Lemon Ricotta Poppyseed Chaffles offer a delicious low carb dessert or low carb breakfast option. This is a sweet chaffle recipe that takes only 6 ingredients and one bowl! Rich ricotta makes it hearty, fresh lemon adds brightness, and poppyseeds add a bit of texture.
Here we are, smack dab in the middle of January. How are your resolutions going? I’m not much of a resolution maker, at least not as an annual new year’s tradition.
I have goals. I make plans. I just don’t tie them to the timing or stress of a new year’s resolution. Reducing carbs is part of an ongoing plan for me, not a resolution.
For those of you who already have, want or need to eat a low carb diet, have I got a new option for you!
Remember my Four Basic Chaffle Recipes post? That post, from just 3 months ago, is now the most popular post on my site! It’s also had the fastest growth of any post on my site. It’s definitely a record breaker.
And for good reason. Chaffles are low carb, easy and delicious.
Oh, and there are infinite options for different flavors and cheeses. Experimenting is fun. Ask my family. They’re the taste testers and they’ve loved every bite.
It’s funny to see everyone waiting for what comes out of a tiny waffle iron.
In that first post, I give you four basic ways to make a chaffle. Use it as your springboard to customize to your individual needs and preferences.
I certainly did when I followed up that post with Low Carb Stuffing Chaffles. Just a few tweaks here and there and suddenly I had a super tasty low carb stuffing choice or a flavorful bread substitute choice.
I’ve become obsessed with the ease and versatility of chaffles.
I can also say that I’ve become obsessed with socca. Yeah. Socca. Better yet, Socca Pizza. That’s right, pizza. Lower carb. High fiber. Protein. Go check it out. But I digress. Let’s get back to chaffles.
If you haven’t been following along, maybe you’re wondering, what the heck is she talking about? What is a chaffle, anyway?
What is a chaffle?
A chaffle is a cheese waffle. In its most basic state, it is two ingredients: an egg and cheese. It has recently become a very popular low carb bread choice.
It’s not generally a low fat choice because of the cheese and egg; instead, it’s a low carb or lower carb choice depending upon what you put into it.
How can you use chaffles?
Really, let your imagination be your guide. They’re great as a sub for bread. I love using them in place of a hamburger bun. (Seriously, I almost want to take some ready made chaffles with me if I know we’re eating hamburgers at a restaurant.)
You can also eat them as a waffle. You’ll see in my chaffle post how I use maple extract to really bring that waffle flavor home.
(If you want more info on chaffles…head on over to the basic chaffle post.)
You can flavor them in so many ways. As I’ve mentioned above, I created a recipe that tastes like Thanksgiving stuffing.
Today, I’m headed down the dessert route with Lemon Ricotta Poppyseed Chaffles.
I could have gone any number of ways with this particular chaffle, but lemon ricotta? That was a no brainer.
You know that I love my Lemon Ricotta Poppyseed Scones and Lemon Ricotta Crumb Cake. from the “not low carb” section of my site.
I mean…almost everyone loves lemon and ricotta, no?
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Can I make a chaffle in a regular waffle iron?
Yes. In fact, this dessert chaffle recipe, my maple chaffle recipe and my stuffing chaffle recipe are perfect for making in a typical waffle iron.
Because we’re basically making a type of cake today, a fluffy belgian version would be just fine. Depending upon your iron, you’ll probably get one waffle instead of two.
However, when I want to make “bread”, I happen to love making them in this tiny waffle iron, the Dash Mini{aff. link}
It’s relatively inexpensive, takes up little room in my kitchen and I don’t have to dirty my large Belgian waffle iron when all I’m making is two chaffles.
Oh…and it heats up in a flash. I hate waiting for things to preheat. This iron heats up in just minutes.
When making them in the Dash, one recipe makes 2 chaffles. The wells in the Dash are shallower than in a typical waffle iron. This is perfect when you need chaffles to stand in for bread to make a sandwich.
If making chaffles in a typical waffle iron for bread, I would still make 2 chaffles with the recipe, but I would spoon half the batter into just the center of each of 2 large wells. No need to spread it around. Just let it cook in the center of the wells.
Or, if making chaffles in a typical waffle iron for dessert, assuming the well can hold it (my belgian waffle maker can), I would put the whole recipe into one well and make one, big, thick waffle.
What types of cheese can you use to make a chaffle?
In my other posts, I use a finely shredded mozzarella. It’s a fairly neutral flavor for basic needs.
But, boy, go ahead and try a cheddar or pepperjack or swiss. You’ll have to hold yourself back from that cheesy goodness.
For today, though…we’re using ricotta for our cheese. I love ricotta for many reasons, but for our purposes today, it’s simply easier than going down the cream cheese route.
Why? Because it’s ready to use straight out of the refrigerator. You don’t have to soften it or melt it as you might with cream cheese. The egg is cold, the cheese is cold. You don’t have to wait for anything to come to room temperature. It’s definitely a time bonus.
What types of sweeteners are best for sweet chaffles?
As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t use any artificial sweeteners. So, I used just a teaspoon of regular granulated sugar.
That may not be an option or a preference for you.
Many low carb dessert recipes use monkfruit based sweeteners as the favored option. Others prefer stevia.
I believe recipes are merely a guide, not the law. So, use what works for you.
Alternative sweeteners will work beautifully in this recipe. You’ll just have to adjust the amount of sweetener you add based on your own preference as well as the type of sweetener you use. Most are much sweeter than regular sugar, so you’ll likely use less.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re not watching carbs and just want a quick but sugary treat, go ahead and add more sugar or drizzle the chaffle with icing or cover it in powdered sugar. The only rules are your rules.
