for up to 3 months.

To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator OR defrost for 30 seconds in the microwave, then toast until crispy.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

If your people love red velvet flavors, these Red Velvet Waffles would be a special occasion breakfast treat. (Looking at you, holiday brunch, but this works great for birthdays and other celebrations, too.) They also make a delightful dessert or breakfast-for-dinner.

I can see my family enjoying them at the holidays, too. The festive red color is perfect for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

Let me state for the record that making waffles for a crowd requires some patience and planning. You either need to work ahead and keep the waffles warm. Or you borrow a waffle iron or two from friends to make the process quicker. 

Here are a few tips and tricks to making waffles for special occasions to share:

• Depending on the amount of people you’re serving, double the recipe. My kids would like you to know that they can both easily eat two waffles in a sitting.
• Make the waffles before guests arrive, and keep them warm in the oven. We put ours on baking sheets* (affiliate link) and keep them warm in a 200°F oven. You could also reheat them in a toaster oven for an extra crispy exterior.
• Make the cream cheese icing early and keep it cool in the fridge. Since it keeps in the fridge for a week, this is an easy win to make ahead.
• Transform your table into a waffle bar! Offer various toppings, like cream cheese drizzle, maple syrup, sweetened whipped cream, sliced bananas, fresh berries, mini chocolate chips, powdered sugar for sprinkling, hot fudge sauce and more. Let guests dress their waffles to their hearts’ content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Waffles

• Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the waffles won’t be as fluffy.
• Use a cookie scoop or measuring cup to ensure all your waffles are similarly sized.
• Leftover waffles? Freeze ’em! Line a baking sheet with wax paper, place the completely cooled waffles on the paper in a single layer and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the waffles are fully frozen, transfer to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warmed through.

Scroll down to see how you can make these Red Velvet Waffles with Cream Cheese Icing…

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