Homemade Waffle Recipe
The best waffle recipe ever! Soft and fluffy inside, with a slightly crisp exterior. Easy to make & perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
Waffles! My family loves ’em. How could they not? There’s something so wonderful about a stack of piping hot, golden brown waffles, fresh off the waffle maker.
We mostly eat them for breakfast, but they’re REALLY good for dessert too. Waffles and ice cream is a total classic!
I’m big on make-ahead breakfast recipes for my kids. These chocolate chip muffins are a staple, and I’m a huge fan of scones too (check out these lemon blueberry scones, and these petite vanilla bean scones!).
And I always try to keep a batch of these homemade waffles in our freezer too.
In my opinion, this is the best waffle recipe ever! It’s easy to make and the waffles bake up perfect every time. The flavors are perfectly balanced (not too sweet!) and the texture is on point. Soft and fluffy in the middle, with a slightly crispy exterior.
Table of Contents
- What are waffles?
- What’s great about this waffle recipe
- What do these waffles taste like?
- Ingredients
- Special equipment
- How to make homemade waffles
- How to serve homemade waffles
- Expert tips
- FAQ’s
What are waffles?
Waffles fall into the “quick bread” category of baking, which means they’re leavened with baking powder, and the method is super fast and super easy. With any kind of quick bread, you start by blending the dry ingredients, then the liquid ingredients, and then you stir everything together and bake it up.
They’re often enjoyed as a breakfast treat, but they work for dessert as well.
This is very similar to a pancake recipe, but instead of dropping the batter onto a skillet, it goes into a waffle maker. Then, you close the lid, and the waffles are baked into this grid pattern, which gives you deliciously crisp edges, and lots of little hollows for the syrup and butter to settle into.
It’s a really great contrast of textures!
What’s great about this waffle recipe
- Tastes amazing: These waffles bake up with the most incredible buttery flavor, and they’re just sweet enough.
- Few ingredients: It’s made with just a handful of pantry staples.
- Easy to make: The batter is made in around 15 minutes, and then it’s just a matter of baking them off, two at a time.
- Versatile: You can modify this recipe with different add-ins and flavorings, and really let your creativity shine!
What do these waffles taste like?
These waffles bake up deliciously crisp on the edges and pillowy soft in the middle.
They’re slightly sweet and really buttery. And there’s a hint of tanginess from the buttermilk, and a beautiful floral sweetness from vanilla.
Ingredients
Flour
This forms the bulk of the waffle batter and provides structure.
Swap it out for any kind of whole-grain option if you like. You may need slightly less if you go that route.
A gluten-free flour blend that can sub 1:1 for regular flour should also work just fine, if you’d like to make gluten-free waffles.
Sugar
A small amount of granulated sugar adds sweetness to the waffles, aids in browning, and keeps them moist.
Sub for another type of sweetener if you like. As long as it swaps 1:1 for granulated sugar it should work.
Baking Powder
This is the leavening agent that helps the waffles rise and become light and fluffy.
Baking powder is a double-acting leavener, so it starts the batter rising both when liquid is added to it, as well as when it hits the hot waffle maker.
Baking soda will not work in this recipe because there isn’t enough acidity to fully activate it. Â
Baking powder has a little bit of extra acid built in.
Salt
Salt carries the flavors and intensifies them. The end result won’t taste salty, but it will make everything so much more flavorful!
I like kosher salt best because it doesn’t have any additives (table salt usually contains iodine which can leave a bitter taste), so the flavor is pure. It’s also inexpensive and easy to find in a regular grocery store.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk adds moisture to the cake batter, resulting in a softer and more tender cake. It helps prevent the waffles from drying out during baking, and it also gives them a really unique, home-y flavor, as well as providing a little bit of acid to help them to bake up nice and pillowy.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you could also use the same amount of sour cream or plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt. or buttermilk.
Or you can create a reasonable facsimile by adding a little lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk. Let it stand for about 5 minutes, and it will start to curdle and become thicker.
Butter
I like to use unsalted butter because it lets me control the amount of salt in the dish. Different brands of butter can contain different amounts of salt, so this way you get a more consistent result.
Melt the butter before adding it to the recipe, either in a small pot on the stove or in the microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes on 30% power.
Eggs
Eggs provide structure to the waffles, as well as added richness.
Make sure you’re using large eggs or a vegan egg substitute that swaps for chicken eggs 1:1. It’s nice if the eggs are at room temp, but I don’t find this to be too critical.
Vanilla
Vanilla extract adds a subtly sweet flavor without being at all sugary.For a more pronounced flavor, try using vanilla bean paste. You could also split a vanilla bean down the center lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add those.
Special equipment
- Waffle maker: If you want to make waffles, you need a waffle maker. Here’s a link to the kind I have: KitchenAid Pro Line Waffle Baker.
