Keto Lemon Chaffle with Lemon Icing
Published September 3, 2019 • Updated March 14, 2026
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This tangy chaffle has a crispy outside and soft, citrusy center that I keep coming back to. I make it for breakfast or as a low carb dessert with a simple lemon icing that takes it over the top.
I made my first lemon chaffle back in 2019. If you haven’t made a chaffle before, it’s a waffle built on egg and cream cheese instead of flour. I already had my chocolate chaffle dialed in, but I wanted something brighter for spring. This was the one that stuck.
What makes this recipe different from every other version out there is the two layers of lemon. I put zest in the batter AND in the icing. Most recipes pick one or the other, but doubling down is what gives it that real lemon bar quality without adding sugar. The cream cheese in the batter does two things: it keeps the inside soft while the outside goes crispy, and it prevents that rubbery texture you get with some chaffle recipes when they cool down.
I’ve made this dozens of times now and my go-to method is medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until the edges are golden. If you pull it too early, the center stays soft and it won’t hold up under the icing. One reader had hers stick to the waffle maker, and 9 times out of 10 that means it just needs another minute with the lid closed.
The lemon icing is optional but I almost always make it. It takes about 30 seconds to whisk together and the combination of powdered erythritol, heavy cream, and fresh lemon juice creates this thin, tart glaze that soaks into the grooves. Without the icing, the batter has enough lemon zest on its own, so if you’re watching calories (254 without vs 326 with), you can skip it and still get the citrus hit.
A few things I’ve learned along the way: block-style cream cheese works better than spreadable in the batter. Spreadable makes it too wet. One reader started blending the batter instead of whisking and said the texture comes out slightly lighter. I tried it and he’s right. And if you want a more intense lemon bar flavor, add a drop of lemon extract to the icing and an extra quarter teaspoon of zest to the batter.
This works as a keto breakfast or a dessert. I’ve brought it to brunch and watched people eat three before asking what was in them. If you’re into chaffles, try my birthday cake chaffle or my Oreo chaffle next. For something with a similar almond flour base but in cookie form, my almond flour cookies use the same pantry staples.
How to Make a Lemon Chaffle
The whole recipe takes under 10 minutes. I whisk the batter (or blend it for a smoother result), pour it into a preheated mini waffle maker, and close the lid for 3-4 minutes without peeking. When the steam slows down, that’s my cue it’s done. The edges should be golden and pull away cleanly. If there’s any resistance, give it another minute.
For the icing, I whisk it together right before serving so it’s still thin enough to pour into the grooves. If it thickens while it sits, a small splash of heavy cream loosens it right back up. I drizzle it in a zigzag across the top and let it settle for about 30 seconds before eating.
Ingredients
1 egg -
1 oz cream cheese
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2 tablespoons almond flour
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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2 teaspoons monk fruit
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½ teaspoon lemon zest
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¼ teaspoon baking powder
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pinch of salt
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2 tablespoons powdered erythritol
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4 teaspoons heavy cream
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1 teaspoon lemon juice
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dash lemon zest
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat waffle maker
Preheat waffle maker to medium high heat.
Whisk it
Whisk together the chaffle ingredients – egg, cream cheese, almond flour, lemon juice, monk fruit, lemon zest, baking powder and salt.
Pour it
Pour lemon chaffle batter into the center of the waffle iron. Close the waffle maker and let cook for 3-5 minutes or until waffle is golden brown and set. If using a mini waffle maker, only pour in half the batter.
Remove it
Remove chaffle from the waffle maker.
Lemon icing
Whisk together lemon icing ingredients – powdered erythritol, heavy cream, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour over lemon chaffle.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze lemon chaffles?
I freeze these all the time. The trick I learned from a reader is to store the icing separately and only drizzle it after reheating. I pop the chaffles in a single layer in a freezer bag with parchment between them. To reheat, 90 seconds in a toaster brings them back almost as crispy as fresh. The cream cheese in the batter is what prevents that rubbery texture on reheat.
Can I use lemon extract instead of lemon juice?
I hadn't tried this until a reader suggested adding a drop of lemon extract to the icing. The difference is real. Lemon juice gives a mild, fresh citrus flavor. Lemon extract concentrates the tartness and pushes it closer to a lemon bar taste. I now add extract to the icing and keep the juice in the batter, so I get both the fresh and the concentrated flavor.
Can I make this without a waffle maker?
I've only ever made these in a waffle maker, but I've heard from readers who use a small non-stick pan on medium heat with a lid. You won't get the grid pattern or the same crispy edges, but the flavor is the same. Press the batter flat with a spatula and cook 2-3 minutes per side. A mini waffle maker is worth the investment though. I use mine almost daily for keto chaffles and even made a black forest waffle cake in one.
Why did my chaffle stick to the waffle maker?
This happened to a reader and I've had it happen to me too. Every time, it was because I opened the lid too early. The batter needs the full 3-4 minutes to set. If steam is still pouring out when you lift the lid, close it and give it another minute. The outside should be golden and pull away from the plates cleanly. No oil or spray needed if you wait long enough.
Can I blend the batter instead of whisking?
A reader tested this and I stole the idea immediately. Blending for about 30 seconds gives you a smoother batter and the finished chaffle comes out slightly lighter. I still whisk by hand sometimes when I'm in a rush, but if I have the blender out, I use it. Either way works. Blending is just a small upgrade.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
I've tested this. Use block-style dairy-free cream cheese in the batter, not the spreadable kind. Spreadable makes the batter too wet and the chaffle won't crisp up. For the icing, coconut cream works but it's thinner than heavy cream, so start with 3 teaspoons instead of 4 and add more if you need it.
What sweetener can I use instead of monk fruit?
