Coconut Pandan Waffles Recipe
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This coconut pandan waffles recipe makes soft, fragrant waffles with a beautiful green color and just the right amount of sweetness. A popular Thai street snack you can easily make at home.
What are pandan waffles?
Pandan waffles are bright green waffles made with flour, eggs, coconut milk, sugar, and pandan juice blended from fresh pandan leaves. The pandan gives them their natural green color and a fragrant flavor people often compare to vanilla with a hint of coconut.
In Thailand, pandan coconut waffles are a popular street snack. Vendors pour the batter into waffle irons at markets, street stalls, and often near the entrances of shopping malls. Within minutes the whole area smells sweet and fragrant, and people line up to grab one while it’s still warm.
Tip: If pandan leaves are hard to find, try my Thai coconut waffles or coconut milk waffles. They’re just as delicious and don’t require pandan!
What makes these different from regular waffles?
If you’re picturing the crispy waffles you might eat with butter and maple syrup, these are a little different.
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes & substitutes
You can find everything at Asian grocery stores or markets. Head to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- Pandan leaves: Blended and strained to make pandan juice, which adds natural color and that fragrant, slightly nutty aroma that pandan waffles are known for.
- Water: Used to help blend the pandan leaves into a smooth juice.
- Coconut milk: Adds richness and a subtle coconut flavor. I recommend Aroy-D.
- Oil (or butter): Keeps the waffles moist and prevents sticking.
- Egg: Helps bind the batter and give the waffles a light, fluffy texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out both pandan and coconut flavors.
- Sugar: Adds mild sweetness and helps the waffles brown nicely in the waffle iron.
- All purpose flour: Gives the waffles structure while keeping them soft inside; sift it if it looks clumpy so the batter stays smooth.
- Baking powder: Provides lift so the waffles cook up light instead of dense.
- Young coconut meat (optional): Add texture and a little chew inside the waffles; optional but very common in Thai-style pandan waffles.
- Green food coloring (optional): Only needed if your pandan juice is pale. I always skip it for waffles.
How to make pandan waffles
Step 1: Extract the pandan juice. Blend the pandan leaves with the water until finely broken down. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cloth, pressing well to extract the green juice.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients.
In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder until evenly combined.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, salt, coconut milk, pandan juice, and oil until smooth and well combined.
Step 4: Combine wet and dry.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, whisking just until smooth. Do not overmix.
Step 5: Rest the batter. Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes. This allows it to thicken slightly and helps the waffles cook evenly.
Step 6: Pour batter. Preheat and lightly grease the waffle iron, then pour enough batter to cover the base of the waffle iron.
Step 7: Add coconut (optional). Scatter some young coconut meat over the batter if using.
Step 8: Cook until set. Close the waffle iron and cook until the waffle is set.
Step 9: Serve. Remove the waffle carefully and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm.
My favorite serving ideas
Tips for making this recipe
❥ Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until combined so the waffles stay light inside, not dense or chewy.
❥ Grease the waffle iron. Pandan batter can be sticky, so a good coating prevents tearing.
❥ Preheat properly. A fully heated waffle iron helps the waffles cook well.
How to store
- Room temperature (short term). Keep cooled waffles in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
- Refrigerate for longer storage. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Coconut Pandan Waffles Recipe
Equipment
- Blender (for pandan juice)
- Fine mesh sieve or cloth
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- waffle iron
- Pastry brush or oil spray
Ingredients
- 2 oz pandan leaves
- ½ cup water
- 2 eggs
- 1½ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- young coconut meat, optional
Instructions
- Extract pandan juice: Blend pandan leaves with water until finely broken down. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cloth, pressing well to extract the green juice.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and baking powder until evenly combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, salt, coconut milk, pandan juice, and oil until smooth.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, whisking just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Rest batter: Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Cook waffles: Preheat and lightly grease the waffle iron. Pour in enough batter to cover the base.
- Add coconut (optional): Sprinkle young coconut meat over the batter if using.
- Cook: Close the waffle iron and cook until the waffle is set, lightly golden, and fragrant.
- Serve: Remove carefully and repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.