Blueberry Waffles
Homemade Blueberry Waffles burst with real blueberry flavor. This buttermilk waffle recipe has a crisp, golden exterior and a fluffy center. All you need are a handful of ingredients, including fresh or frozen blueberries, and 30 minutes to make them! Makes 9 waffles.
Hey-o! The Year of the Waffle continues today with this post… that was originally scheduled for August but got bumped up to May because my whole family was so excited about it.
I know I say every homemade waffle is the best waffle recipe, but goodness gracious, they all bring the flavor and make a delicious breakfast OR brunch.
These Blueberry Waffles, in particular, are an utter delight that call for one of our favorite fruits.
Why we love this recipe:
These stunning Blueberry Waffles are our classic buttermilk waffle base with the addition of juicy blueberries AND almond extract.
I mention the almond extract to you here because it’s a classic extract that is added to a lot of vanilla cakes and cookies… and it just elevates these waffles into the BEST blueberry waffles.
Also, the buttermilk adds a gentle tanginess to waffles. Buttermilk is acidic, so when you combine that with baking soda, it gives the batter a little extra lift. It also makes for fluffier waffles. (Hello, kitchen chemistry!)
Then we add blueberries to the almond-vanilla waffle batter before cooking. They’re kind of like my classic Blueberry Pancakes… but in waffle form.
Please note that this fruit — fresh or frozen — bursts when it heats and can stick to your waffle iron, so it’s important to spritz it or brush it with oil between rounds of waffles.
The texture of these waffles is perfect. They’re crispy on the outside, but the inside is tender, moist and fluffy. And you also get hints of the vanilla and almond in the batter, which sing when paired with bursts of sweet blueberries.
Much like all my other waffle recipes, we use several pantry ingredients, plus a few refrigerated ones.
While you might need to make a special trip to the store for buttermilk or the freshest bluebs, you will not need to separate egg yolks from egg whites or whip egg whites to provide extra fluff to these waffles.
My girls love mixing and making waffles in our kitchen, so I highly encourage involving the kids in your life in the making of this recipe.
Other waffle recipes you might enjoy: Chocolate Chip Waffles | Chocolate Waffles | The Best Waffles | Strawberry Waffles | Red Velvet Waffles | Banana Waffles | Peanut Butter Waffles
Need breakfast inspiration, but don’t know where to start? Head on over to my Breakfast and Brunch Recipe Index.
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Large bowl
- Small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- ½ cup measuring cup
- Waffle iron or waffle maker
- Silicone pastry brush or nonstick cooking spray
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
In addition to these tools, you’ll need a few ingredients from the grocery store:
- All-purpose flour — we always have unbleached AP flour at our house, but the regular kind works, too!
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this adds sweetness to the waffle batter.
- Leaveners — we’re using a combination of baking powder and baking soda. Make sure yours are fresh.
- Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is my go-to. Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand. You may use a similarly sized sea salt. Keep in mind that table salt is saltier than kosher.
- Buttermilk — this makes an impact on the texture of these waffles. If you don’t have buttermilk at your house, you can make a buttermilk substitute easily! If you need to use non-dairy milk, you can make a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Eggs — large eggs or extra large eggs are what I use in all baking recipes.
- Flavorless oil or melted butter — avocado, vegetable or canola oil are perfect. If you’re using melted butter, make sure you give it a little time to cool so it won’t scramble the eggs!
- Vanilla extract — the real deal pure vanilla extract is where it’s at. This adds amazing flavor.
- Almond extract — this adds that unique cake-like flavor to the batter. Is it required? No. But does it add a little something extra? Absolutely.
- Blueberries — you can use fresh or frozen blueberries. If using frozen, rinse them off and pat them dry. Otherwise, they can change your batter’s color.
How to make this Blueberry Waffle recipe
First, we’re going to make our waffle batter.
Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl. This is the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk them together until combined and set aside.
Pour the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup or a separate bowl. Add the eggs, oil (or butter), vanilla and extracts. Whisk them or stir them with a fork until everything is combined.
DID YOU KNOW?
We mix these vigorously because if you don’t give them a good mix, there will be ribbons of egg white in the cooked waffles. It’s not a pleasant look or texture, so please learn from my mistakes.
Once the wet ingredients are well combined, pour them directly into the flour mixture.
Use a rubber spatula to gently stir them together until just combined.
Add the blueberries. Gently fold them into the batter.
It’s important to be gentle or you could smash the blueberries. Also, if you overmix the batter, the waffles will become tougher. It’s OK if this blueberry batter has lumps.
Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes. It can rest up to 30 minutes. You’ll notice that the batter almost immediately starts expanding, thanks to the chemical reaction between the buttermilk and the baking soda.
