Many nutrition plans call for limited high-glycemic carbhoydrates such as bread, pasta, and cereals since those types of carbs convert to sugar, and sugar turns into fat if not burned. If you’re like millions of others, not having items like bread could cause you to completely derail from your low-carb plan. There is a delicious solution that I have recently learned about and it’s called the “chaffle.” The chaffle is made with a mini waffle griddle so it looks just like a waffle and has a similar taste and texture. Many chaffles are made using cheese (but not all), hence the name “chaffle” instead of waffle.

You can use the chaffle for sweet purposes such as a typical breakfast waffle, and you can even use them for savory bread replacements--think of those delicious waffle sandwiches you have seen at specialty restaurants and amusement parks. There are several varieties of the chaffle which are taste-approved by thousands of low-carb dieters, and they are most commonly used for the following:

Sandwich bread

Breakfast sandwich bread

Grilled panini sandwich

Burger bun

Bagel Pizza

Taco Shells

Standard waffle

What You Need to Make Chaffles

The good news is you only need one piece of equipment and that’s a mini waffle maker. Some make one mini waffle (or chaffle) at a time and some have two grids so you can make two at one time which can come in handy. Either option will work so it depends on how much you want to spend--the single waffle maker is around ten dollars and the double waffle maker is around twenty dollars at most major stores.

Popular Chaffle Recipes

The beauty of the chaffle is that the possibilities are endless. You can get creative and use your favorite ingredients to, not only, make the chaffle itself but also to form a new low-carb meal with it. Below you will find some of the most popular (hence most delicious) chaffles made by many dieters. Simply combine all of the ingredients and use a nonstick cooking spray to make one chaffle with your mini waffle maker.

Wonder Bread Chaffle 

So many people agree that the Wonder Bread chaffle tastes just like white bread so you can use it as sandwich bread, a burger bun, or a grilled panini. Try it stuffed with pulled pork or beef, hamburger, or as a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese, and bacon.

3 tablespoons almond flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon water

1 egg

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Pizza Chaffle 

The pizza chaffle can be eaten on its own or you can top with more of your favorite pizza toppings such as extra cheese, tomatoes, olives, and prosciutto.

1 egg

1/4 cup Italian blend cheese

1 tablespoon sugar-free pizza sauce

2 tablespoons pepperoni, diced

Lox Bagel Chaffle

If you love a bagel with cream cheese and lox, this is your chaffle! If you aren’t near a Trader Joe’s grocery store which sells its famous “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning, simply replace a few dashes of sesame seeds, garlic powder, dried minced onion, and salt to taste. After making your chaffles, simply top with cream cheese and smoked salmon--other optional additions are sliced cucumber and/or radish.

1 egg

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon cream cheese

2 tablespoons almond flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Everything but the bagel seasoning, to taste

Stuffing Chaffle

If you like left over holiday turkey sandwiches, you’ll love the stuffing chaffle. Many elements of classic turkey stuffing are in this chaffle so this is the perfect “bread” for a turkey sandwich.

3 tablespoons almond flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon water

1 egg

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 diced celery stalk and 1 tablespoon diced onion, sauteed

Poultry seasoning, sage, and thyme, to taste

Cheddar Chaffle

This chaffle has cheesy flavor so it is great for any sandwich where cheese may make a nice addition. Chicken salad and tuna salad sandwiches, bacon lettuce tomato (BLT), cheeseburgers, or standard ham and tomato sandwiches are popular ways to use this chaffle.

1 egg

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons almond flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Standard Breakfast Chaffle 

This is the recipe one would use if sugar-free sugar and butter were added to make breakfast chaffle. It’s also a great pairing with eggs and mash avocado as the chaffle acts as a bread component for the dish. 

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cream cheese

3 tablespoons almond flour

1 tablespoon coconut oil or melted butter

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Batch Cooking the Chaffle

One of our recent blogs is about batch cooking, where you make several meals in one cooking session that can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. You can implement this strategy with the chaffle as well, since they keep well in the refrigerator and freezer, and can simply be re-heated by using your toaster. They may not be quite as crispy as the freshly made chaffles, however, they come out pretty close!

If preparing your own chaffles doesn't fit into your schedule, check out our premade ready-to-go meals here that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Also, if you're looking for a low-carb bread that you don't have to prepare on your own, check it out here!