Best Waffles Recipe
Posted Dec 05, 2023
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The best waffle recipe ever! These golden-brown, crispy, fluffy homemade waffles turn out perfectly every time. They’re made from scratch and freeze very well.
This is the best waffle recipe ever. Once you try it, you’ll say, “Goodbye” to boxed waffle mixes forever!
These homemade waffles are rich and flavorful, light and crispy and absolute breakfast perfection. Skip the processed ingredients found in freezer waffles or store-bought mixes and make your own at home with simple, organic ingredients.
This waffle recipe makes a large batch, which is perfect so you can freeze and enjoy them all week long. Simply pop frozen waffles in the toaster for a quick and easy (and delicious) breakfast on busy mornings.
Waffle Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-purpose flour. If desired, you may substitute up to half of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour. You can also use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make them gluten-free.
- Milk. 2% milk or half and half are good substitutes.
- Granulated sugar. Use white sugar or organic cane sugar.
- Applesauce. canola oil is the best substitute for applesauce.
- Salted Butter. canola oil or unsalted butter are good substitutes.
How to Make Waffles from Scratch
Let’s walk through this waffle recipe step-by-step to ensure your success, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by preheating your waffle maker.
Then, combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set them aside.
Next, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Save both components of the egg as they will both be used in this recipe.
Then, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and transfer them to a bowl and set them aside. Beating the egg white is the key to crispy fluffy waffles!
Next, beat the egg yolks together in a large bowl.
Then, add the melted butter, milk, vanilla and applesauce and beat until combined.
Next, add the dry ingredient mixture and beat until just combined.
Next, fold in the beaten egg whites carefully with a spatula until they batter in uniform throughout. Be careful not to over mix.
Cook the Waffles
Next, add the waffle batter to a pre-heated waffle maker and cook until they are done.
The amount of batter used really depends on the size and shape of your waffle maker. For our Cuisinart Waffle Maker (which we love), it takes about 1 cup of batter to make 4 waffles.
Large Batch!
This waffle recipe makes a huge batch of waffles, about 18-20 waffles. We always have lots leftover, even though our kids sometimes eat 3 per sitting!
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Keep Warm
If you’d like to keep homemade waffles warm in between batches, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. Remove the cooked waffles from the waffle maker, transfer them to a large baking sheet and put them in the oven to stay warm.
Serve
Serve this waffle recipe warm with your favorite toppings. Here are our favorite ways to enjoy homemade waffles:
- With a glug of pure maple syrup and pat of butter or cinnamon honey butter.
- Topped with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
- With a side of fresh berries or other fruit
- Drizzled with nutella, peanut butter, etc.
Store
Let leftover waffles cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the toaster.
How to Freeze Waffles
I suggest freezing these waffles to keep them fresh. Put cooled waffles in a single layer in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. You can stack them if you separate the layers with waxed or parchment paper.
Best Waffle Recipe FAQs
Here are two suggestions I have for you to ensure the crispiest waffles ever!
Keep them warm in the oven. After cooking the waffles, put them in a warm oven (about 250 degrees) until you are ready to serve. This will ensure that they stay warm without becoming soggy!
Reheat in the toaster. Place chilled or frozen waffles directly in the toaster to reheat and enjoy! This will re-crisp them beautifully after they have been stored!
The reason Ritch created this recipe to make such a large amount is that we love having leftovers in the freezer to warm up for a quick breakfast! To reheat, simply pop the frozen waffles in the toaster and enjoy!
This waffle recipe makes a thick batter (see photo for reference). It should be easy to spread but still thick.
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Best Waffles Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 ½ Tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 eggs separated
- 3 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Preheat a waffle maker to medium heat.
- Separate egg whites from yolks (save both parts of the egg).
- Put whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment and beat on high until stiff peaks form. (or beat them in a large bowl with a handheld mixer).
- Transfer beaten egg whites to a bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.
- Add egg yolks and butter to the bowl of a standing mixer and mix on medium speed until combined.
- Add milk, applesauce and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and beat until combined.
- Add beaten egg whites and fold into the batter by hand with a spatula.
- Lightly grease the waffle maker with spray oil, cooking spray or grease it with butter.
- Scoop 1 cup of batter into the center of the waffle plates (amount will vary depending on the size of your waffle maker)
- Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until the waffles are golden brown.
- Repeat with remaining batter until it has all been used.
- To keep warm: preheat oven to “warm” setting and put each batch of waffles on a large baking sheet in the warm oven until ready to serve.
- Serve warm with maple syrup, whipped cream, fresh berries, etc. etc.
Video
Notes
- All-purpose flour. If desired, you may substitute up to half of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour. You can also use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make them gluten-free.
- Milk. 2% milk or half and half are good substitutes.
- Granulated sugar. Use white sugar or organic cane sugar.
- Applesauce. canola oil is the best substitute for applesauce.
- Salted Butter. canola oil or unsalted butter are good substitutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These waffles were SO good! I was tired of buying frozen waffles so now we have waffles for dinner and then I freeze the rest. My kids loved the taste and the adults appreciated the taste and texture (thanks to the egg whites!). Your website is my go-to site because the recipes are always spot on. My entire family thanks you!
Is the applause just for flavor? If it is, I’m going to use jelly instead!
Applesauce is a great substitute for butter or oil. I don’t recommend using jelly in it’s place!
Thank you for posting this recipe, we have a similar routine at my house! I love the tips for rehearing and keeping them warm too. It’s truly been a game changer to have such a delicious breakfast already made and in the freezer that we can grab and go. My man of the house is also the go to waffle maker so I appreciate your husbands guest post haha. Thank you!
I agree that whipping egg whites does make a superior waffle.However I’ve never heard of someone putting the bowl the fridge for whipping egg whites. Egg white should be beaten at room temperature. Chilling the bowl is used for whipping cream not egg white.
I don’t usually review recipes. However, this truly has to be the best waffle I have ever tasted. I don’t know why I never thought of separating the eggs before. Yummy!
Thank you SO much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! We actually had these for breakfast yesterday and today! 😉
My fiance just got a new Pokemon toaster for his birthday. He a bit of a fan so I made these waffles for him and served them topped with Nutella, fresh fruit and whipped cream. They were delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe. I will make this a breakfast staple in my home.
I LOVE the idea of nutella and whipped cream! YUM!
Have you tried using your French toast recipe but cooking it in the waffle maker!? Makes amazing French toast and adds the “holes” for better syrup collection.
Great idea!!!
Hello..pls can i substiture the applesauce with somethin else..help
You can substitute the applesauce with an equal amount of butter or oil!
I LOVE leftover frozen waffles, and these look like the perfect waffles to do that with; and I love what Ritch said. I actually kind of like to cook, but I don’t have a super sophisticated taste either.
The way he staged these photos. . . . It’s amazing how God matched you two together.
We LOVE waffles in the Castro house and make a ton for leftovers. We have a waffle maker held together by tape, too. Ha! However, I’ve been eyeing that exact Cuisinart waffle maker for a while – good to know it’s a winner. Know that we will be trying this recipe (applesauce is a nice touch!) in our Frankenstien waffle maker. 🙂