Chocolate Waffles with Cardamom

These Chocolate Waffles with Cardamom are a quick and easy recipe perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert! Each bite is crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside, making them the ideal canvas for toppings like berries, Greek yogurt, powdered sugar, and a drizzle of syrup.

Jump to Recipe

This blog post was updated on January 2, 2023 but the recipe remains the same.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Simple ingredients: You probably already have most of the ingredients for these waffles stashed away in your pantry.
• Easy to make: Follow the straightforward step-by-step instructions for a recipe virtually anyone can make. You can even get your little ones involved!
• Customizable: Add or omit spice, make them gluten-free, or go for a vegan-friendly option. It’s incredibly easy to customize this recipe!
• Freezer-friendly: Chocolate waffles are great for leftovers, and storing them is a breeze.

Easy chocolate waffles with cardamom

These chocolate waffles with cardamom are a unique spin on traditional waffle recipes. Don’t get me wrong, regular waffles are great. However, my family goes absolutely crazy when they smell the aromas of chocolate and cardamom wafting through the house!

I like to infuse the batter with high-quality cocoa powder and freshly-crushed cardamom, both of which impart just the right amount of richness and warmth. That means this meal is served on repeat during cold weather months. Once the waffles come out of the iron, dress them up with your favorite toppings like maple syrup, berries, and powdered sugar. Enjoy this masterpiece of flavors with other brunch specials like Ham and Cheese Crepes or Eggs Benedict.

Ingredients & substitutions

• All-purpose flour: Medium-protein flour, like all-purpose, works best as it creates a tender waffle that still has structure. For a heartier option, replace a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour with buckwheat or whole-wheat flour.
• Cocoa powder: I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa powder, although natural cocoa powder will work as well. It is slightly more acidic than Dutch-processed, so keep that in mind. 
• Cornstarch: My secret for keeping the waffles perfectly crispy.
• Brown sugar: To keep this recipe on the healthier side, I opt for brown sugar. It imparts deep, rich, and caramel-like notes without being overpoweringly sweet. Feel free to replace it with regular sugar, though.
• Baking powder: Adding baking powder results in a light and airy waffle texture.
• Salt: To bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Eggs: To hold the waffles together and add lift. I suggest bringing your eggs to room temperature before starting, which ensures a more evenly mixed batter.
• Milk: Any milk will do the trick here. You can use 1%, 2%, whole milk, or even your favorite non-dairy milk like soy, coconut, or cashew.
• Vanilla: When it comes to vanilla, I always recommend splurging for high-quality brands. Pure vanilla is more expensive than artificial, but it makes a world of difference.
• Bananas: Make sure your bananas look extra spotty for the sweetest flavor and creamiest texture. Mash them with a fork or a potato masher, but leave a few chunks for this recipe!
• Green cardamom: Fresh cardamom pods provide the most intoxicating aromas of grapefruit, ginger, mint, licorice, and menthol. If you’re not a cardamom fan, replace it with cinnamon or leave it out altogether.
• Cooking oil: To grease the waffle iron, preventing sticking. Use a neutral oil like avocado, canola, or safflower.

How to make chocolate waffles with cardamom

1. Whisk the dry: Working in a large mixing bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together.
2. Mix the wet: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla together until well combined. Mash in the two bananas, keeping them fairly chunky, and give the mixture another stir.
3. Combine the batter: Transfer the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, then mix everything with a wooden spoon until combined. Be careful not to overmix!
4. Cook the waffles: Preheat and lightly spray your waffle iron with cooking oil. Pour approximately ½-cup of waffle batter onto the hot iron, and cook each one for 3-3 ½ minutes, or until it is done to your liking. Serve while hot and crispy!

Chocolate waffle toppings

Once my chocolate waffles are cooked, I love to top them with Greek yogurt, fresh mixed berries, maple syrup or honey, and a dusting of powdered sugar.

For an even more decadent version, try cardamom-infused whipped cream, fruit compote, hot fudge sauce, Nutella, chocolate syrup, caramel, vanilla ice cream, cream cheese icing, or chocolate chips.

Serving suggestions

Transform this breakfast into an extravagant brunch spread by serving your chocolate waffles alongside Potato Latkes, Instant Pot Egg Bites, Soft Scrambled Eggs, and Cheddar, Herb, and Bacon Biscuits.

Storage & reheating

In my opinion, the more waffles, the better! Make a double or triple batch to serve all week long. This is what to do with leftovers:

• Fridge: Once completely cooled, transfer the waffles to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. 
• Freezer: For a longer storage period, add them to a freezer-safe bag or container once fully cooled. They will stay fresh for 3-4 months in the freezer this way.
• Reheat: To reheat your waffles from the fridge or freezer, add them directly to a toaster oven for 3-4 minutes, or until warmed through. Alternatively, bake them in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 300 degrees F.

Variations

• Gluten-free: For a gluten-free option, swap out the all-purpose flour with your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. As with most gluten-free flours, the overall taste and texture will vary slightly.
• Vegan: To make this recipe vegan, use dairy-free milk, like almond, cashew, or coconut, and replace the egg with extra mashed banana, applesauce, or flax egg.
• Regular: If you just can’t get behind chocolate or cardamom, leave them out and make plain banana waffles or banana cinnamon waffles.
• Chocolate chips: Add chocolate chips to the batter for sweet, melty, and rich flavors studded throughout the waffles.
• Nuts: Mix your favorite chopped nuts, like pecans, cashews, or walnuts, into the batter.

Top tips

• Grease the iron: To prevent your waffles from sticking and making a mess, don’t forget to grease the waffle iron before each use. Oil is better than butter since it has zero water content, which can lead to less crispy waffles.
• Preheat: Make sure your waffle iron is preheated or your waffles will come out pale and soft. Additionally, remember to give it time to reheat between batches.
• Test waffle: Since all waffle irons differ slightly, test 1 or 2 waffles to achieve your preferred temperature, texture, and timing.
• Sift ingredients: For the smoothest batter, sift the dry ingredients into the bowl before whisking them together.
• Don’t overmix: Overmixing leads to dense waffles rather than fluffy and tender ones. Mix the batter until just combined.
• Keep warm: If you’re making a large batch of chocolate waffles with cardamom, keep the cooked ones warm on a baking pan in the oven set to 200 degrees F. You can keep them warm for up to 30 minutes before they start drying out.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to flip the waffle maker?

You only have to flip the waffle maker if your specific brand states it in the instructions. Most new waffle makers don’t require flipping. The idea behind flipping waffles is to distribute the batter, making for more even cooking. 

Should waffle batter be smooth or lumpy?

It is perfectly fine if your waffle batter contains a few lumps. In fact, completely smooth batter is often a sign of overmixing and will result in dense waffles.

How do you know when waffles are done cooking?

If your waffle maker doesn’t have a light indicating doneness, another way to tell if they are finished cooking is when steam stops coming out of the unit.

Hungry for more sweet breakfast recipes?

If you enjoyed these chocolate waffles with cardamom, you should check out some more of my most popular sweet breakfast recipes like these:

• French Toast with Caramelized Bananas
• Mini Chocolate Pancake Cereal
• Easy Crepe Recipe
• Strawberry Pop-Tarts
• Air Fryer Yogurt Custard Toast