The Best Waffles

breakfast· Easter· Holiday Favorites
September 21, 2020

The Best Waffles – These buttery, sweet waffles are made with simple ingredients but packed with tons of flavor!

Stack of waffles covered in syrup, powdered sugar and sliced strawberries

OK confession time…I’ve always favored waffles to pancakes. There, I said it! I only ordered pancakes in restaurants because, well, you got more (usually around 3) than you would if you ordered a Belgian waffle (just one large waffle). As a kid, I definitely ordered with my eyes so pancakes were the obvious choice.

However, when it came to making them at home, I loved Eggo waffles and would even make my own waffles from scratch using a waffle iron. I loved the fun shape and how each of those little nooks held syrup so well. Plus, they had a great balance of crispy exterior and soft, fluffy interior.

That love for waffles has continued on in my adulthood, but I usually just stick to the frozen Eggos because life gets in the way. This pandemic, however, has lead us to do more cooking at home, which includes lots of fun breakfasts. One of those breakfast was these incredible waffles that my husband made. They’re buttery, light, and perfectly balanced with just enough sweetness. I couldn’t stop eating them so I knew it was a recipe worth sharing with you.

Plate of waffles with powdered sugar and strawberries with a jug of syrup in the background

Over head view of a stack of waffles topped with strawberries

Forkful of waffles in front of the stack of waffles and strawberries

Waffle batter vs Pancake batter

Some people think that you can use pancake batter to make waffles. Those people would be close but the resulting waffles would be thin and lacking a crispy exterior. You see – there are 2 main differences between pancake batter and waffle batter that give waffles their unique texture:

Waffle batter has more sugar to help with caramelization on the outside of the waffle
Waffle batter uses more oil or fat to also help with the crisping on the outside of the waffle

How are these waffles made

The process for making waffles is super simple. In fact, it’s one of the first things I learned to make on my own as a kid. Back then, I used a premade batter but today we’re going to make them from scratch.

First, you start by whisking the dry ingredients together. Then, the wet ingredients are added and whisked together. The wet ingredients include only egg yolks instead of the whole egg. We do this so we can separately whip the egg whites and fold them into the batter for a lighter texture. You may have done this in cake recipes for the same reason.

Once the batter is made, it’s added to a hot waffle iron and cooked until nice and brown on the outside. No flipping or turning required. Just patience.

When the waffles are done, serve with sliced strawberries, powdered sugar, and or maple syrup.

Tips & Tricks

Make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions on the waffle maker to make sure you cook the waffles properly.
Make sure the waffle iron is hot before adding the batter. This ensures the waffles are crispy on the outside but light and fluffy on the inside.
You don’t need a mixer to beat the egg whites. I did mine by hand and they came out just as good. The process took longer but at least I didn’t have to dirty the mixer!

Waffles drizzled with syrup and topped with strawberries

Print Recipe

The Best Waffles

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Servings: 5 x 4 inch waffles

Ingredients

2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
3½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs separated
1½ cups whole milk
2 sticks unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
sliced strawberries, powdered sugar, maple syrup for serving

Instructions

Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions. In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until combined. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, add egg yolks, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk together to combine. Add to dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add to batter and gently fold in just until combined.
Spray nonstick spray on preheat waffle iron. Add batter to waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's instructions. Mine held 1 cup of batter but yours could hold more or less depending on the size of the iron. Repeat with all of the batter.
Serve with sliced strawberries. powdered sugar, and maple syrup.