Best Belgian Waffle Recipe {Light Fluffy and Crisp} - Cooking Classy (2024)

The supreme waffle recipe! These Belgian Waffles are light and fluffy on the inside, and crisp and nicely golden brown on the outside. Here you’ll learn all you need to know to perfect them!

The Best Belgian Waffle Recipe

Who doesn’t love a made-from-scratch, comforting, homestyle breakfast? Especially on the weekends! This waffle recipe will give you all the more reason to look forward to lazy Saturday mornings.

And chances are once you try these you’ll be hooked for life! I’m yet to meet someone who doesn’t love them.

I’ve had this recipe countless times since I first shared them 5 years ago. They may not be quite as quick as pancakes but the extra bit of effort in whipping egg whites is so worth it!

These have everything you look for in a waffle and them some. They have a rich delicious flavor (thanks to the buttermilk), they’re perfectly soft and tender inside with a nice moisture to them, and you’ll love that deliciously crisp, pretty exterior.

Then lets not forget the fact that they’re the perfect base to an endless list of topping options. But of course you can never go wrong with the classic finishing touch of a light slather of rich butter and a pool of sweet maple syrup drizzled between all those perfectly angular nooks and crannies.

These are the perfect main dish pairing to those classic breakfast sides like creamy scrambled eggs, golden hash browns, crispy, salty oven cooked bacon and sweet fresh fruit. Can’t you just picture it now? It needs to happen right?

Simply put, they’ll be all of your breakfast dreams come true!

Ingredients in Belgian Waffle Mix

These Belgian waffles use ingredients you already have on hand, making this an easy weekend treat!

• All-purpose flour – this will give the waffles structure. I don’t recommend substituting another type of flour.
• Cornstarch – this helps make the waffles light and crisp.
• Baking powder and baking soda – use both types of leavening ingredients since an acidic ingredient is added.
• Salt – this brings out the flavors in the waffles so they don’t taste bland.
• Buttermilk and milk – I don’t recommend the buttermilk substitute here, for best results use real buttermilk. Then use any fat pecentage but skim cow’s milk.
• Vegetable oil – don’t try to swap with butter or waffles won’t come out light and crisp.
• Vanilla extract – this adds a nice background flavor.
• Eggs – here you’ll separate the yolks from the whites. This is done so those egg whites can be whipped up nice and fluffy to add volume and rise to the waffles.
• Granulated sugar – only a little is needed for flavor and to help the waffles brown on the outside.

How to Make Belgian Waffles:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees and preheat a Belgian waffle iron.
• In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, make a well in center of mixture and set aside.

• Then in a separate mixing bowl whisk together buttermilk, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg yolks until combined.

• Using a third separate bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on high speed, whip egg whites (make sure there isn’t a drop of yolk or they’ll never fluff up) until soft peaks form.
• Add sugar and whip until stiff glossy peaks form.

• Pour buttermilk mixture into well in flour mixture and mix just until combined (batter should be slightly lumpy).

• Fold in egg white mixture (again batter should be slightly lumpy).

How to Cook Waffles:

• Cook batter in preheated waffle iron according to manufactures directions.
• Normally that involves spraying machine lightly before using with non-stick cooking spray (I don’t need to spray between batches), then pouring in batter, closing lid and rotating machine and cooking until it beeps or light comes on (for newer models). It usually takes about 2 minutes set around a medium heat.

• Once each waffle is done, transfer to warm oven and allow to rest to finish crisp further and keep warm. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

Do I Have to Use a Belgian Waffle Maker?

You don’t have to use a Belgian waffle maker for this recipe. But the special equipment you will need is a some sort of standard electric waffle iron, the regular kind work find it doesn’t need to be “Belgian” they’re just bigger thicker waffles.

Can I Freeze These Waffles?

They are best served right away because as they sit they’ll start to soften and lose those crisp edges, but if you have some left, over course don’t throw them out. They can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for a few weeks (after cooling on a wire rack first). Layer sheets of parchment paper between waffles to prevent sticking.

Try These Tasty Belgian Waffle Toppings:

Wondering what to finish them with? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Brush lightly with butter then dip in a cinnamon sugar mixture for a churro-like waffle.
• Top with fresh berries and sweetened cream.
• Consider this homemade buttermilk syrup. It’s addictive.
• Serve with a homemade fruit syrup like Strawberry Syrup or Blueberry Syrup.
• Try chocolate sauce or Nutella, sliced bananas, chopped nuts and whipped cream for a sundae-like treat.
• In the fall, add apple butter or pumpkin butter.
• Add a light layer of lemon curd and fresh blueberries.
• Then of course there’s always the option of a pat of butter and warmed maple syrup.

Tips for the Best Waffles:

• Use a blend of flour and cornstarch. It will give you the best tender texture.
• Whip the egg whites separately. This will give you fluffy waffles.
• Use buttermilk, not just milk. It adds delicious flavor that milk alone doesn’t.
• Stick with vegetable oil instead of butter. You’ll get a light, moist waffle and a crispy exterior.
• Don’t over-mix the batter. Little lumps are fine.
• Careful not to undercook or overcook the waffles. If you open the waffle iron too early waffles can stick and split, if you cook too long – well we all know what happens.
• Keep cooked waffles warm in the oven while you finish cooking the remaining batter.

More Must Have Classic Breakfast Recipes!

• Crepes
• Buttermilk Pancakes
• German Pancake
• French Toast
• Eggs Benedict
• Hash Browns
• Frittata
• Blueberry Muffins

Recipe originally published December, 2014. Photos have been updated.

Don’t forget to try the Churro Waffles!

Brush waffles with melted butter then sprinkle with or dip in cinnamon sugar!