Vietnamese Coconut Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa) boast a delightful contrast of textures: crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and chewy on the inside.
The richness of coconut milk and the sweet fragrance of Pandan (Asian vanilla) are sure to impress you.
Table of Contents
What is Pandan?
Pandan is Southeast Asia’s answer to vanilla, loved for its mellow, sweet aroma and beautiful soft green hue.
From the tropical islands of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore to the bustling streets of Vietnam and Thailand, pandan weaves its way into countless local treats.
In Singapore, a classic breakfast pairs creamy pandan kaya (a coconut custard jam) spread over toast with a poached egg on the side. And if you’re exploring the region, don’t miss the iconic Pandan Chiffon Cake—a fluffy, fragrant dessert that’s a must-try in Southeast Asia!
Pandan leaves add a magical aroma to rice, bringing a rich, delicate flavor to steamed jasmine or coconut rice with just a single leaf.
In Thai cuisine, pandan leaves are essential for dishes like Khao Man Gai (a fragrant twist on Hainanese chicken rice). In Vietnamese cooking, they’re a must-have for Xôi Vò (mung bean sticky rice) and Cơm Gà Hải Nam (Vietnamese chicken rice).
In Vietnam, pandan—known as lá dứa or lá nếp—is a beloved ingredient, especially in desserts from the Mekong Delta. My mom always uses pandan leaves in her chè (Vietnamese dessert soups), and they make her Chè Đậu Xanh (mung bean dessert soup) my all-time favorite.
And, of course, pandan shines in other sweet treats, like the soft and bouncy pandan honeycomb cake (Bánh Bò Nướng Lá Dứa) and the deliciously layered pandan and mung bean cake (Bánh Da Lợn).
Natural or Artificial Extract?
Natural extracts bring the richest, most authentic flavor, though they don’t always deliver that vibrant color we might expect.
Take taro, for instance. Growing up, I thought taro was naturally bright purple, thanks to the vivid hue of my favorite taro milk tea and violet taro ice cream. But to my surprise, real taro desserts often come out light gray with just a subtle hint of purple!
With pandan, I’m a bit more flexible. Pandan’s charm lies in its fragrance and soft green color rather than bold flavor, so I don’t mind using artificial extracts. Just a word of caution—too much, and your dessert can turn an intense neon green, which can look a little otherworldly!
Natural pandan extract is always my top choice, but on those lazy days when I just want a quick, fragrant treat, store-bought pandan extract is a handy, fuss-free alternative.
Texture is king!!
A blend of three flours—tapioca starch, rice flour, and all-purpose flour—gives these coconut pandan waffles their irresistible texture: crispy on the outside with a delightfully chewy center.
The center of these waffles has a soft, mochi-like chew, but it’s the gentle pandan aroma and rich coconut flavor that make them so unique compared to traditional waffles.
Tapioca, which comes from cassava, adds that special chewiness. So, if you enjoy these pandan waffles, you’re bound to love Vietnamese cassava cake, Bánh Khoai Mì Nướng, too!
Ingredients
To make Coconut Pandan Waffles (or Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa), you will need the following ingredients:
- Three flours: Rice flour makes a crispy outer, tapioca starch adds a delightful chewiness to the inside while all-purpose flour helps the waffles be fluffier.
- Coconut milk and pandan extract: provide the waffles with their distinctive, rich, and creamy flavor.
- Eggs, cooking oil, sugar, salt, baking powder.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the liquid ingredients (coconut milk, eggs, cooking oil, pandan extract) along with sugar and salt. You can use a whisk or a hand-mixer to mix them together until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together tapioca starch, all-purpose flour, rice flour, and baking powder. Sift the dry ingredients to ensure they are well combined.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix well, keeping in mind that the batter may be slightly lumpy due to the tapioca starch. Don’t worry, this is normal.
- Strain the batter to remove any remaining clumps. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat your waffle maker. Even if your waffle maker has a non-stick surface, it’s a good idea to brush some melted butter onto the waffle surface to enhance the flavor and give a nice crust to the waffles.
- Give your waffle batter a quick mix before cooking, as it may have separated a bit during the resting time. Use a ladle to pour three to four scoops of batter onto the waffle iron, adjusting the amount depending on the size of your waffle iron.
- Cook the waffles until no more steam is rising from the waffle maker, indicating that they are done.
How to serve
Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa is my beloved childhood snack. Actually, It is already delicious on its own. However, in Vietnam, we sometimes enjoy these pandan waffles in different delightful combinations.
- One option is to pair them with pandan coconut sticky rice and shredded coconut, my favorite breakfast as a kid.
- Another choice is to make a waffle ice cream sandwich by adding a scoop of coconut ice cream between two waffles.
- Pandan Waffles, Pâté Chaud (Vietnamese meat pie), and Bánh Bao (Vietnamese steamed buns) are always my go-to for a light meal, especially when paired with my favorite Caramel Milk Tea.
How to store
- To store the Vietnamese coconut pandan waffles, place them in a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container. Store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- There are a few ways to reheat the waffles. One option is to warm them in a waffle maker on a low setting. Alternatively, you can use an air fryer or a toaster oven to reheat the waffles.
Tips to make the perfect waffles
- Use a digital scale instead of the cup to weigh the ingredients.
- Check your baking powder before using.
Other Asian sweet treats
(Vietnamese Banana Ice Cream)
(Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie)
(Vietnamese Flan)
Easy Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa)
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Waffle maker
Ingredients
- 3 eggs (L size)
- 2 cup rice flour (280g)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (75g)
- ½ cup tapioca starch (75g)
- 1 can coconut milk (400ml/14 oz)
- ⅞ cup sugar (175g)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pandan extract
- 1½ tsp baking powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the liquid ingredients—coconut milk, eggs, cooking oil, and pandan extract. Add sugar and salt. Use a whisk or hand-mixer to thoroughly mix the ingredients until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together tapioca starch, all-purpose flour, rice flour, and baking powder. Sift the dry ingredients to ensure they are thoroughly blended.
- Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the liquid mixture, stirring well to form a smooth batter. It's normal for the batter to have a slightly lumpy texture due to the tapioca starch.
- To remove any remaining clumps by straining the batter. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes, allowing it to develop its flavors.
- Preheat your waffle maker. To enhance the flavor and create a nice crust, you could brush some melted butter onto the waffle surface.
- Before cooking, give the waffle batter a quick mix as it may have separated slightly during the resting time. Use a ladle to pour three to four scoops of batter onto the waffle iron, adjusting the amount based on the size of your waffle iron.
- Cook the waffles until no more steam is rising from the waffle maker, which means the waffles are fully cooked.
Notes
How to make the perfect waffles:
- Use a digital scale instead of the cup to weigh the ingredients accurately.
- Check your baking powder before making the waffles.
I really wanted to make this but how many eggs do I use? 😮
Oh sorry, my bad :(. You will need 3 eggs (L size) for this recipe.
Happy cooking 🙂 !
[…] Vietnamese Coconut Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa) boast a delightful contrast of textures, tastes, and colors! The richness of coconut milk and the sweet fragrance of Pandan (Asian vanilla) are sure to impress your family or Sunday brunch guests! […]
Delicious! Do you really use 280g rice flour?
And 75g Tapioca starch?
Or the other way around?
Since this recipe doesn’t require precise measuring, I use a cup to measure rice flour and tapioca starch. You could also weigh them and adjust the amount of rice flour to achieve the desired consistency :).
Can the mix be made a couple days in advance? can we store mix in fridge?
Yes, you can mix all the ingredients in advance (leaving out the baking powder) and keep the mixture in the fridge for up to 7 days. Just incorporate the baking powder before you start baking