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In official taste tests, these Homemade Waffles beat both the local diner waffles and anything made from a boxed mix. Top them with plenty of butter and maple syrup or whipped cream and fresh fruit to make every square shine!
Due to one-too-many “snooze” selections on the alarm clock, my childhood weekday morning breakfasts were almost exclusively cold cereal with milk and fruit, a granola bar and a couple hard-boiled eggs, or an English muffin or Bagel with some peanut butter.
But come Saturday mornings, my parents would ask the same question every week “pancakes or waffles?” A hot breakfast was a sign we had made it through another week and could luxuriate over a stack of flapjacks or waffles (ideally enjoyed with a side of cartoons).
I carry on that tradition now with my own kids. They love a stack of hot waffles with a crisp texture as much as I do, although they favor melted butter and syrup over my choice of whipped cream and fresh fruit (and nuts such as candied pecans, if I have the gumption). And with this easy waffle recipe on the table in 40 minutes or less, a wholesome family breakfast is a great way to start the weekend.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Baking powder: Just 1 tablespoon of this chemical leavener is enough to generate bubbles in the waffle batter to help make each Classic Waffle light and fluffy.
- Milk: Cow’s milk or any milk alternative, such as cashew, almond, oat, or soy. Any fat level will do, from skim to whole. Cow’s milk and soy milk typically contain the most protein.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat waffle iron. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients. To the well, pour in the eggs, butter, and milk (wet ingredients).
- Gently whisk together until combined (the batter should have a pebbled look, similar to a muffin batter). Add ½ cup batter (or the amount recommended by your waffle iron’s instructions) onto heated waffle iron. Using a spatula, wooden spoon, or ladle, spread the batter to within 1/4-inch of the edge of the grids.
- Close the lid and bake until the waffle is golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately with your favorite waffle toppings or keep warm while preparing remaining waffles.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Homemade Waffle recipe makes 6 waffles, so double or triple as needed to feed a crowd.
- Storage: Store leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. My favorite way to reheat them is in the toaster.
- Freezer: Arrange cooled waffles in a single layer, not touching, on a small baking sheet or plate. Freeze until the waffles are frozen individually, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or reheat in the microwave or toaster from frozen.
- Oiling the maker: If you love crispy edges on your waffles, you’ll want to lightly grease your waffle maker with oil or butter before adding the batter.
- Keep them warm: To keep waffles warm while you’re preparing them, or to store them for an imminent brunch, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Set a rack over a baking sheet and place in the oven, then transfer cooked pancakes to the rack until serving time.
- Vanilla extract: I don’t always add vanilla to my waffle batter, but a teaspoon is delicious and adds a naturally sweet flavor.
- Belgian waffle recipe: Choose a Belgian waffle maker which has larger, deeper holes than a standard waffle maker. In some homemade Belgian waffle recipes, you separate the eggs; the egg yolks are stirred into the batter while the egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks and then you fold them in later for height. Many Belgian waffle recipes are also leavened with yeast into of baking powder.
- Mix ins: Stir chocolate chips into your waffle batter and drizzle the finished waffles with chocolate syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Gluten-free waffles: Substitute your favorite 1:1 GF flour blend. My favorite is King Arthur’s 1:1 GF flour blend.
- Fried chicken and waffles: Make this breakfast classic with my favorite picnic fried chicken.
- Classic Homemade Pancakes: For standard white-flour pancakes better than anything you’d get at the diner, try my beloved Homemade Pancake Recipe. It’s ready in 20 minutes or less, and they are so good! Definitely a family and reader favorite.
- Healthy Pancake Recipe: If you’re looking for wholesome breakfast ideas, keep a batch of homemade Healthy Pancake Mix in the pantry. Whenever the mood strikes, mix up batter for as few as 3 to 4 pancakes at a time. It’s ideal for busy school mornings and will keep the kids full until lunch time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, being careful not stack or crowd the waffles, as this may cause them to get soggy. Transfer the pan to a 200-degree oven to keep warm.
It’s tough to beat that easy homemade condiment, but I also adore topping my waffles with a sprinkle of Cinnamon Sugar, a pile of fresh seasonal fruit or spoonful of fruit coulis, Whipped Cream, a schmear of Nutella, Apple Butter, or Homemade Peanut Butter, chopped Fried Bacon, or if I’m really feeling decadent, a scoop of ice cream. (Cherry on top optional, but highly recommended.)
If you don’t want eggs in your waffles, make a flax egg, an vegan egg substitute made with ground flax seed. To make a flax egg, combine one tablespoon ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water. (For my Classic Waffle recipe, which calls for 3 eggs, you’ll want to triple this.) Allow the mixture to sit in your refrigerator for 15 minutes to set up before adding it to the batter.
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Homemade Waffles
Equipment
- Waffle maker (This is the waffle maker I own and love!)
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 1/2 cups milk (see note 2)
- 8 tablespoons butter melted (1 stick)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- maple syrup and butter or whipped cream and fresh fruit, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat waffle iron. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients.
- To the well, add eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla. Gently whisk together until combined (the batter should have a pebbled look, similar to a muffin batter).
- Add ½ cup batter (or the amount recommended by your waffle iron’s instructions) onto heated waffle iron. Using a spatula, wooden spoon, or ladle, spread the batter to within 1/4-inch of the edge of the grids.
- Close the lid and bake until the waffle is golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately or keep warm while preparing remaining waffles.
Notes
- Baking powder: Just 1 tablespoon of this chemical leavener is enough to generate bubbles in the waffle batter to help make each Classic Waffle light and fluffy.
- Milk: Cow’s milk or any milk alternative, such as cashew, almond, oat, or soy. Any fat level will do, from skim to whole.
- Yield: This Homemade Waffle recipe makes 6 to 8 waffles depending on the exact dimensions of your waffle maker.
- Storage: Store leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. My favorite way to reheat them is in the toaster.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.