Easy Bubble Waffles
Bubble waffles are a trendy street food snack that is so fun to eat! Try this pop of flavor for a fun snack.
Looking to make a homemade bubble waffle? Popular for its unique custard egg flavor and its crispy spheres, a Hong Kong-style bubble waffle cone is perfect for filling with your favorite sweet toppings. Its bubbles will pop in your mouth!
Gai Daan Jai, as they’re known in their country of origin Hong Kong, are bubble waffles that are often sold at street vendors in cities. They are traditionally folded into a cone and then filled with strawberries, chocolate, and whipped cream–or other toppings. As they’ve gained popularity in western culture, the trendy bubble waffle has frequently been paired with boba tea in chains like Happy Lemon where they’re available with Nutella™ and other dessert toppings to make a sweet treat.
But like most desserts, an egg waffle is so much better at home. This Hong Kong-style waffle recipe will teach you how to make them plain like butter cookies as well as add toppings to take the dessert to the next level.
Jump to recipe sections:
- What is a bubble waffle?
- Where do bubble waffles come from?
- What's the difference between a Belgian waffle and a bubble waffle?
- Are bubble waffles healthy?
- How do you make bubble waffles gluten free?
- Can you make keto bubble waffle ice cream?
- How do you make keto boba bubble waffles?
- What toppings should you put on a bubble waffle?
- How do you store keto bubble waffles?
What is a bubble waffle?
A bubble waffle is an egg based waffle that contains a bubble-like spherical shell texture. These waffles are usually paired with fruit, spreads, or other toppings, and are most often served warm. They have a pliable texture due to the extra egg in the waffle mixture, making them ideal for holding a plethora of different toppings, or as a cone for ice cream!
Where do bubble waffles come from?
Although sometimes thought of as from Japan or Korea, bubble waffles were invented in Hong Kong. They came after the war, during a hard economic time, and businesses were forced to find new ways to make the same thing. The result was a waffle that was made in a special pan to have soft bubbles you can bite into with crispy, cookie-like edges and a sweet custard taste due to being made of eggs.
What's the difference between a Belgian waffle and a bubble waffle?
The main difference between a Belgian waffle and a bubble waffle is their shape. Bubble waffles are known for their round shells that are full of little circular shapes made from a honeycomb mold, while Belgian waffles look like your classic waffle with deeper pockets throughout. Bubble waffles also tend to contain more eggs, which helps them twist around other toppings such as ice cream. They are also thinner in size than Belgian waffles with a slightly different taste.
Are bubble waffles healthy?
Bubble waffles are not normally healthy. That is because they contain regular flour and, more often than not, have toppings and ice cream that are full of sugars and carbs. Also, stores like Happy Lemon tend to have bubble waffles that are not keto friendly for this reason as well. This is why we’ve made a gluten free bubble waffle recipe that’s keto friendly, swapping flour for grain free flour and reducing their sugar by using our sugar free Nutella inspired chocolate spread.
How do you make bubble waffles gluten free?
You make bubble waffles gluten free by using coconut or almond flour! But these waffles are already one step ahead: because they are made from eggs, it is easy to make sugar free since almond flour and other grain free flours will have a less noticeable taste when a flavor as strong as eggs is the dominant flavoring in a baked good.
Can you make keto bubble waffle ice cream?
You can make keto bubble waffle ice cream by using our keto friendly ice cream recipe! Bubble waffle ice cream is extremely popular in many places that bubble waffles are sold, and this is a great way to get that same fun dessert experience of multiple flavors combining into one, while also keeping it low carb. Wrap your waffle into a cone shape, place the ice cream in, and enjoy!
How do you make keto boba bubble waffles?
You can make keto boba bubble waffles by adding boba to this keto boba recipe! Simply add boba to the top of your bubble waffle ice cream cone. Boba is a great way to add an extra texture to your bubble waffle. The chewiness will take your healthy street food waffle to a whole other level. Custard waffles and bubble tea are also a great combination to drink and eat, which is why they are so often sold together.
What toppings should you put on a bubble waffle?
Some toppings you should put on a bubble waffle are Nutella™, cookie butter, and chocolate chips. These toppings are often full of sugar and not keto, so we prefer these sugar free Nutella™, cookie butter, and chocolate chips from our shop! Sprinkle as much as you want onto the waffle itself, or go crazy and put it on the ice cream inside your waffle. Get as creative as you’d like!
How do you store keto bubble waffles?
You store these spongy keto bubble waffles by putting them into an airtight container or bag in the fridge. Try to consume your leftover egg waffles within 3 days. If you want them to last longer, you can also place them in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can heat them in the microwave, or in the air fryer for an added crunchiness to the cake-like waffle. We prefer the air fryer!
