The Best Waffles
The only waffle recipe you need. There's a secret ingredient in these waffles that makes them extra golden and delicious.
If you're a waffle fan, please give these a try. Everyone needs a solid waffle recipe in their back pocket, and I'm quite sure these are the end of the waffle conversation for me. You're looking at the waffles I make for every family brunch. They're the waffles requested by my seven-year old nephew when he spends the night - the ones he like from breakfast and dinner ;) And they're the ones included in Near & Far. This is the best waffle recipe I know.
The Secret to Great Waffles
I've made these waffles dozens of times, in both Belgian and standard waffle irons. The batter is a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flours along with rolled oats. This combination conspires with buttermilk to give each waffle a nice, moist interior, along with a crisp and beautifully golden crust. A bit of rice flour (or organic cornstarch) keeps the batter from cooking up damp and heavy - this is the secret ingredient. You can also play around with the batter. I tend to keep the ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flour constant, but sometimes trade in wheat germ for the oats. Or add a bunch of chopped chives and herbs, or a few tablespoons of cacao powder for a chocolate version and chocolate chips when I really want to score points with the kids.
Waffle Tips & Tricks
A couple pro tips: mix up the dry ingredients and keep in a mason jar(s) for easy morning-of assembly. I sometimes do a double or triple batch of the dry ingredients, divide into jars, and keep them on hand for a last-minute cabin, or brunch adventure. Once you combine the dry ingredients, the batter comes together in a flash with just buttermilk, eggs, and butter.
You can also see them on Tara's site (Seven Spoons), and Madeline's too (Madeline Marie).
Enjoy the waffles! If you're looking for more breakfast recipes don't miss this healthy granola, or the pancakes, these homemade cinnamon rolls, a loaded frittata, tofu scramble, Herb Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs, and the baked oatmeal is always popular. Top them with this homemade blackberry syrup for an extra special treat!
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The Best Waffles
- 1 cup | 4.5 oz | 120 g whole wheat flour
- 2 cups | 9 oz | 225 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup | 1.75 oz | 50 g rolled oats or 1/2 cup | 1.5 oz | 40 g wheat germ
- 4 oz | 110 g organic cornstarch or rice flour
- 2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 4 cups | 1 L buttermilk
- 1/2 cup | 4 oz | 115 g butter, melted and cooled
- 4 eggs, separated
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Preheat the oven to 225°F | 110°C.
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Combine the flours, oats, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, and egg yolks. In a third bowl, using an egg beater or an electric mixer, beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.
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Heat the waffle maker, and when it is ready, add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture just starts to come together. Dollop the egg whites across the top of the batter and fold until uniform, using a few strokes as possible.
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Use a scoop to ladle the batter into your waffle iron and cook until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to the warm oven while you make the remaining waffles--the dry heat of the oven helps them set a bit. Any leftover batter will keep for a day or so, refrigerated.
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Comments
Would the wheat germ be missed? Or could I just sub with more flour?
Hi Tara, you can just leave it out if you like.
Is the whole wheat flour regular or pastry?
Hi Barry – you could use either – I typically use regular.
These are wonderfully delicious. I followed the recipe exactly. I made them in a waffle stick maker. They were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Can the recipe be reduced for a smaller gathering?
Hi Janet – I think you could cut it in half – but I typically make it all and then use the batter throughout the week for impromptu pancakes or (slightly puffy) crepes. Like a quicksnack or whatever. Just thin out the batter with a bit of liquid (water, milk, etc.) to whatever thickness you’re after. I’ve used it up to 4-5 days with good results!
Thank you! The best waffles I’ve ever had, let alone made.
A few subs to adjust recipe to what I had on hand:
– Swapped out 1/2 cup of the whole wheat flour for einkorn flour (I had some locally grown/milled and was curious – I think it added great flavor without throwing off the balance)
– Used a mix of rolled oats and wheat germ instead of one or the other
– Didn’t have enough corn starch; made up the deficit with about 1 oz of arrowroot powder
– Didn’t have buttermilk; used a mix of kefir and whole milk in a 3:1 ratio
Perfection!
Love the kefir swap Leslie. Glad you enjoyed them!
Thanks for sharing such an amazing recipe for making waffles. You won’t believe I have tried to make so many time and ended up being disappointed. This recipe just made my day. Keep writing and sharing such exciting recipes
Wow!!!
Mouth craving recipe it was. Thanks so much for the tips that you have given.
Looks so delicious and sweety. Yummy!
Oooh, that’s not so different from my waffle recipe except mine are also vegan and (incidentally) gluten free. I use oats but process them into flour, then add another flour, maybe buckwheat or teff, and starch in the form of rice or cassava flour. Baking powder. Then a flax egg and plant milk with a bit of ACV, and a bit of rapeseed oil for fat content as it’s missing the egg.
Made these this morning for the first time and they were amazing! I halved the recipe and decreased the salt a little, but me and my young girls devoured them. My oldest (5 years old) loved them so much she said, “Mommy, I wish I could live inside this waffle!” Now that’s a compliment. 🙂 We will be making these again and again! Thanks for such a great recipe, as always…
HS: Love hearing this Debra! 🙂
Are the rolled oats the quick cooking, or the thicker 5 minute type?
HS: Hi Lee – you can use either 🙂
I love these. I modified a little, used 1/4 cup sugar (my child eats hers plain, no syrup), added 2 tsp of vanilla, and 1 tsp of cinnamon. First time I made them I used regular whole wheat, don’t do it as they’ll be too dense and dry. but i love it. thanks you for sharing
These look great! My girlfriend and I have been looking for a new way of making whole wheat waffles. Going to give this a shot.
Thank you for the feature Heidi! I love your waffle recipe and make them often (maybe too often, haha!).
Make all your recipes, Heidi…..love them ! Do you think that these would work with homemade kefir in place of the buttermilk…..I have so much and am always looking for new ways to use it up.
HS: Hi Lizzie – should work fine! 🙂
I love how the addition of oats gives these a boost of nutrition in a recipe where traditionally there isn’t much. I’d love to try these in a savory version! My usual waffles are from the Buvette Cookbook 🙂
We love the whole grain (ww/rye/oat) waffle/pancake recipe with poppy seeds from SuperNatural Everyday and this blog’s early days. How are these better? Maybe a family taste test is in order.
HS: This are even lighter with (I’ll argue) a better crust and color. You could do a rye version of these, or sometimes I do a corn flour version (in place of the rice flour)….Taste test! 🙂
I started making these waffles every week after I got my copy of Near & Far. Absolutely delicious and my favorite recipe for waffles! Thank you for sharing this and all of your other wonderful creations.
It’s a great idea to add whole wheat flour and oats!
The first time I had a real Belgian gaufre, at a Belgaufre stand near the Brussels opera house, I almost fell over from joy. It was that good. The Liège style, which are the ones most people think of, are made with yeast.
Just want to send you a heartfelt THANK YOU for these waffles. They are so so so so so insanely good. Got me through the first 20 weeks of a very nauseous pregnancy, and I still get so excited to make them for whomever is lucky enough to be coming over for brunch 🙂
HS: Love hearing this Sam 🙂
Do you have a favorite waffle iron to recommend? I haven’t had much luck with my last two.
HS: Hi Amy – I do! I bought my dad an All-Clad Four-Square Belgian waffle maker – he didn’t end up using it much, so I adopted it with the promise to make waffles at family breakfast and brunch. It’s great.
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