A secret ingredient to easily sneak in more veggies than you thought possible in a delicious breakfast recipe! Gluten-free & vegan carrot cake waffles you can feel good about making, any day of the week!
Are you scared? What could the “secret ingredient” possibly be?
MY LATEST VIDEOSWell there is no need to be anxious! This “secret ingredient” is more of a lazy girl’s short-cut. Something you may feel funny about buying if you don’t have a baby living in your house.
Well, I was strolling through the grocery a few weeks ago and was on my usual route when I stopped myself and peered down an aisle I usually just skip. Instead of continuing on my route, I turned down the aisle and happened upon a new recipe idea, just like that! In front of me lay the ever stocked wall of baby food! Yes, baby food! I did a quick scan and there it was…jarred sweet carrot puree! (It’s just carrots and water…in a jar!)
I quickly grabbed a few of the little half cup jars and by a few, I mean like ten. Recipe ideas fulfilled by these simple 55 cent jars of just a simple puree perfect for my experimentations. Since I know veggie puree works wonders in vegan pancakes and waffles, I knew what I would be trying for breakfast the next morning…
And since who has time to boil and puree carrots while they’re trying to get ready for the day? That’s where this “lazy kitchen hack” comes in. As long as you have a great waffle iron and you’re able to open a baby food jar, you are good to go!
“Secret Ingredient” Carrot Cake Waffles
- ⅓ Cup All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp Ginger
- ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ Cup of Sweet Carrot Puree
- ½ Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- Scant ⅓ Cup Water
- Toppings:
- Cinnamon
- Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
- Protein Frosting (1 TB Vanilla Protein Powder + 2-3 TB Water)
- Shredded Carrots
- Lightly oil and preheat your waffle iron.
- In bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk together with a fork.
- Then add all wet ingredients and stir to combine until there are no clumps.
- Pour the batter in the preheated waffle iron, smooth it out and let the iron do its thing!
- Top with more cinnamon, vanilla protein frosting, shredded carrots, and unsweetened shredded coconut!
These definitely don’t taste like baby food 😉 They taste like…carrot cake…for breakfast! And they are so much easier then whipping out the food processor, blender, or grater to get your carrots breakfast ready! They also freeze well so you can make it even easier on yourself any morning!
So tell me:
+ Any favorite secret ingredients or short-cut ingredients?
+ Do you ever cook with baby food?
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What an ingenious waffle recipe!
Sure, thanks!
I love the sweetness that carrots can bring to things like this. Great idea!
Yea, sure!
I would never have thought of adding protein powder to frosting! Ingenious!
All right then.
This is such a cool hack. Applesauce is a pretty common food, so I guess carrot-sauce should be too. 🙂
You can always find jars of baby food applesauce, carrot puree, and squash puree in my pantry 😉
Good idea! I use baby apple pots as an egg replacer all the time!
Yes! It’s the best!
What a brilliant idea! I’ve tried all kinds ofways of sneaking veggies into my kids’ food but it’s never occured to me to use a jar of baby food – genius!
This is one of the best “sneaky” ways 😉
Your secret is out! These carrot cake waffles are definitely “what’s for breakfast” at our house this week!
Awesome! Thanks Deb!
These look delicious!
Thank you, Elle!
I used to make carrot cake with baby food carrots all the time. Great time saver.
The best vegan baking hack!
these look incredible and yes, i have used baby food before – apple purée pouches as a sweetner in baking xx
Yup! Applesauce jars, carrot, pear, squash!
Wow! These sound decadent! I love unique waffles and pancakes 🙂
The more fun and special the better!
So yummy, i have saved this recipe and will try to make it for my kids. Thank you for sharing this !
Fantastic! They will love it!
This is such a delicious idea! I love it!!
Thank you!
These look so delicious I’m all for baking with baby food!!!
You should 😉 it’s a great hack! Haha!
I love carrot cake + love this waffles version!
Yes! Thank you!
Sounds delicious for a healthy alternative X
Totally!
These look so delicious, Rebecca! Just perfect for spring! 🙂 And what a great idea to use sweet carrot puree!
Spring sunshine!
I would love to just pick the brain of a recipe developer like you Rebecca! These look beautiful.
Thank you sweetheart!
I’m obsessed with anything & everything “carrot cake” and your waffles looks amazing! What a great idea with the baby food! I’d never heard of that!
