One of my favorite cookies from my childhood was Stella Doro’s Breakfast Treats. As a kid, I used to call them, “‘S’ cookies,” because they were shaped as a giant letter “S.“ These were one of the few non-chocolate chip cookies that I really, really liked.
I remember coming home from school in the afternoon, and scarfin’ down those “S” cookies with a glass of milk, while watching cartoons.
Aaahh, the joys of bein’ a kid!!
Those cookies just had that wonderful, addicting flavor that I still love to this day.
Believe it or not, I never knew what ingredient produced that distinct flavor until very recently. I never realized it was amaretto that powered this and other beloved treats of its kind.
I don’t really see amaretto used as a star ingredient much, or see it as abundantly throughout my foodie travels, or, even online, for that matter.
I wanted to give amaretto the attention it deserves, and include it in a delicious high protein, high fiber recipe that you could enjoy for breakfast, post workout, or as an afternoon snack, reminiscent from my childhood….and of course, it was gonna include some of my favorite ingredients….
So without further adieu, enter… my Blackberry Amaretto Protein Waffles!!
Amaretto is a sweet Italian liqueur from Saronna, Italy flavored from bitter almonds, apricot pits, and sometimes peach. The non-alcoholic substitute for this is almond extract, which just one teaspoon of it provides a TON of amaretto flavor. And I mean, a TON. I prefer to use the extract over the actual alcohol because it provides less sugars, and I feel the flavor is more intense and concentrated.
Amaretto just naturally pairs really well with chocolate, and so I made sure to include antioxidant-rich dark chocolate chips in this recipe. I mean, how could you not??!!
When it comes to pancakes, waffles, crepes, or desserts—-chocolate goes well with everything! Just like peanut butter, in my book!
I wanted to add fruits to it to boost its nutritional value and so blackberries were added to the mix. Blackberries are a neglected fruit, I feel, and I give it much love here as a star ingredient. I’ve added it to the batter, and as a compote sauce poured over on top.
Also, I had to add cinnamon, my favorite dessert spice, to enhance the flavor even more and take it over the top— just the way I like it!
Almond flour and whey protein combine to provide the base for these waffles, great for protein, fiber, and because of almond flour‘s low carb content.
And to top it off, nothing beats that almond butter drizzle to compliment the dominant amaretto flavor!
The combination of all of these flavors coming together, the absolute deliciousness….will no doubt, blow your mind!
Ultimate deliciousness!!
In making this recipe, I experimented with using amaretto liqueur and its non-alcoholic substitute, almond extract. Suprisingly, almond extract provided a much more, intense amaretto flavor than using amaretto liqueur itself—and at about 1/10 the amount!
If you follow the recipe as specifed down below, one teaspoon of almond extract is all you need for that wonderful amaretto goodness to shine through these waffles!
Once you pour it into the batter, and when that baby starts cooking, the aroma is almost intoxicating!
Here are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Blackberry Amaretto Protein Waffles:
Blackberries are a nutritious powerhouse and according to numerous studies, may be one of the top cancer-fighting foods. These berries have a high concentration of antioxidants, like polyphenols and anthocyanins, and both are said to help fight against cell DNA damage, tumor growth, and inflammation. Vitamins K in blackberries have been shown to help support the cardiovascular system, and its high vitamin C content has been shown to help boost skin health.
Dark Chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, flavonoids, and polyphenols—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, help fight disease, and help fight free radical damage to cells in our body. Flavonols in dark chocolate have been shown to maybe help improve blood circulation to the heart, the brain, and may help lower blood pressure.
Almonds, which are basically ground up to create almond flour, contain exceptional amounts of protein, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, riboflavin, calcium. They contain a special kind of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol—studies show this antioxidant may be a powerful cancer-fighter. Almonds contain monounsaturated fatty acids, “healthy fats,” which studies have shown may help support the heart and may help to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Cinnamon is considered the most antioxidant-rich spice in the world. The antioxidants found in cinnamon are believed to fight off disease, protect DNA cell damage, slow the aging process, and may help fight cancer. Studies have shown cinnamon may improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and increasing blood circulation.
OK, for these Blackberry Amaretto Protein Waffles, here’s what you’ll need:
If you like these, then you gotta try my…
- Acai Blueberry Protein Waffles
- Dark Chocolate Blackberry S’mores Protein Bars
- Blackberry Pitaya Protein Smoothie
Some quick notes:
-Just one teaspoon of almond extract provides a TON of amaretto flavor! Add or subtract to your liking! I want that flavor to POP, and one teaspoon provides more than enough to get that “OOMPH!” I’m looking for.
-If you will be using actual amaretto liqueur, the substitution ratio is about:
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur = 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
-Be sure to mash those blackberries before adding them into the batter. This will ensure that blackberry flavor and its nutrients is fully incorporated into the batter. If using frozen blackberries, just place them in a bowl and microwave them for about 30 seconds to defrost for easier mashing.
Alright then, let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 12-15 minutes |
| Servings |
waffles
|
- 3/4 banana
- 2 egg whites
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup blackberries (mashed or sliced)
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup blackberries
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Ingredients
Waffle batter:
Blackberry compote:
Garnish:
|
|
- Preheat waffle maker/iron.
- In large mixing bowl, mash banana with fork into a puree. Add whole egg, egg whites, almond extract, vanilla extract, almond milk. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.
- In separate bowl, add flour, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder. Mix thoroughly.
- Gradually pour dry ingredient bowl contents into large wet ingredient bowl while mixing. Mix until batter forms. Add mashed blackberries, chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly.
- Measure about 1/2 cup of batter and pour into waffle maker. Let cook for about 4-5 minutes, or as specified by your waffle maker. Repeat process until all batter is done.
- Meanwhile, set a sauce pan to low/med heat. Add maple syrup, blackberries. Stir and break down blackberries as it simmers for about 5 minutes.
- Add toppings to waffles. Pour blackberry compote on top. Enjoy!!
-Just 1 tsp of almond extract provides a TON of amaretto flavor! Add or subtract to your liking.
-If you will be using actual amaretto liqueur, the substitution ratio is about:
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur = 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
-Be sure to mash those blackberries before adding them into the batter. This will ensure that blackberry flavor and its nutrients is fully incorporated into the batter. If using frozen blackberries, just place them in a bowl and microwave them for about 30 seconds to defrost for easier mashing.
Did you try this recipe? How did it turn out for you?? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comments section below or use the social media buttons!!
Waffles:
Blackberry compote:
Almond butter drizzle:
Nutritional information is an approximation using Nutrifox, information from Google, and my own calculations to the best of my knowledge. It is not the definitive values or guaranteed to be 100% accurate information. Use only as a reference.**