- Measuring cups and spoons: Follow this guide for accurate measuring: How to Measure Ingredients for Baking.
- Mixing bowls: One large for dry ingredients, and one smaller for liquid ingredients.
- Silicone spatula: For folding the batter together and getting every last drop out of the bowl.
- Batter scoop: I find this really handy for portioning the batter out onto the waffle maker, but you could use a spoon or measuring cup instead.
How to make homemade waffles
This recipe comes together in 4 simple steps.
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt all together in a big bowl.
Step 2: Combine the liquid ingredients
Whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla.
Step 3: Add the liquid to the dry
Pour the liquid mixture into the dry.
And fold everything together.
Don’t overmix the batter, or your waffles could come out tough. It’s perfectly ok (and even preferable!) if the batter is a bit lumpy.
Step 4: Cook the waffles
Now just scoop the batter into your preheated waffle maker, and let it do it’s thing!You’ll know your waffles are done when they’re golden brown and a little crisp on the outside.
How to serve homemade waffles
Waffles are so versatile! They can be topped in any number of different ways.
My family loves to eat them with butter and maple syrup. I think that is probably the most traditional way to enjoy waffles.
But they’re also great with fresh fruit or berries, and a dusting of powdered sugar!
We also like to top them with peanut butter, almond butter, or Nutella.
And they’re really good with fried chicken! It’s a thing, trust me. A very delicious thing.
For dessert, homemade waffles are the perfect vehicle for ice cream. There is nothing quite like a freshly baked, warm waffle with cold, creamy ice cream! Here are some of my favorite ice cream recipes:
Drizzle with chocolate syrup, hot fudge, or caramel sauce for the waffle sundae of your dreams!
Expert tips
Don’t overmix: If you overmix your batter, it will develop the natural glutens in the flour and the waffles could come out tough. So just as few strokes as possible to get things combined, and don’t worry if there are lumps!
Bake right away: The baking powder will start activating the minute it hits the liquid. And those glorious bubbles that are created don’t last forever! So be sure to use the batter right away. Sadly it doesn’t keep for any extended period of time.
Get creative: You can add all sorts of different things to the waffle batter to create something really special! Think about tossing in a handful or two of fruit (such as blueberries, sliced bananas, or diced, drained, canned peaches, for example) nuts (I LOVE toasted pecan waffles), or a half teaspoon or so of spices (think cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom). You could also swap out the vanilla for something like rosewater, lemon zest, or almond extract, for a whole different flavor experience!
FAQ’s
Make a big batch of these homemade waffles, and keep them in your freezer! They freeze beautifully, and make busy mornings so much easier. It’s so great to be able to serve a homemade breakfast to your family, with minimal effort!
As the waffles come out of the waffle maker, cool them on a wire rack.
Freeze them (in a single layer) until hard, then slip them into a plastic bag and stash them for several weeks in the freezer. When you’re ready to serve, just reheat them gently in the toaster.
This recipe makes about 6 8-inch diameter waffles, in the waffle maker I linked to above.
For me, one waffle is plenty!
So the nutritional info included in the recipe card below is for a serving size of 1 waffle. This does not include syrup or any other toppings. It’s just for the waffle alone.
I hope you’ll give this homemade waffle recipe a try! I bet your family will love it just as much as mine does!
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Homemade Waffle Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (29.57 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22.18 g) baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 3 cups (720 g) buttermilk, *
- 3/4 cup (170.25 g) unsalted butter, (1 1/2 sticks) melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the waffle maker.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Place the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in smaller bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry, and fold together until mostly blended but still a little lumpy.
- Place about 1 cup of waffle batter into the hot waffle maker and cook until golden brown (about 2 to 3 minutes).
- Serve warm.
I’ve got to say that I was disappointed with this recipe. I couldn’t get these cooked just right. Most of them were too brown to the point of being black. Reducing the cooking time yielded an undercooked batter like center. The last batch came out best, after adding more flour to the mix and turning off the waffle iron halfway.
The waffles ended up too crispy/crunchy on the outside and the crust was bubbly.
A couple ideas that may have caused my issue might have been the excessive butter or vinegar or baking powder…or maybe a combination of these ingredients.
I think I’ll just go back to my old standby basic recipe that came with my waffle iron recipe book.
* I’m taking another star off my review due to this site forcing the star rating to bump up to 4 stars even when you vote below the “post comment” button and return to the comments section. Go over it a try and see. *
Hey Gary! So sorry you were disappointed. And I will look into that issue with the star ratings. I think it sounds like your waffle iron runs overly hot. If they’re too brown on the outside but still undercooked in the center, that’s a sure sign. And I would definitely recommend trying it with buttermilk if you can- the result you get with vinegar is ok but not quite as good to be honest! Thank you for the feedback!
