Eat Well, Live Happy: Homemade Waffles

We were given a waffle maker as a wedding gift that we have not used much in the past 10 years. We have the discontinued Waring Pro Double Waffle Maker, pictured below, which makes two 7" round Belgian waffles at a time. If you don't already have a waffle maker, a highly rated one is the Breville Smart Waffle 4 Slice, which makes four 4" square Belgian waffles at a time. There are plenty of less expensive options as well.

My boys love pancakes so I usually make those instead. Belgian waffles are delicious too, but they haven't been requested much in our house - or at least they weren't until now. One of my sons found our waffle maker yesterday morning and asked my husband to make some for breakfast. He found this waffle recipe and it was really good so I wanted to share it.

My mom still uses my grandmother's waffle recipe, which I think tastes better using a classic waffle maker instead of a Belgian waffle maker like ours. Her recipe uses egg whites, so the recipe below is a little faster and easier to make. I like softer waffles and I thought these were perfect! I topped mine with Kerrygold butter, maple syrup and fresh berries. This quickly reminded me of my freshman year at Towson University when I would frequent the Belgian waffle station in the dining hall and top my waffles with the same as above, along with some whipped cream. My husband only made one recipe for our family of 4 which gave us just enough waffles for all of us, but I think from now on we will make a double recipe so we can freeze some leftover waffles. He set our waffle maker on setting 4 which was perfect for how I like my waffles. Keep in mind that the settings are different on every machine, so you will have to determine which setting(s) work best for you and your family. The amount of batter you should pour into your waffle maker differs depending on what you are using as well, so refer to your appliance's manual.

Tip: Do not use sprays like Pam on your waffle maker! They make a mess and they cause more harm to the appliance than good. They leave a sticky residue that is very difficult to get off. Instead, don't use anything at all - the nonstick waffle maker shouldn't need anything other than the oil or butter that is already in the batter.

This recipe was delicious and I hope we'll be making them a lot more often now!

Homemade Waffles

Recipe courtesy “The Cookie Rookie” Blog

Whip up a simple batter in minutes, pour it into a waffle maker, then finish your golden homemade waffles with syrup, butter, and toppings of all kinds!

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ cup granulated sugar

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

1¾ cups milk

¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), melted and slightly cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Start in the center and whisk until just combined (do not over mix). A few lumps are okay.

Allow the waffle batter to rest for a few minutes while you heat your waffle iron to medium-high heat.

Add about ¾ cup of batter to your waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with toppings of choice.

Yield: This recipe yields approximately 4-6 waffles, depending on the size of waffle maker used.

Notes:

Mix the batter until just combined. Over mixing can lead to tough waffles.

Lumps in the batter will actually produce a lighter waffle that rises higher.

Adjust your waffle iron as up and down as needed. Our waffle iron ranges in 1-5 in heat and we like setting #4.

If you have time, allow the waffle batter to rest for a few minutes (about 5-10 minutes) after mixing. This lets the flour hydrate and leads to fluffier waffles.

Don't overfill the waffle iron. Pour in just enough batter to cover the waffle grid without overflowing.

Don't be tempted to open the waffle iron prematurely. Wait until the waffle has had a chance to cook through to avoid tearing.

If you're making a batch of waffles, you can keep them warm in a 200°F oven while you finish cooking the rest.

Store homemade waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.