Step 1

To prepare flax egg, combine flaxseed meal and water in a medium (to large) mixing bowl, stir, and allow to sit for a few minutes to thicken.

Step 2

Once thickened, add peeled bananas and baking powder to the flax egg and mash well with a fork until only small chunks remain. Add in oil and whisk to combine. Then add dairy-free milk and stir to combine.

Step 3

Next add salt and oats and stir again. Then add gluten-free flour and stir until just combined. Finally, add in chocolate chips and stir once more.

Step 4

The batter should be cake-like in texture — slightly thick but pourable (not runny). When you dip a mixing spoon into it, it should leave soft peaks. If too thin, add more gluten-free flour and stir. If too thick, thin with a little dairy-free milk and stir. (We usually add a bit of gluten-free flour at this point.)

Step 5

Let batter rest 5 minutes while preheating waffle iron. Once iron is ready, spray with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil (not necessary if your waffle iron is non-stick like ours).

Step 6

Add 1 scant cup of batter to the waffle iron (adjust based on size of waffle iron) and cook according to manufacturer instructions (ours took about 5 minutes to cook through and get a slight crisp on the outside).

Step 7

Remove from waffle iron with a fork and set aside on a cooling rack or serving plate. You can place in a 200-degree F (93 C) oven to keep warm while continuing to cook the rest of the batter. Be sure not to stack the waffles to prevent them from getting soggy.

Step 8

To serve, we suggest topping with a few more chocolate chips, vegan butter or nut butter, and/or maple syrup (optional).

Step 9

Cool leftovers before storing. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days, but are best stored in a single layer in the freezer (in a freezer-safe storage bag or container) up to 1 month. Reheat in a hot oven or toaster oven (~350 F / 176 C) until crisp and warm.