The Best Waffles
Want to make the BEST homemade waffles without buttermilk? This simple waffle recipe calls for easy-to-find ingredients and is ready in less than 30 minutes. Makes 9 waffles.
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As my family and I have explored our love of breakfast foods throughout the years, you’ll notice that I’ve dedicated a large swath of time to homemade pancake recipes… and this year, we’re celebrating waffles!
Because fresh waffles are my kids’ latest obsession and have become part and parcel with any given Saturday morning. I decided it would be fun to see how many waffle recipes we can successfully develop in a year.
Please note that we = me.
But we — the whole family — are going to be eating them all, discussing them and geeking out over the process of making waffles at home.
And to start our year of homemade WAFFLE recipes, we’re going with the classic: Homemade Waffles… without buttermilk!
Why I love this recipe:
You know those recipes that strike the perfect balance?
These homemade waffles do just that. They’re crispy on the outside, but there is wonderful fluffiness on the inside. They are sweet, but not TOO sweet. And they’re beautifully light and easy to eat.
They are completely from scratch, meaning you will not be using pancake mix or waffle mix. You will need a few pantry items, which you probably already have in your home (or can easily acquire if you do not)… and they don’t need buttermilk. (We’ve got our Buttermilk Waffle recipe for that.)
Also, we won’t be whipping egg whites to give these waffles some poofiness. This recipe was written to be an EASY breakfast. I did not want to require additional equipment or time to make these be the most delicious waffles they can be.
Serve ‘em with real maple syrup, fresh fruit, butter and more. These waffles pair nicely with most everything, sweet and savory, and make such a wonderful treat of a breakfast or brunch!
Also, they are easy to make with kids, so if you have kids and yours enjoy being in the kitchen, invite them to join you for the measuring, stirring and mixing! Older kids can even use the waffle iron (with supervision, of course, and depending on their own skill level.)
Please note that these are not Belgian waffles, though you can certainly use a Belgian waffle maker if that’s what you have at your house.
Other waffle recipes you might enjoy: Homemade Waffles with Strawberries and Cream | Pumpkin Waffles with Cinnamon Maple Syrup | Chocolate Waffles | Chocolate Chip 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 mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup
- Kitchen scale
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- 1/3 cup measuring cup
- Waffle maker or waffle iron
- Silicone pastry brush or nonstick cooking spray
- Cookie sheet and a freezer bag for freezing for later
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 at our house, but the regular kind works perfectly, too!
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this adds sweetness to the waffle batter.
- Cornstarch — this helps make for crispy waffles. Don’t skip it!
- 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.
- Milk — over the years, we’ve made the pancake recipe this waffle recipe was adapted from with every type of milk available. I used whole milk when I was photographing this recipe, but it works with any cow’s milk (from whole to skim), as well as almond, cashew and coconut milk
- Eggs — large eggs or extra large eggs are what I grab at the store.
- Vanilla extract — the real deal pure vanilla extract is where it’s at. This adds amazing flavor.
- Flavorless oil — avocado vegetable or canola oil are perfect here! You can also use unsalted butter if that’s your jam, too.
Our favorite waffle toppings:
The world is your oyster since these classic waffles pair nicely with anything.
Here are a few favorites:
- Fresh fruit and berries
- Maple syrup or cinnamon maple syrup
- Fruit sauces, like Fresh Blueberry Sauce or Homemade Strawberry Syrup
How to make waffles from scratch
First, we’re going to make our waffle batter.
Mix the dry ingredients. Measure the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together until combined and set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients. Pour the milk into a liquid measuring cup or a smaller mixing bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and oil. Whisk them or stir them with a fork until everything is combined.
DID YOU KNOW?
We mix these ingredients vigorously because if you don’t give them a good mix, there will be random ribbons of egg in your waffles, and that’s gross. (Please take this advice from me—I’ve made this mistake so many times, and I want your waffles to be delicious.)
Once the wet ingredients are well combined, pour them directly into the dry ingredients.
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 without issue.
While it rests, heat your waffle iron and give it a spritz of nonstick cooking spray. You could also brush it with melted butter.
Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to dollop the batter onto the preheated waffle iron. My waffle iron fits 1/3 cup perfectly.
Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until your waffle iron alerts you to the waffle being done. Open the waffle iron and remove when golden brown and delicious.
Serve your waffle with fresh fruit, a pat of butter and pure maple syrup.
How to store and freeze
If you’ve got leftover waffles, they store and freeze well! They are great to have around for busy mornings.
The key to storing them is letting them cool completely on a cooling rack.
Once totally cooled off, 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 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 push all the excess air out of the bag to prevent freezer burn. You may also wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. 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
Homemade waffles for an at-home brunch gathering? Heck yes!
While waffles are something that I previously thought might be a fussier item to prepare for a brunch at home situation, you can absolutely make these for that! It just requires a little patience, planning and working ahead to get ‘em made before guests arrive.
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. You can also half it if you’re not feeding a crowd.
- Make the waffles before guests arrive, and keep them warm in the oven. This is an easy way to make it work! We put ours on a baking sheet or two* (affiliate link) and keep them warm in a 200°F oven.
- Transform your table into a waffle bar! Offer various toppings, like real maple syrup, sweetened whipped cream, berries or peach compote.
Frequently Asked Questions
In my opinion, to secret to fluffy waffles is mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately so you don’t overmix the batter once they’re combined. Also, making sure your baking powder and baking soda 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. ALSO, the cornstarch adds to the crunchiness in the exterior of these waffles, so don’t skip that!
After you’ve removed them from your waffle maker, place them on a wire cooling rack or an oven rack. This will help air circulate around them and prevent them from becoming soggy, which happens when they sit on a solid surface and release steam.
No. Waffles require a little more fat, as well as some cornstarch, for the best possible texture and results. I do not recommend using pancake mix to make waffles.
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.
Ready to make these beauties? Here’s how we do it…
The Best Homemade Waffles (without Buttermilk)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch packed (24g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 12g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 4g
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 4g
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ¼ cup flavorless oil avocado, vegetable, canola all OK
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Pour the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract into a liquid measuring cup or a small bowl. 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 ⅓ 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. A third of a cup is the correct scoopage for my waffle maker.)
- Cook until crispy and cooked through.
- Repeat until all the waffles have been made and enjoy!
Video
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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