We’ve got yo sneak veggies and carrot cake into our diets anyway we can 😉
Thanks for sharing! These look yummy!
Thanks!
Oh nice! I love the addition of carrots. I add them to Scottish oaty flapjacks but hadn’t thought of adding them to waffles. Stumbled, pinned and yummed.
Thank you dear! Carrots (veggies) are good in EVERYTHING 😉
I love a healthy waffle/pancake recipe! Excellent idea to flavor with baby food instead of worrying about preparing your own carrot puree or shredded carrots.
Right! Easy peasy swap!
Well aren’t you a smarty pants-hahaha! I LOVE this idea, so, so smart. I actually used to buy baby food plums and peaches for a snack when I was in school. It tasted like a healthy fruit pudding. You can only imagine the looks I got. 😉
Hahaha, it’s okay! I would bring cold brussels sprouts as a snack in elementary school! Now that’s where the looks are!
Sounds yummy!
Thanks!
Great idea!
Thanks!
Wow – never thought of using baby food for cooking before! Interesting recipe – I’m going to give it a go! Thanks for sharing!
The best for vegan cooking!
Baby food waffles! lol
What a great idea! Isn’t it weird how ideas for recipes suddenly pop into your head? It constantly amazes me. I am usually in the grocery store when inspiration hits me too.
Your waffles look delicious. I adore carrot cake and could totally dig this for breakfast!
These were one of my first recipes with baby food, and I’m so glad I took that “leap”! Haha! Now you can always find JARS and JARS in my pantry!
These look soooo good girl! Love the bright orange! I have totally used carrot baby food before in baking. I have a really old cookie recipe on my blog where I used it, lol!! Your waffles look 10 times better and so healthy!
Baby food is my baking life savor! Haha! So easy and cheap!
I have the waffle iron you told me about sitting in my Amazon basket. Gonna order it this weekend!!!
OMG! YES!!! I’m telling you, that thing is the best!!!! Seriously no mess or clean up! It pops of perfectly (even while it’s gluten-free and vegan)! You are going to love it!!!!
Hello, Those look wonderful! Thank you for sharing. Pinned!
Thank you!
Not only is this beautiful to look at, I’m surprised at how healthy and allergy friendly this is compared to normal waffles. I’m tucking this into my pocket for sure. 🙂
Great! I hope you make them soon!
Yes! baby food is so great for baking. We don’t have applesauce here in the UK so I always use baby food apple puree 😀 These look so damn good. I love carrot cake and love waffles so it’s like my dream breakfast!
Me too! I buy the apple, carrot, squash, pear…really any!
Such a great idea! I once tried to use pureed spinach to make green cupcakes. It didn’t work, but you also couldn’t taste the hidden veggies.
Really! Blending a little spinach into the batter always works!!
Hi Rebecca,
Sounds like a great idea to use baby food. These waffles look and sound delicious.
Thank you!
What a beautiful breakfast option and a great combo of two of my favorite things! Pinning!
Thank you Jessy!
I am not a big carrot fan, but these waffles look good!
These will make you a fan!
what a clever use for baby food!
Haha, thanks!
Well, now I wish i had a waffle maker. Might have to try these as pancakes, or maybe even do this in my next batch of sourdough scones!
O man! Carrot cake sourdough scones!?!? Do it!!!
These waffles look delicious!
Thank you!
What a genius idea! They look delicious and I feel like these would make for a perfect addition to Sunday brunch…especially on Easter!
Yup, that would be it!
Easter morning breakfast for sure!
Yes! Totally!
I love the idea to use baby food. SO, so clever!
Ha, it was 3 years ago!
Well… Now you give me another idea how to “smuggle” more vegetables for my kid’s meal. thx ! 🙂 Always love your healthy food ideas, keep it on girl… 🙂
And they will be begging for more (veggies!) Thank you dear!
Oh my gosh, these look so good!
Thank you!
Baby food is a genius idea and what a time saver!
That it is!
That is a hilarious secret ingredient!! I made my own baby food for my daughter and this would have been an excellent way to use up any leftovers she had! Now just need to get a waffle maker!
Ah yea, baby food is no longer just for babies!
These look amazing! What a great idea to use baby food as a puree – what a time saver! Thanks for sharing, glad to have found your site (I’m’ a yogi too)!
I always have jars stocked in the pantry! Thank you!
