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These sweet potato waffles are made with just 3 simple ingredients, with no added refined sugar. They’re soft enough for little eaters, easy to make ahead, and a practical breakfast for babies, toddlers, and the whole family.
Recipe at a Glance
- Simple ingredients: Made with sweet potato, eggs, and ground flaxseed, with no added refined sugar.
- Quick breakfast: Prep and cook a batch in about 20 minutes.
- Baby-friendly texture: Naturally soft waffles that can be cut into strips for baby-led weaning.
- Easy to customize: Includes tips for ingredient swaps, flavor variations, and making waffles ahead for the freezer.
Pro tip – roast a big batch of sweet potatoes ahead of time! You’ll have plenty for these waffles and extra to use in Easy Sweet Potato Crackers, Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins, Easy Baked Sweet Potato Tots, Sweet Potato Bean Blondies, smoothies, soups, or as a quick side dish during the week.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes – Roast until tender and easily mashable for the best flavor, or try one of the methods in my Sweet Potato Recipes for Babies to see all the different ways you can cook them. Make sure they’re soft and fully mashed for the smoothest batter.
- Eggs – Help bind the batter and create structure so your waffles hold together without falling apart
- Ground flaxseeds – Adds structure while boosting fiber and omega-3s, with a mild nutty flavor that blends right in. Great for extra nutrition, especially for kids.
- Optional – cinnamon and vanilla extract (for a boost of flavor)
Substitutions + Variations
This recipe is flexible and easy to adapt. Here are a few ways to switch it up while keeping it just as delicious:
- Sweet potatoes – You can also use butternut squash or pumpkin puree. For tips on getting the perfect texture, see these guides on How to Cook Pumpkin for Babies and Butternut Squash for Babies. For a cozy seasonal twist, try these Healthy Pumpkin Waffles made with pumpkin puree.
- Firmer Waffles? This sweet potato waffle is naturally soft, making it perfect for babies and toddlers. If you prefer a firmer, crispier waffle, to the recipe add 1/2 cup flour (all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oat flour – all will work), 1/2 cup milk of choice, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder).
- Nut-free? Use this homemade sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter.
- Add-ins: A handful of mini chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or shredded coconut can make these feel extra special.
- Spice it up: Try pumpkin pie spice or a pinch of nutmeg instead of cinnamon for seasonal variety.
- Egg-free? Use a flax egg (1 tbsp flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water per egg) if needed.
How to Make Sweet Potato Waffles
Step 1: In a bowl, add mashed sweet potato, eggs, and ground flaxseed.
Step 2: Whisk until smooth and well combined. Small lumps are fine.
Step 3: Lightly grease your waffle iron if needed. Pour in batter and cook according to your waffle maker’s instructions until set and lightly golden.
Step 4: Let cool slightly before serving. Cut into strips for baby-led weaning or serve whole for older kids.
Expert Tips
- Use leftover sweet potatoes – A great way to repurpose extra roasted or steamed sweet potatoes from dinner.
- Roast a big batch – When you’re already heating the oven, roast several sweet potatoes at once. Use what you need for these waffles, then save the rest for smoothies, muffins (hello sweet potato muffins!), soups, or quick side dishes.
- Dial in the cook time – With my mini waffle maker, 3 minutes and 15 seconds is perfect. I like to open the lid and let it sit for another 30 seconds so the waffle firms up a bit more.
- Adjust texture for little ones – These waffles are naturally soft and tender, which is great for toddlers and babies. For a firmer bite, cook slightly longer or pop them in the toaster for a few minutes.
Serving Suggestions
These waffles are ready for just about anything, sweet or savory! Here are some favorite serving ideas to inspire you:
- Sweet toppings – Serve with plain yogurt, mashed berries, or a little nut butter thinned and spread in a thin layer. For older children, add a drizzle of maple syrup or homemade date syrup if desired. Do not serve honey to babies under 12 months.
- Nut butter boost – Spread with peanut butter, your favorite nut butter, or seed butter for extra protein and creaminess.
- Toddler-friendly – Cut into strips for easy dipping or spread with yogurt or nut butter to keep little hands happy.
- Savory twist – Top with a fried egg and avocado for a protein-packed, satisfying breakfast.
Storage
Let the waffles cool completely before storing:
Fridge – Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer -Let the waffles cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Freezing a batch makes it easy to serve these sweet potato waffles for baby or toddler breakfasts on busy mornings. For more tips, check out my guide on How to Freeze Pancakes. The same method works for waffles too!
To reheat – Reheat directly from frozen in a toaster or in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
FAQ
Yes! Just make sure they’re plain and not packed in syrup. Drain well and mash or blend to get a smooth texture.
You can pour the batter into a skillet and make them like pancakes. They’ll be a bit softer but still delicious.
Yes! This recipe is naturally gluten-free since it doesn’t include flour. Just be sure to use gluten-free flaxseed if adding, and check your peanut butter or other add-ins for any hidden gluten.
Definitely! Grated zucchini, mashed pumpkin, or cooked carrot puree can all be mixed in for extra veggies. For spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice all pair wonderfully with sweet potato.
Yes, provided your baby shows the signs of readiness for solids, typically around 6 months. These waffles are soft, but make sure they hold together and aren’t overly dry or tough. Cut them into finger-length strips for a baby who is just starting baby-led weaning. Eggs are a common allergen, so introduce them in an age-appropriate form and watch for reactions if they’re new to your baby.
You can try replacing the eggs with flax eggs, but the waffles may be softer and more delicate. Because the recipe already includes ground flaxseed, you may need to experiment with the ratios and cooking time to help them hold together.
More Waffle Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Sweet Potato Waffles
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (240g)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
Optional
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
Instructions
- In a bowl, add mashed sweet potato, eggs, and ground flaxseed. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Small lumps are fine.
- Lightly grease your waffle iron if needed. Pour in batter and cook according to your waffle maker’s instructions until set and lightly golden.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Cut into strips for baby-led weaning or serve whole for older kids.
Notes
- Use leftover roasted or steamed sweet potatoes to save time.
- Roast a batch at once for waffles, smoothies, muffins, soups, or sides.
- Cook waffles 3:15 in a mini waffle maker; let rest 30 seconds for firmness.
- For a firmer texture, cook longer or toast before serving—ideal for toddlers.
Super simple and a very tasty recipe. I grew up in a country where sweet potatoes arent very common. Moving to the US and getting use to sweet or savory combinations of it took sometime and I am glad with this recipe my baby started enjoying them when 9 months old! I usually add a bit of ricotta to the mix to break down the sweetness without impacting the consistency and sometimes serve with yogurt. Delicious!
These turned out great! 4 year old and 2 year old loved them! I add the peanut butter, cinnamon and vanilla. So good!
How do you recommend grinding flaxseed? I prefer to buy whole flaxseed and grind as needed to maintain the nutrition. But I used my food processor and exhausted the motor😣! I then used my coffee grinder but there was a bit of cross contamination 😬. Any advice?
Hi!! I just use my baby ninja with the flat blade or clean the coffee grinder to grind the seeds. Both work great!
Such a great way to add flax seed and eggs to picky kiddo’s diet!! I ended up adding a 1/4 cup flour as Min suggested to make it firmer. I added agave syrup which ended up being unnecessary. Roasting sweet potato makes it plenty sweet. Thank you for this recipe!
I added grated zucchini (squeezed dry) since i had them on hand. My 1 yo loved them! Such a fun and easy way to add sweet potato to toddler’s life.
Love the addition of zucchini! Thanks for sharing!
These sound so nice, thinking of maple syrup over them too… Can i sub flour for the flax seed ?…… flax upsets our tummy somewhat.