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how is maple syrup not vegan? Just wondering. It's boiled tree sugar, can't much more plant based than that?

Anyways, have you tried a recipe from a cookbook? I make my own waffles all the time and with a bit of patience they come out wonderful and soft. Try to get ahold of Vegan Brunch or Vegan with a Vengeance. Those 2 cookbooks have wonderful waffle recipes and Vegan Brunch has tips on how to make waffles and they really make all the difference =)

Nah, this is what you do...you need to create the recipe with what you have, and in moderation...

So for egg= use three tablespoons of boiled water plus two tablespoons of flaxseed. Let it mix and become thick. It works great for breads, cakes, and cookies.

If you don't like flax seed, you can use half of a banana, and mash it into goo. 1/2 = 1 egg. It works great for cookies. I love using it for cookies.

I learned that substituting applesauce (1/3 to 2/3) for eggs just kills the taste. To the point that cookies taste like tasteless bread pieces... Just sucks out flavor...

You can use any kind of soy, almond, hemp, walnut milk for milk.

For butter, canola, and vegetable oil works great. It is 1/3=1 cup.

Maybe trying one of these may help? I don't bother with buying special butters, I just use what I have.

there you go, Ener-G makes things dense.
Here's the pancake nad a basic waffle recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance.

Pancake:
Makes six 6-7 inch or ten 4 inch pancakes

-1+1/4 cups all purpose flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp ground cinnamon(optional)
-2 tbsp canola oil(or any other neutral flavor oil) plus oil for the pan
-1/3 cup water
1 to 1+1/4 cups plain rice or soy milk
-1 tsp vanilla
-2 tbsp maple syrup

And of course, you know the drill, sift the dry ingredients, mix all the wet together add to dry. And yes, the 2 tbsp of syrup does go in the batter. It's to sweeten instead of sugar. I was a bit confused the first tiem I made these.
They always rise, and the cinnamon really gives them a nice extra flavor. Even my mom who doesn't like the vegan version of anything, asks for these =)

Waffles
this was copied from a book, and I didn't write down how many it makes. Sorry =/

-2 cups almond milk(I can't imagine why you couldn't sub in soy, don't use rice though, too thin)
-1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
-3 tbsp canola oil
-3 tbsp barely malt syrup(at room temp) [I have no clue wth that is, so I used maple syrup and it was good =) ]
-1+3/4 cups flour
-1/4 cup cornmeal
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tbsp baking powder
-1 tbsp
mix together all the wet until the syrup is dissolved then add remaining dry ingredients and mix until batter is smooth. Cook according to waffle iron directions =)