This is the best Belgian waffle recipe I’ve ever tried! They’re better than the ones we get at our favorite breakfast spot!
I recently bought a waffle iron (affiliate link). It works so well and my kids and I are looooooving all the fresh waffles coming out of it every morning!
You would not believe the waffle ideas that are constantly bouncing around in my brain. It’s sort of ridiculous.
And, obviously, by “ridiculous,” I mean fabulous.
You guys should totally come live in my brain with the delicious waffles. It’s a happy place up in there.
Before I get all crazy on you with the strange-but-delicious waffle recipes, I thought it’d be best to start with the basics.
This waffle recipe is the one. It’s the yin to my yang. The salt to my pepper. It’ really the best.
Light and crispy and tender, but not mushy or soggy. Nobody wants a soggy waffle, you guys. Nobody. Crispy waffles for all!
Top these off with a little maple syrup and some fruit for a perfect Saturday morning breakfast!
How to make the best Belgian waffles:
To start, we’re going to whip an egg white. I KNOW. I hate whipping egg whites. I promise you, this is worth it. 100%
If you have a hand mixer or immersion blender, drag it out. It’s pretty much impossible to whip a single egg white in a stand mixer, though. Trust me. I’ve tried. (This is the immersion blender I use (affiliate link) and it comes in all kinds of pretty colors! Mine is orange!) (Update: This hand whisk (affiliate link) works really well, too!)
Once your egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks, you’ll whip up the rest of the batter.
One of the secret ingredients here is cornstarch. It helps to make the waffle crispy on the outside and the whipped egg white makes it light and airy inside.
Fold the egg whites into the batter and then grease up that waffle iron.
These cook in about 3 minutes, but your mileage may vary, depending on your waffle iron.
As you cook these waffles, pop them right onto the rack of a warm oven. They’ll stay nice and crisp and everyone can enjoy breakfast at the same time this way. Genius, right?
This post was originally published in May 2012. It was updated in March 2019 with new photos and a video. Old photos below:
Best waffle recipe:
The Very Best Waffles
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup milk
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg separated
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°F and heat up the waffle iron.
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Measure the buttermilk, milk, and vegetable oil in a measuring cup and stir in the egg yolk. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the egg white almost to soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar and continue to beat until the peaks are firm and glossy. Beat in the vanilla.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just mixed. Drop the whipped egg white onto the batter in dollops and fold in with a spatula until just incorporated.
- Pour the batter onto the hot waffle iron (My Belgian waffle maker takes 2 1/2 ice cream scoops of batter, but your mileage may vary) and cook until the waffle is crisp and brown.
- Set the waffle directly on the oven rack to keep it warm and crisp. Repeat with the remaining batter, holding the waffles in the oven (don't stack them). When all the waffles are cooked, serve immediately.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was lightly adapted from Fine Cooking.
Looking for more breakfast favorites? I can help!
Peggy Sue Williams says
I just tried this recipe today and these waffles were the bomb. This will be my go to waffle recipe from now on.
Karly says
Yay! So glad to hear that!
Maureen says
Excellent recipe! But will need to double it next time
LT says
It’s really hard to essentially make a meringue out of just 1 egg white and you need to REALLY whip it for the consistency to come out properly. Unfortunately not possible to do by hand.
Going to give it a go in my KitchenAid, but not sure how that will work without doubling the recipe.
Smells delicious, but did not turn out manually.
Karly says
It is a lot of work, but it can definitely be done by hand or with a hand mixer. You won’t be able to whip a single egg white in a stand mixer though. I often double this recipe so that I have waffles to pop in the freezer. 🙂
Sarah says
Can these be frozen and reheated? If not, how long do you think you can keep them warm in the oven while making a few large batches?
Karly says
Hi Sarah! These can definitely be frozen and reheated. I’d keep these in the oven for up to an hour probably.
Beverli Sloan says
OH GIRL!! These ARE the very BEST waffles! U are a waffle Goddess! My sons couldn’t get enough! I made a double batch (SO glad I did!), Had to add about 1/2 cup more flour to thicken my batter a little. They were FABULOUS! Can’t wait t try more of your recepies. THANK YOU! btw….my youngest son is autistic and VERY picky about what he eats…he ate 12 waffles and said they were very good- make again! 🙂
Karly says
12 waffles!! Those growing boys…haha! Love it! Thanks, Beverli!
Ruthann says
How long can they be kept frozen?
Karly says
I’m not a food safety expert, but I keep mine for 2-3 months. 🙂
Susan says
Excellent ! They were just as good popping them into the toaster from frozen! I will be making these this Christmas morning for my family. Thanks for a great recipe.
Maria says
Can this be doubled?
Karly says
Yep, it doubles perfectly.
Samira says
Mmm these were super tasty! I also added a bit more flour (used spoon and level method initially) to thicken the batter. It made 3 and 1/2 waffles in my maker. Next time I’ll definitely double the recipe and keep the leftovers (if any… ?) in the freezer for another day. I loved that they were truly crispy, and had a perfect flavor. Had it with berries, condensed milk, dulce de leche, powdered sugar, whipped cream, and syrup. Never going out for waffles again ?
Karly says
Yay! So glad these were a hit! I’m sure they were amazing with all of those topping options!
Samira says
The ?s are supposed to be emojis! They didn’t show up haha disregard the question marks!
Todd says
Mom is not a waffle eater. Now, she demands these every time we get together. The crispest, lightest, tastiest waffle recipe I’ve ever tried. And tried. And tried. Thanks!
Karly says
Love to hear that! 🙂
Shannon says
Great recipe. Added 1/4 cup more flour. Kids loved the flavour and texture.
Karen E says
These were excellent. Love the use of nutmeg!
Karly says
So glad you gave them a try!
Sara says
These waffles were amazing and so light and crispy! I think I may sub some of the oil for butter next time just a personal preference but these are a winner for sure!
Jessica says
I have tried many waffle recipes and this is by far my favorite one and the one I will make from now on! Yum! The outside is crispy and nice and fluffy on the inside.
Karly says
Yay! Love to hear that!
Leigh S says
My family has been on a waffle making odyssey – and after a dozen or so recipes, I think we can stop searching!!! Yes, the egg is a bit more work than most recipes, but it’s definitely worth it for the airy texture. These are crisp and light with a pinch of that cinnamon flavor. Two thumbs up from my whole family!
Karly says
Yay! Love to hear that!
Melissa says
These are the best waffles! So full of flavor. They are light and airy but crispy on the outside. I didn’t have nutmeg so I used clover and it still turned out great.
Karly says
Thanks, Melissa! Cloves sound like a great addition.
Susan Aiken says
Waffle perfection! I have been searching for an appointment cellent waffle recipe for 10 years. Search is OVER!