Goodness girl what a clever idea!! These waffles look amazing. Thanks for the recipe <3
Thanks Erin! A classic seasonal breakfast!
I am taking out the waffle iron this weekend!
Woohoo! Good decision!
These look crazy-good. Love the “secret”! 🙂
Thank you dear!
This cake looks so delicious, I just have to pin it to my Easter Board! Thank you so much for sharing!
Haha, you mean waffles 😉 Thanks!
Yum. These look delicious.
My “secret hack” is buying pre-cut toppings from the salad bar when I’m making pizza at home. Saves me from wasting ingredients & I can get a big variety.
That’s a fun idea! Great for kids too to make personal pizzas!
I love hosting Real Food Fridays because I get to read interesting recipes like this one. Pinning to my breakfast board, thanks for sharing, come by tonight and share some more.
Thanks Joyce! I’m so glad I found your linkup 🙂
Great idea! I always pick up the apple puree from the baby food section as that’s the only place I can get unsweetened applesauce here but I’d completely looked over carrot. Will add it to my shopping list and hope they have it!
Unsweetened apple sauce is hard to find! I just picked up some butternut squash puree last weekend and plan on trying it out tomorrow!
Hi there. Thinking about featuring you on Allergy Free Wed but we need a link back- please :).
Problem solved!
Oh, that looks delicious.
Now I also get hungry.
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Haha thank you!
I think this is clever. Yeah, you can make your own puree, but for something quick, the baby food solution works wonders! Years ago there was a dessert recipe floating around which used plum puree (nowhere near as easy to make as carrot puree) and everyone used baby food. I’m sure the waffles were awesome! Now, to come up with a cream cheese frosting drizzle 🙂
I’m excited to try some other baby purees! I just need to get back to the store 😉
I love this idea!!! Carrots are my favorite veggie – they are so sweet on their own!
Carrots have always been my favorite veggie for years now! They are good anyway you eat or prepare them! I love raw carrots and cashew butter…so good!
Imagine that! Waffles that taste like my favorite cake–for breakfast! It must my birthday! This dairy and gluten-free waffle recipe has stolen my heart. They look so light and tasty with vanilla protein sauce. Yum! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe with us at the Happy, Healthy, Green and Natural Hop! I really appreciate it! All the best, Deb
Haha you can have your cake and eat it too!
I am not the big fan of baby food because once I tasted puree from broccoli of the younger brother… It was awful! Anything similar to natural tasty broccoli. And as secret ingredient I like to add beans. They aren’t felt at all in chocolate sweets 😉
All it is is carrot puree though so…it tastes like carrots haha!
Um this is genius! I seriously might try this and not tell my husband what the secret ingredient is!
You should! Its nothing to be ashamed of! 😉 Be a trickster!
I’ve totally done the same thing! With our kiddo, once he got much older and would not eat from those jars, we had a stash and I felt too bad to let them go to waste – and they had expiry dates too! This sounds delicious!
Thanks Jade 🙂 And I hate wasting things too, especially food!
Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm! A girl after my own heart! Carrot cake anything is brilliant.
I have used baby food in cooking – always purees. For such a long time, I couldn’t find unsweetened applesauce in Australia and I was tired of having to make my own – but then I noticed the baby food apple puree/applesauce was unsweetened so I started using that. Now luckily I can get proper unsweetened applesauce but the baby food definitely served its purpose!
It something that is right under everyone’s nose but they just never think of it!
Ha!! Funny fact- I adore baby food carrots! I could eat bowls of it warmed as soup and I love baking with it! PS- it’s good frozen in cubes for smoothies too!
Haha love the smoothie idea! That’s what I do with extra pumpkin puree 😉
I LOVE that you used actual carrots – even if it is baby food! 😉
I just wanted a “smooth” waffle and didn’t feel like getting put a food processor!
Or CLEANING the food processor! ha ha! 😉
Or clean the food processor! LOL!
That’s never too bad, just add hot water and dish soap to the attachment close the lid and give it a whirl!
I’ve never cooked with baby food but have to admit I’ve tried some (having two daughters), it’s not bad…well, some of it is, like green beans. But this recipe sounds great!
All it is is pureed carrots and water so of course it wouldn’t taste weird!
Never would have guessed baby food! Yum!
Haha it was the perfect easy solution to carrot puree!