How Many Calories in Kaya Waffle?

Also known as Waffle with Kaya, Kopitiam Waffle, Kaya Waffle Singapore, Peanut Kaya Waffle.

The kaya waffle is the folded, warm waffle from Singapore neighbourhood confectioneries and kopitiam stalls, spread with coconut egg jam and sometimes peanut butter, chocolate or butter, sold for S$1.50 to S$2.50.

400kcal / 1 waffle with kaya

A standard kaya waffle is about 400 calories for a 130g serving, with around 15g of fat. The plain waffle is about 300 calories on its own. The kaya spread adds around 85 and the margarine brushed on the iron about 20. A peanut butter and kaya version is closer to 500.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 waffle with kaya (130g)	Amount	Per 100g
Calories	400 kcal	308 kcal
Protein	7 g	5 g
Carbs	58 g	45 g
Fat	15 g	12 g

Where the calories come from

Waffle100g

300 kcal

Kaya30g

85 kcal

Margarine on the iron2g

20 kcal

The real talk

The waffle batter is flour, sugar, egg and margarine, cooked on an oiled iron, and a folded kopitiam waffle weighs about 100g. That is 300 calories before anything is spread on it. Kaya is coconut milk, egg and sugar, about 280 calories per 100g, and the stall uses about 30g, so 85. The total of 400 is the same as a bowl of pork porridge plus a you tiao, for something you eat in four minutes.

The spread menu is where it climbs. Peanut butter is about 90 calories per tablespoon and a peanut butter and kaya waffle is about 500. Chocolate spread is similar. Butter and kaya, which is the kaya toast combination in waffle form, is about 460. The plain waffle with nothing is 300, and honestly the waffle is sweet enough on its own that plain is not a punishment.

The size varies a lot between stalls. The old style confectioneries make a thin, crisp waffle that is closer to 80g and about 330 with kaya. The newer stalls with the thick Belgian style irons make a 150g waffle that is about 450 before spread. If the waffle is thick enough to hold a scoop of ice cream, it is a dessert plate, not a snack.

How the portions compare

300 kcal

Plain waffle

400 kcal

Kaya waffle

500 kcal

Kaya and peanut butter waffle

Kaya Waffle variants, ranked by calories

Variant	Calories	Notes
Plain waffle	300 kcal
Kaya waffle	400 kcal	HPB figure
Butter and kaya waffle	460 kcal
Peanut butter and kaya waffle	500 kcal
Thick waffle with ice cream	650 kcal	Cafe style

How to eat it lighter

Order it with kaya only, not kaya and peanut butter. The peanut butter is about 100 calories.
Ask for half the kaya. Most stalls spread generously, and half saves around 40 calories.
Share one. Half a kaya waffle at 200 with a kopi o is a reasonable tea break.
Choose the thin kopitiam waffle over the thick Belgian style one. The difference is about 120 calories.
Skip the butter option. Kaya alone is 85, kaya with butter is about 145.

Common questions

How many calories in a kaya waffle?

About 400 calories for a standard kopitiam waffle with kaya. The waffle itself is about 300 and the kaya spread around 85. Add peanut butter and it is about 500.

Is a kaya waffle worse than kaya toast?

Yes, by a fair bit. A kaya toast set of 2 slices with butter is about 370 calories, and it comes with two eggs at the kopitiam. A kaya waffle is 400 on its own with 7g of protein.

How many calories in kaya?

About 280 calories per 100g, or around 85 for the 30g spread on a waffle. It is coconut milk, eggs and sugar cooked into a jam, so roughly half the calories come from sugar.

Is the waffle or the kaya the problem?

The waffle. At about 300 calories it is three quarters of the total. The kaya is the part people worry about, and it is the smaller number.

Berapa kalori dalam Kaya Waffle?

Kaya Waffle ada kira-kira 400 kalori untuk satu hidangan biasa (130g), dengan 7g protein, 58g karbohidrat dan 15g lemak. Angka ini anggaran untuk hidangan gerai biasa, jadi ia berbeza ikut kedai dan saiz hidangan.

Related foods

Kaya Toast

370 kcal per 1 set, 2 slices

Kaya Pau (Steamed Kaya Bun)

215 kcal per 1 bun

Apam Balik

290 kcal per 1 wedge (~100g)

French Toast (Roti Bakar)

360 kcal per 2 slices with kaya + butter

Karipap (Curry Puff)

140 kcal per 1 piece

Popiah

185 kcal per 1 roll

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Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical hawker centre or kopitiam serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

Calorie figure based on HPB iDAT via danielfooddiary.com 2015. Macros estimated from the ingredients.

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