Deutsch 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?
Asian-inspired desserts, whether traditional or with a modern twist, are a huge passion of mine. Matcha, Hojicha, Ube, and Vietnamese coffee flavored sweet treats always hit the spot for me.
While vanilla reigns as the legend of Western baking, pandan takes the throne in Southeast Asian desserts. Its mellow green color and sweet aroma are signature traits that enhance any sweet treat.
Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are treasure troves of pandan-infused desserts.
I have a soft spot for Pandan Kaya (Pandan Coconut Custard Jam) and Pandan Chiffon Cake (so soft it’s like biting into a cloud) whenever I get the chance to visit Singapore.
Pandan leaves also work wonders when paired with rice. Just a single leaf can elevate your steamed Jasmine rice or coconut rice to a new level.
This is why Thai cuisine incorporates pandan leaves in Khao Man Gai (a variation of Hainanese Chicken Rice), while Vietnamese cooking uses them to cook Xôi Vò (mung bean sticky rice).
In Vietnam, pandan is known as Lá Dứa or Sâm Dứa . It’s a staple ingredient in countless desserts from the Mekong Delta.
When making Chè (Vietnamese dessert soup), my mom always adds pandan leaves to elevate the flavors. Her Chè Đậu Xanh (mung bean dessert soup) is absolutely the best.
On another note, I’m a huge fan of Bánh Bò Nướng Lá Dứa (pandan honeycomb cake) and Bánh Da Lợn (Pandan Layer Cake).
🍀 Natural or Store-bought Extract
It’s always a dilemma for me.
I came across a trend on TikTok where Filipinos often disapprove of recipes that only use store-bought Ube extract instead of Ube Halaya (Ube Jam) for making ube desserts. The extract just doesn’t provide enough flavor.
And I couldn’t agree more. Natural extract always provides the richest flavor. But if it might not yield the most vibrant color.
As a child, I always imagined taro to have a light purple hue, given that my favorite taro milk tea and taro ice cream were violet. But reality hit hard—desserts made only from taro end up with a light gray color, with just a hint of purple, lol.
When it comes to pandan , I’m much more lenient. Since pandan is primarily for fragrance and color rather than flavor, using store-bought extract is acceptable.
Especially on those lazy days when all I want to do is dump ingredients into a bowl for a quick sweet treat, opting for store-bought pandan extract is the hassle-free choice.
In my home country, it’s quite easy to find fresh pandan leaves at any wet market. Outside of Southeast Asia, you can get frozen pandan leaves at Asian markets.
❤️ Texture is king!!
By blending three types of flour (tapioca starch, rice flour, and all-purpose flour), these coconut pandan waffles achieve a delightful contrast in texture. They have a crispy exterior while remaining wonderfully chewy on the inside.
The center will remind you a bit of the soft, chewy texture of mochi. However, what truly sets them apart from traditional waffles is the subtle pandan flavor and the richness of coconut incorporated into the batter.
Tapioca is a starch extracted from cassava. That’s why if you enjoy these pandan waffles, you’ll surely love Vietnamese cassava cake aka Bánh Khoai Mì Nướng.
🥥 Ingredients
To make Coconut Pandan Waffles (or Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa), you will need the following ingredients:
- The combination of these three flours ensures a perfect texture for the pandan waffles. 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 are key ingredients that provide the waffles with their distinctive, rich, and creamy flavor.
- You will also need: 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 fresh coconut meat, 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.
🌟 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
A beloved treat from my childhood, this creamy and velvety flan is truly a delight.
Dorayaki (Japanese pancake sandwich)
Doraemon’s favorite food, you can enjoy it with Anko, a sweet red bean paste filling, or simply with Nutella.
I also have a recipe for Chocolate Dorayaki for choco fans.
Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie (Sinh Tố Bơ)
Creamy, indulgent, and refreshing, it makes for the perfect beverage to beat the summer heat.
Pair it with coffee, and you’ll have Avocado Coffee, a trending drink in Vietnam right now.
🧇 More recipes with waffle maker
A waffle maker is sometimes just as helpful as an Instant Pot or Air Fryer. It can create many dishes, from sweet to savory. I often make some Asian-inspired recipes with the waffle maker at home:
- Matcha Waffles: Indulge in these matcha-licious waffles!
- Bánh Xèo Waffles: A hassle-free version of the traditional Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese crispy pancakes).
- Enjoy them with Nước Chấm dipping fish sauce and pickled carrots & daikon for a well-rounded flavor.
If you’ve tried this recipe or any others from my blog, please share your creations with me on Instagram by tagging #savour_thepho or mentioning me in your stories with @savour_thepho . I would be thrilled to see what you’ve made and it would definitely brighten my day! Don’t forget to stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube 🥰.
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 :).