How sweet is this chaffle?
Not super sweet. It’s just sweet enough to make it feel like dessert to me. I told my family it was more like a not too sweet European dessert. (How’s that for a sales pitch? :)
But, if you prefer very sweet desserts, you’ll need to add more sweetener. One teaspoon was my limit. It wasn’t worth the carbs for another, and honestly, for my taste, it didn’t need it.
My family ate them for dessert and had no issues, but they are pretty flexible on things like this.
You could even make these chaffles with no sugar inside and then dust them with powdered sugar (real or artificial) afterwards so that you get that instant hit of sweetness on your palate.
Bottom line, use the recipe as a guide and inspiration, then add or subtract as you like.
How to make Lemon Ricotta Poppyseed Chaffles
One bowl. Six ingredients. It really couldn’t be easier. The only real work is zesting the lemon, and that happens in a flash because you only need a bit. So, really, it’s practically no work at all.
Mix up the egg, ricotta, almond flour, sweetener, poppy seeds and lemon zest. The recipe makes 2 chaffles, so take about 1/4 cup of the batter and bake them in the waffle iron. Repeat with the remaining batter.
You’ll know they’re done when the steam begins to lessen. Don’t wait for the steam to stop completely. There’s a lot of moisture in these chaffles, so there will be a lot of steam. But, you don’t want to over cook them. They should be golden brown and fully set. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
For those of you who’ve made my other chaffles, I found that these took less time to cook than the basic chaffle recipes I’ve posted.
Do I need to use almond flour?
Yes. If you want a good texture and some fluffiness to your chaffle, you’ll need to use the almond flour or something that will give the batter body. Ricotta reacts differently than the shredded cheeses used in the basic chaffle recipes. It’s full of moisture and doesn’t create a sturdy crust like the shredded cheeses.
Of course, in my haste, I accidentally made one batch without the almond flour. Same flavor, but it didn’t have a lot of body or texture. We ate it without issue, but it was more like an eggy crepe than a waffle. Add the almond flour for best results.
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Yes. You can sub in coconut flour, but I haven’t experimented with it to tell you exactly how much to use. I would try 2 teaspoons (instead of the 2 Tablespoons of almond flour) and then let it sit for at least 10 minutes so that the flour can absorb the liquid. (Coconut flour is more absorbent than almond flour, so you’ll have to use it sparingly or add more liquid to compensate for it.)
How to serve Lemon Ricotta Poppyseed Chaffles
I had some leftover ricotta cheese, so I scooped a little bit on my stack of chaffles and added a few fresh berries. I love how that little scoop looks like a scoop of whipped butter or a tiny scoop of ice cream.
In any case, I enjoyed every bite, as did my family.
The chaffles come out moist and tender. They’re kind of like a warm, somewhat custardy cheesecake, but with more texture. They might remind you a little bit of ricotta pancakes, but again, there’s more texture to them. I like to think of them as sort of a cheesecake cake souffle-ish snack.
If you’re eating them as breakfast waffles, you can serve them the same way, or with whipped cream, low carb syrup, a dusting of powdered sugar, maybe some blueberries. They’re also good plain.
Of course, I’m giving you an awesome base for other options. Imagine different citrus flavors or spices. Yum!
How to store chaffles
Store chaffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I prefer a warm chaffle, so I reheated mine in the microwave for a few seconds.
Can I freeze chaffles?
Yes. I’ve never had to freeze them since I basically make them to order. It’s a small batch kind of deal for me. I mean, it’s one waffle well, if you’re using the Dash mini waffle maker. So, I make two and I’m done.
If you want to freeze them, I would wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then place in a zip top freezer bag. I’d probably just reheat them in the microwave when I was ready to use them.
So let’s take a look at some of the low carb options I’ve offered up over the past few months….Between the basic chaffles that you can use for breakfast (as waffles) or lunch (as sandwich bread), Socca Pizza and now Lemon Ricotta Poppyseed Chaffles that can be used for breakfast or dessert, I kind of have you covered for all meals of the day!
Low carb options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert? Sounds like I just made a resolution :)
Yield: 2 chaffles
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Lemon Ricotta Poppyseed Chaffles offer a delicious low carb dessert or low carb breakfast option. This is a sweet chaffle recipe that takes only 6 ingredients and one bowl! Rich ricotta makes it hearty, fresh lemon adds brightness, and poppyseeds add a bit of texture.
Ingredients
For the chaffle:
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons finely ground almond flour
- 1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- 1/8 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Optional toppings:
- Ricotta cheese
- Fresh berries
Instructions
- Preheat waffle iron.
- In a small bowl whisk egg, almond flour, ricotta cheese, sugar, poppy seeds and lemon zest until fully combined.
- Spoon half of the mixture into the preheated waffle well.
- Cook until steam begins to subside, about 2-3 minutes.
- Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve with additional ricotta and fresh berries.
Notes
*This recipe makes a very lightly sweetened chaffle. Add more sweetener if you desire a sweeter chaffle. You could also dust with confectioner's sugar before serving for additional sweetness.
*If you substitute an artificial sweetener, you will probably need to use less as many are sweeter than granulated sugar, so sweeten to taste.
*You can substitute coconut flour for almond flour, though I haven't tested it to give you an exact amount. I would start with subbing 2 teaspoons of coconut flour for the 2 Tablespoons of almond flour and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes after mixing so that the coconut flour has time to absorb the liquid in the recipe.
*For the finely ground almond flour, I use Bob's Red Mill.
*You can double or triple the recipe without issue, if you're looking to make a bigger batch.
*Leftover chaffles should be wrapped and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
*See blog post for more tips.