Wow Gary! I honestly don’t believe that you’re blaming the recipe for your what was most likely caused by your waffle iron! Even if it was due to one or more of the ingredients, you definitely didn’t have to comment so rudely! What works for one may not work for another…. I’ve read all the comments here and yours happens to be the only negative one. Good luck with your old basic recipe! VERY sorry Allie… (it’s probably not my place but…) This is the first time I’m on your site and about to use your recipe and I honestly got offended by this review!Â
Lol thank you Lisa! I appreciate your standing up for me~!
My family loves the waffles, it has become a weekly recipe. It’s great that it makes enough to have leftovers for breakfast during the week for my daughter.
Aw, that makes me so happy Cathy! Thank you so much for your feedback.
Hi,
one question, please.
How many ml is 1C?
Hi Kim! You can get all that info when you click the weight conversion icon in my right-hand sidebar. Here’s the direct link, in case you missed it: https://bakingamoment.com/weight-conversions-for-baking/.
Hi,Â
I’m glad i found this recipe from you! I bought my first waffle maker last week and i’m dieing to try it out. Unfortunatelly i broke 2 ribs on my right side last weekend and i’m not allowed by doctors’s orders to do anything in my kitchen. For at least 4 weeks! I’m not sure if i can keep my promisse to him that i won’t! Making waffles isn’t working in the kitchen in my opinion. Only i’ve to be a bit carefull not bumping in to something wich i do quit often. But i guess….next week or so? Then i’m making my waffles! So ….Thanks for your recipe, i’ll give it a go. Till next time. Oh and the turnovers….i really, really love those things! I’ll save that recipe as well.
Have a great day and lovely greetings,Â
Marja
So sorry to hear that you’re under the weather, Marja! I wish you a speedy recovery so that you can get back to what you love doing. Good luck with the waffles and I hope you enjoy!
Excellent recipe . I don’t like the newer recipes that are too sweet . This was perfect ! Thank you for sharing !
So happy you liked it Jane! I always prefer things that are just sweet enough. Thank you so much for the positive feedback!
These turned out great for some reason I couldn’t find the exact amount of ingredients so I just Winged It And basically the family loved them and that tip about the buttermilk I just poured what i thought was enough ,it worked out perfectly I’ll probably NEVER use box mix again Thanks?
So happy you enjoyed Linda! The amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you!, Allie. I didn’t make any waffles today. I WILL make your recipe this weekend. I will take your advice and give you my results.
Sounds great! I’ll look forward to it!
Allie, the waffles were a hit! I took your suggestion to reduce the salt as I was using salted butter. I used slightly more than 1/4 teaspoon salt. Next time I will purchase unsalted butter and follow your recipe exactly. My husband really enjoyed his waffle treat this morning. ?
That’s so great to hear Sandy! I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed. Thank you for the positive feedback!
I am going to try these today as it is National Waffle Day. However, I only have salted butter. Should I just omit the Kosher salt? Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hey Sandy! I’m so happy you’re going to give this recipe a try! It’s tough to know exactly how much to decrease the salt because different brands of butter have different levels of saltiness. I’d try omitting the salt at first, then give it a taste & see how you like it. You can always add in a little if you feel like it needs it. Hope that’s helpful! Enjoy!
Since I live along, I cut this recipe by 2/3 to get two waffles. These are everything you said! I like a waffle that’s not too dense, but don’t care for the airy crispy variety. The texture of these is just what I wanted. Getting rid of all other waffle recipes now!
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks for the 5-star review!
These look delicious! Can’t wait to try them out … my family loves a waffle
Thank you! Hope you love these as much as we do!
Can someone tell me the consistency of these waffles? My husband likes crunchy on the outside and slightly towards inside and then fluffy?
Hey Alex! I actually described the texture about halfway through the post: “The flavors are perfectly balanced (not too sweet!) and the texture is on point. Soft and fluffy in the middle, with a slightly crispy exterior.” Hope that’s what you’re looking for!
Excellent recipe. I didn’t have enough buttermilk (shy 1 cup) but I topped it off with cream and milk and it still worked great.
That’s great to hear! Thanks so much for the positive feedback!
Do you know how many servings this recipe makes? I have a 7 hungry people to make waffles for 😉
Yes! It’s noted in the recipe card. Six 8-inch diameter waffles. My kiddos usually eat no more than half a waffle (so 2 “triangles”). Hope that’s helpful, Anna!
I want this for breakfast!!
this is the perfect waffle!
I’ve finally weaned my husband off Bisquick pancakes. Next is waffles using your wonderful recipe.
I’ve finally weaned my hubby off Bisquick pancakes! Next up, waffles! Your recipe is perfect.
Definitely a breakfast favorite! These are perfection!