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If you don’t have a classic waffle recipe in your morning repertoire, this weekend may be the time to dust off that waffle iron and make some crispy, crunchy, delicious memories. Syrup-covered memories. Waffles for breakfast? Of course. Waffles for dinner? Why not? With this batter you can go savory or sweet; after all, the waffle toppings are completely up to you.
The beautiful thing about this classic waffles recipe is that you can fine-tune and adjust the waffles ingredients to meet any dietary requirements you have. I give a ton of different versions down below—keep reading!
Are waffles healthy?
While waffles can be made with a lot of extravagant toppings and sauces, the waffle itself can be part of a healthy, balanced breakfast. Eating a waffle for breakfast is better than no breakfast at all.
To make things more whole grain, you can add some wheat flour, spelt flour, or oat flour to the batter and no one may be the wiser…
Also, I bet a lot of breakfast enthusiasts out there are wondering: are waffles considered bread? Believe it or not, waffles (and pancakes) are a member of the flat, quick-bread family that has been made and eaten for thousands of years.
Variations on this Classic Waffle recipe:
- Vegan waffles recipe: My recipe isn’t vegan, but here’s one that is:
- 1 and ¼ cup flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 Â ¼ cup soy or nut milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
- Then add the soy milk or other non-dairy milk, coconut oil, and vanilla and whisk to remove any lumps. The batter will be quite thin.
- Dairy-free waffles: Are waffles dairy-free? Not usually, but they definitely can be! Waffles with almond milk are wonderful. Feel free to substitute out your favorite dairy-free milk for the milk in this recipe, and use coconut oil in place of butter.
- Waffles recipe without eggs: To make egg-free waffles, use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of one egg in the batter.
- Waffles with egg whites: Whipped egg whites can be added in place of whole eggs.
- Gluten-free waffles: Substitute your favorite brand of gluten-free baking mix or almond flour.
- Reduced-fat waffles: Cut back on the butter, and use 4 tablespoons butter (½ stick).
- For the crunchiest waffles: Extra butter makes extra crispy waffles; use 16 tablespoons butter (2 sticks).
- Buttermilk waffles: prepare the Classic Waffles Recipe as directed, adding ¼ teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients and replace the regular milk with buttermilk.
How do you keep waffles warm?
The waffles that are finished may be held in a 200-degree oven for 20 minutes after baking. Place them in a single layer on baking sheets (do not stack the waffles or they may get soggy).
Can you freeze waffles?
These waffles in this recipe freeze beautifully for breakfast all week long. To freeze waffles, wrap in airtight foil or plastic, and store in the freezer. To reheat, place frozen waffles directly on the rack in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.
Can you make waffles without a waffle iron?
Technically, you don’t need a waffle iron, but to get those deep ridges and heavenly, syrup-holding compartments…yes you do. I use this one, which is affordable and easy to clean.
If you have a grill pan, some folks use that to make waffles. They look like pancakes, but they do get crispy. They’ll also have ridges, which won’t hold the syrup as well. (If you haven’t already guessed, it’s all about the syrup for me!)
How do you make homemade syrup?
At night, I dream about this other-worldly syrup. It combines the best of both worlds, combining maple syrup and butter, and the result is almost a caramel sauce. Plus you can make it ahead of time and gently warm it up when you need it.
Homemade Syrup:
- In a saucepan, heat the maple syrup and the sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture gets wispy looking.
- Then add the butter, water, and a little salt.
- Finally, a beaten egg is whisked into the mixture to give the syrup an incredible body and silky richness.
What are some other waffles toppings?
In case you’re needing some inspiration in the waffle toppings department, here are some swell ideas to get those creative, waffle-y juices flowing:
- Classic waffles: Soft whipped butter, maple syrup, maybe a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Waffles with ice cream: Yes, yes, and yes. Or make mini ice cream sammies and dip them in chocolate. (Is this going too far?)
- Waffles with whipped cream: Old-fashioned whipped cream makes waffles luxurious. Try some strawberries for a strawberry shortcake waffle breakfast!
- Waffles with Nutella: How could I not mention this decadent pairing?
- Waffles with strawberries: Berries of all kinds are fabulous with waffles. Or even a dollop of jam or a berry sauce when you have it.
- Waffles with peanut butter: Peanut butter stays on the waffle for grab-it-and-go breakfasts. I know this because I’ve tried it.
- Waffles and pancakes: Are you a waffles or pancakes family? For houses that are divided, it’s easy to make batches of both and a big pot of syrup and let everyone pick their faves.
- Waffles and bacon: Bacon’s crunch and waffles fluffiness, together at last. Something this tasty can’t last forever.
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Classic Waffles
Ingredients
For the waffles:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 8 tablespoons butter melted (1 stick, see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
For the syrup:
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter cut into pieces (¾ stick)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1 large egg
Instructions
To make the waffles:
- 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, butter, and milk. 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.
To make the syrup:
- In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine maple syrup and sugar. Bring to boil and, stirring constantly, cook until the sauce spins short, wispy threads, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in butter, water, and salt until the sauce is thick and creamy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg until light and frothy. Slowly whisk in hot maple mixture until smooth.
- Wash and dry pan thoroughly, removing any sugar crystals. Return sauce to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the sauce simmers and thickens.
- Serve immediately or cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat over low heat. If the sauce separates, remove from heat and stir in a little hot water.
Notes
- For reduced-fat waffles, use 4 tablespoons butter (½ stick).
- For classic light and fluffy waffles, use 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick).
- For the crunchiest, tastiest waffles you've ever had, use 16 tablespoons butter (2 sticks)
- To make buttermilk waffles, prepare the Classic Waffles Recipe as directed, adding ¼ teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients and substituting buttermilk for the regular milk.
- To make diary-free, egg-free, gluten-free, or vegan waffles, please see the variations in this post.Â
- If using salted butter, omit the salt.
- The waffles may be held in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes after baking. Place them in a single layer on baking sheets (do not stack the waffles or they may get soggy).Â
- The buttery maple syrup can be made up to 3 days in advance.Â
- To freeze waffles, wrap airtight and store in the freezer. To reheat, place frozen waffles directly on the rack in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.
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.
Decided to make these to start the Mother’s Day weekend. I now have major brownie points and a very happy family. mmmmm…brownies.