While the batter rests, preheat the waffle iron and give it a spritz of nonstick cooking spray or brush it with melted butter.
This is especially important because the blueberries burst as these waffles cook and will stick to your waffle iron, if given the opportunity.
Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to dollop the batter onto the hot waffle iron.
We use a ½ cup of batter in each of these waffles. The size is dependent on your waffle iron.
Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until your waffle iron alerts you that the waffle is done. Open the waffle iron and remove when golden brown and delicious.
You should spritz the waffle maker down with more nonstick spray after each waffle OR wipe it down with a clean, wet kitchen cloth to remove blueberry debris and to prevent sticking.
Serve your waffle with fresh blueberries, a pat of butter or whipped cream and pure maple syrup.
How to store and freeze
Leftover blueberry waffles store and freeze well! This is one of my kids’ favorite breakfasts.
Store leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or a toaster oven on a lower heat until crispy.
To freeze, line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Lay out the leftover waffles in a single layer. Transfer to the freezer, and freeze until frozen. Transfer to a plastic freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
To reheat frozen waffles, defrost in the refrigerator OR defrost for 30 seconds in the microwave, then toast until crispy.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Blueberry Waffles are the perfect way to bring fresh berries to an at-home breakfast or brunch.
Making waffles for a crowd requires a little patience, planning and working ahead. If you’re like me, you’re not going to want to make each waffle individually for your guests.
However, if you do want to make them for each guest, you might consider borrowing a waffle iron or two from a friend to make this a quicker endeavor.
Here are a few tips and tricks to transforming these waffles into a brunch centerpiece:
- Depending on the amount of people you’re serving, you can double this recipe.
- Make the waffles before guests arrive, and keep them warm in the oven. We put ours on baking sheets* (affiliate link) and keep them warm in a 200°F oven. You could also reheat them in a toaster oven for an extra crispy exterior.
- Transform your table into a waffle bar! Offer various toppings, like real maple syrup, butter (or homemade honey butter), sweetened whipped cream, fresh blueberries, blueberry sauce (or homemade blueberry syrup), strawberry syrup and more. Let guests dress their waffles to their hearts’ content.
Frequently Asked Questions
In my opinion, to secret to fluffy waffles is the chemical reaction between buttermilk and baking soda. I also believe that mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately so you don’t overmix the batter is important. Also, making sure your leaveners are both fresh so that the waffles puff up!
Make sure you spritz the iron with nonstick cooking spray or brush it with melted butter before the waffle batter is added to the iron.
To get a crispy exterior on your waffles, your waffle iron needs to be warmed up, as well as have a little fat on it. We brush ours with butter, but you can also spritz it with nonstick cooking spray.
Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Waffles
- Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the waffles won’t be as fluffy.
- Use a cookie scoop or measuring cup to ensure all your waffles are similarly sized.
- Leftover waffles? Freeze ’em! Line a baking sheet with wax paper, place the completely cooled waffles on the paper in a single layer and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the waffles are fully frozen, transfer to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warmed through.
More favorite blueberry breakfast recipes:
If you love blueberry baked goods, try out Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins and Lemon Blueberry Bread.
This sweet-salty Blueberry Breakfast Sausage Pancakes are delicious, if you’re into that kind of thing.
And if you just want some really good waffles, scroll on down to the recipe card to learn how to make these…
Blueberry Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 270g
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 32g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder 14g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 8g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2g
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs ~100g
- ¼ cup flavorless oil avocado, vegetable, canola all OK (58g)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 10g
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract 6g
- 2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen (280g)
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Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Pour the buttermilk, eggs, oil, vanilla extract and almond extract into a liquid measuring cup. Whisk thoroughly until combined. The eggs need to be completely incorporated.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Stir until just combined. The batter does not need to be completely smooth, so do not mix it until it is smooth or it will be overmixed.
- Stir in the blueberries, folding gently to incorporate into the batter. You may let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Pour ½ cup of the waffle batter into a greased, hot waffle iron. (This will be dependent on the size of your waffle maker, so you might need more or less, and depending on this, you will have more or less waffles.)
- Close the waffle iron, and cook until crispy and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per waffle. This cook time is dependent on your waffle iron.
- Repeat until all the waffles have been made and enjoy with your favorite toppings. Be sure to spritz the waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray after each waffle because the blueberries will burst and stick to the iron. You may also wipe the hot iron down with a wet kitchen towel between waffles.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
I just made these. They were the best waffles. I’ll make them again.
Brenda — your comment brightened my day! I am so so so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed these waffles and that you’ll make them again. 🙂 That’s the highest compliment a recipe developer can get. I appreciate it and hope that this recipe brings you joy for years to come!