Buttermilk Waffles
Buttermilk Waffles are a well-loved family favorite for a reason! This buttermilk waffle recipe is the BEST, resulting in a fluffy, vanilla-forward batter and a crispy exterior. You need 9 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make this breakfast classic. Makes 8 waffles.
Somehow, it’s already April, and our Year of the Waffle continues today.
We’re switching it up by introducing a classic BUTTERMILK Waffle situation to our already stellar lineup, and I’m not going to lie: this is pretty exciting because these waffles are excellent on so many levels.
Why I love this recipe:
We’re stepping into the world of Homemade Buttermilk Waffles today with this classic recipe. The secret ingredient is obviously BUTTERMILK. (No regular milk here, my friends.)
Not only does buttermilk add an awesome gentle tanginess to waffles, but it is acidic. So when you combine that with baking soda, it gives the batter a little extra lift and fluff. (Hello, kitchen chemistry!)
I’ve also recently learned that buttermilk helps to break down gluten, which leads to a tender waffle that isn’t tough.
(Fun fact: these same principles apply to Buttermilk Pancakes, which are another household favorite here.)
So. It goes without saying that the texture of these waffles is perfect. The exterior is crispy and the interior is tender, moist and fluffy. And you also get hints of the vanilla in the batter.
Much like all my other waffle recipes, we use pantry ingredients as the base for this, plus a few refrigerated ones.
While you might need to make a special trip to the store for buttermilk, you will not need to whip egg whites to provide extra fluff to these waffles. The buttermilk does that heavy lifting for us.
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. (Yes, it might get messy, but goodness gracious, is it fun. It also leads to a delicious meal.)
Other waffle recipes you might enjoy: The Best Waffles | Chocolate Waffles | Chocolate Chip Waffles | Pumpkin Waffles | Banana Waffles | Blueberry Waffles | Strawberry Waffles | Red Velvet 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 or your pantry:
- 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 with lemon juice or white vinegar!
- Eggs — large eggs or extra large eggs are what I use in all baking recipes.
- Flavorless oilor 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.
How to make Buttermilk Waffles
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 smaller mixing bowl. Add the oil/melted butter, vanilla and eggs. Whisk them or stir them with a fork until everything is combined.
This buttermilk mixture is considered your wet ingredients.
DID YOU KNOW?
We mix the wet ingredients vigorously because if you don’t, 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.
If you overmix the batter, the waffles will become tougher, so just stir until the flour is incorporated. It’s OK if this homemade batter has lumps.
Set the homemade waffle batter aside, and let it 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 non-stick cooking spray or brush it with melted butter.
Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to pour batter onto the hot waffle iron.
We use a ½ cup scooper for these waffles.
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.
Serve your homemade waffles with fresh fruit, a pat of butter, a few chocolate chips, whipped cream and/or pure maple syrup.
How to store and freeze
Extra waffles store and freeze well! Store 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 sheet pan 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 baggie and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator OR defrost for 30 seconds in the microwave, then toast until crispy.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
These easy Buttermilk Waffles are an awesome centerpiece for an at-home breakfast or brunch. I think they would make a lovely centerpiece for Mother’s Day or Easter brunch, too.
Making waffles for a crowd requires a little patience, planning and working ahead. Because if you’re like me, you’re not going to want to make each waffle individually for your guests.
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 to ensure they are extra crispy waffles.
- Transform your table into a waffle bar! Offer various toppings, like real maple syrup, sweetened whipped cream, strawberry syrup, fresh berries, hot fudge sauce, fresh blueberry sauce and more. Let guests dress their waffles to their hearts’ content.
Frequently Asked Questions
In my opinion, to secret to fluffy waffles is using the combination of 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!
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.
Belgian waffles are traditionally made with a yeasted batter and crunchy sugar. Buttermilk waffles are less time intensive and are similar to classic waffles, but call for buttermilk.
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.
Buttermilk Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 270g
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25g
- 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 (60g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 9g
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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 and vanilla 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.
- 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 depending on your waffle iron.
- Repeat until all the waffles have been made and enjoy with your favorite waffle toppings.
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…
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