I prefer monk fruit because it doesn't have the cooling aftertaste that erythritol can sometimes give. But I've made this with straight erythritol and with stevia drops, and both work. Adjust the amount to your sweetness preference since they're not all equal in sweetness. The icing already uses powdered erythritol, so if you swap the batter sweetener too, the overall flavor stays consistent. I use the same approach in my sugar cookies.
Can I add blueberries to the batter?
I haven't tried blueberries in this recipe yet, but the batter would handle them fine. Drop 4-5 small blueberries onto the batter right after you pour it, before closing the lid. Don't stir them in or they'll bleed purple through the whole thing. Fresh hold up better than frozen here. If you like fruity keto desserts, my strawberry shortcake kebabs are another good option.
If you are a fan of lemon, then you will love this lemon chaffle. It’s topped with a creamy lemon icing instead of syrup. You can enjoy this on a lazy weekend morning or as a low carb dessert. The combination of sweetness and tang from the lemon is delicious.
One of the most popular waffle makers for making chaffles is 
First chaffle I've ever made and I went with this one because lemon felt like more of an occasion, and now I need to know if the icing holds up in the freezer because I already want four more and I haven't even cleaned the waffle maker yet.
Freeze the chaffles, not the icing. Stack them with parchment between in a bag, keep the icing in a small jar in the fridge, and drizzle after you reheat. Still tastes fresh.
Swapped half the almond flour for coconut flour and it held together way better coming off the iron. Easier to ice without it falling apart. Lemon flavor still came through fine. Worth trying if yours is soft in the middle.
Added a drop of vanilla extract to the lemon icing and the citrus actually got brighter, which is the opposite of what I was expecting.
Brought these to a neighborhood thing last weekend. The lemon icing caught everyone off guard, that tartness against the crispy outside. Mentioned keto after they'd eaten. Would add more zest next time, but watching people reach for seconds while I was still holding the plate was enough.
The post-reveal part never gets old. I double the zest in the icing when I want it more forward, not just the dash.
Brought these to a spring brunch and the first question was what bakery they came from. Just my waffle iron. The heavy cream in the icing is what keeps it from being too sharp.
Yeah the cream does that. I've pushed to 5 teaspoons when I want it slightly looser and it still holds without running off.
Skipped this forever because I didn't trust chaffle batter to pull off real lemon flavor without tasting eggy. The zest actually cuts through, and with the icing on top it beat every lemon keto recipe I've tried. Might be replacing my lemon bar.
The zest is the whole reason it works. Lemon juice alone wouldn't cut through. I usually bump it to a full teaspoon when I want it more forward.
One thing I figured out after a few batches: let the cream cheese sit at room temp for about 10 minutes first. No white clumps, and the batter comes out noticeably smoother. I also bumped the lemon zest to a full teaspoon (was doing half) because I wanted more citrus punch, and it came through without messing with the batter. The icing is the part I keep tweaking. Three teaspoons of heavy cream instead of 4 makes it thick enough to stay on the chaffle. These reheat well in a toaster on low and the edges crisp back up.
The 3-teaspoon icing is right. Four just runs off. Room temp cream cheese makes a real difference in the batter too, I'm just usually too impatient with that step.
My son asked if the lemon icing was from a box mix. That is his highest compliment for anything baked. Something about the cream cheese in the batter gives it this soft center under the crispy outside, and with the icing on top he genuinely couldn't place it. I have been making a batch on Sunday mornings and he has already claimed them as his breakfast.
Box mix from a kid is about as good as it gets. Sunday batch is smart. I keep the icing separate in the fridge and just drizzle it on after reheating.
Made these four times now and the lemon icing keeps pulling me back. Something about the zest in the batter plus that warm cream glaze drizzled over the top. Gets me every time. Started doubling the batch on Sunday mornings and it barely makes it to afternoon.
Warm glaze fresh off the iron is the problem. Nothing reheated compares.
My husband wandered in just from the smell and ate the whole thing before I even got the icing on. Doesn't do keto, didn't ask what was in it, just wanted to know when I'm making more. The lemon zest is what gets you. Kitchen smelled so good I almost didn't need the icing.
Ha, he got the better version. The batter has enough lemon zest that it works without the icing. The icing is just extra.
Made a double batch Sunday and have been pulling these from the freezer for breakfast all week (quick tip: store the lemon icing separate and drizzle after 90 seconds in the toaster and they come back almost crispy). The cream cheese in the batter is what keeps the texture from going rubbery on reheat, which I was not expecting at all.
The cream cheese is why they don't go rubbery. Took me several batches to connect it. Toaster over microwave for reheat. I've been doing it wrong.
My daughter is dairy-free and she's been eyeing these every time I make them. Would dairy-free cream cheese work in the chaffle batter, or does it mess with the texture? Also wondering if coconut cream could replace the heavy cream in the icing.
Dairy-free cream cheese works in the batter. Go block-style, not the spreadable kind. Spreadable makes it too wet. Coconut cream works for the icing. It's thinner so start with 3 teaspoons instead of 4.
Added an extra quarter teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter and a drop of lemon extract into the icing, and suddenly this thing tastes like a proper lemon bar. The flavor went from mild citrus to actually tart. Also started blending the batter instead of whisking, completely smooth in about 30 seconds, and I think it makes the texture a little lighter too. Both changes are staying.
Extract in the icing I haven't tried but it makes sense. More concentrated than juice so the tartness really comes through. And blending the batter is way smarter than whisking, stealing that.
Brought these to brunch last weekend and my friend who keeps saying she 'could never go keto' ate three before I told her what was in them. That lemon icing gets people every time. She texted me for the recipe on the drive home.
Ha, texting for the recipe on the drive home is the best review. The lemon icing does all the work honestly.
I love lemon flavor. This is delicious. Thanks.
The zest in the batter AND the icing is what gets me. Two layers of lemon.