If your mornings are busy (and when aren’t they with littles?), these apple cinnamon oatmeal waffles will be your new favorite. They’re inspired by my super easy banana waffles that are made with just a few simple ingredients you likely have on hand! So when you're stuck not knowing what to make for breakfast, you can pull these out of your back pocket. Soft and naturally sweet, they’re perfect for little hands to grab and enjoy!
Why You and Your Toddler Will Love These Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles
- 6 ingredients you already have in the pantry
- no added sugar - applesauce + vanilla extract brings the sweetness
- soft texture - easy for toddlers to chew and safe for babies starting solids
- quick + easy - ready in under 15 minutes
- freezer-friendly - batch cook and save for busy mornings
If your toddler is a waffle lover, then I bet they'd love my spinach waffles, carrot cake waffles, or even my zucchini waffles too!
Jump to:
- Why You and Your Toddler Will Love These Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Here's How To Make Your Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles
- Hint For The Best Waffles
- Substitutions
- Variations
- How To Serve Oatmeal Waffles To Toddlers
- Equipment
- Storing Your Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles
- Tiff's Dietitian Tip
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Easy Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles (baby & toddler friendly)
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's everything you'll need to make these apple cinnamon oatmeal waffles:
- oat flour (or blend rolled oats): wholesome base with fiber + iron
- unsweetened applesauce: adds moisture + natural sweetness
- eggs: help bind the waffles and add protein + choline + iron + vitamin D
- baking powder: makes waffles fluffy
- cinnamon: warm, cozy flavor
- vanilla extract: flavor without the added sugar
- optional for bonus nutrients: Tiny Sprouts Brain Booster seeds or hemp hearts
See recipe card for quantities.
Here's How To Make Your Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles
- Step 1: Heat waffle iron and lightly grease.
- Step 2: Stir together oat flour, applesauce, eggs, baking powder, and cinnamon until smooth.
- Step 3: Pour batter into waffle iron and cook until golden brown and firm (about 3–4 minutes).
- Step 4: Cool slightly, then cut into strips or serve with toppings of choice!
Hint For The Best Waffles
Don’t rush the waffle maker! Let the waffles cook until the steam mostly stops coming out of the sides, that’s the sign they’re fully cooked inside and will release easily without sticking. Opening the waffle iron too soon is the #1 cause of broken waffles (trust me...I've done it plenty of times).
Substitutions
These apple cinnamon oatmeal waffles are naturally gluten, dairy, and nut-free!
- egg-free: use flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water per egg)
- oat flour: no oat flour? just blend rolled oats in a blender until fine or sub with whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- spices: swap cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice for a cozy fall twist
Variations
Feel free to add mix-ins into these apple cinnamon oatmeal waffles for added flavor + texture!
- apple chunk waffles: stir in grated apple for extra texture or bite size pieces in
- banana-apple waffles: replace half the applesauce with mashed banana
- apple white chocolate chip: add a handful of white chocolate chips for added fun + flavor
- apple pecan: stir in crushed pecans for crunch, healthy fats, and fall flavor
Be sure to check out these carrot cake waffle pops to see how you can even turn these waffles into fun popsicles for your littles (everything is more fun on a popsicle stick)!
How To Serve Oatmeal Waffles To Toddlers
- cut into strips or bite-size pieces for dipping
- top with plain Greek yogurt and cooked apple pieces
- spread with nut or seed butter for a protein boost
- serve plain as a handheld snack on-the-go
- add to a lunchbox with cheese cubes and fruit (yes, these are daycare and school-friendly!)
Equipment
You’ll need a blender or food processor to make oat flour (unless you buy it pre-ground), plus a mixing bowl and spoon to bring the batter together. A measuring cup makes portioning into the waffle iron simple, and of course, you’ll need a waffle maker. I love this multi mini waffle iron for prepping. A cooling rack is also helpful so the waffles don’t get soggy as they rest.
Storing Your Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles
Store leftovers in the fridge for 3–4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat in the toaster or air fryer for quick weekday breakfasts.
Tiff's Dietitian Tip
These waffles are made with oats, which give a nice boost of fiber and iron - two nutrients toddlers often need more of! If you want to boost the nutrition even more, then stir in 2 tablespoon of Tiny Sprouts Brain Booster seeds or hemp hearts into the batter!
FAQ
Yes! Use flax eggs instead (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water per egg).
Totally! Just blend 1 cup of oats to make the flour.
Absolutely! Feel free to add 1-2 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey into the batter for added sweetness.
Yes, of course! Just cook in a skillet like typical pancakes.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these apple cinnamon oatmeal waffles:
Easy Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles (baby & toddler friendly)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour or blend rolled oats into flour
- ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce or 2 small packaged cups of applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon Tiny Sprouts Brain Booster seeds optional
Instructions
- Heat waffle iron and lightly grease.
- Stir together oat flour, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and cinnamon until smooth.
- Pour batter into waffle iron and cook until golden brown and firm (about 3–4 minutes).
- Cool slightly, then cut into strips or serve with toddler-friendly toppings.
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