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“Best Ever Belgian Waffles in the World” Yeah I know that’s a big statement there for a simple waffle. But you don’t understand, coming from me – that woman who doesn’t care for waffles, pancakes, french toast, or crepes, THESE THINGS ROCK!
It’s not that I don’t care for them as I love the taste of the first or second bite but after that, I’m done. They just ‘get to me’ and well it’s not bacon or a dippy egg. Sure I’ve added bacon to waffles or topped it with a dippy egg but it’s just too much for me.
Traditional Belgian waffles are yeasted (See my Liege Waffle Recipe!) and the batter rests in the fridge overnight. So I went with those initially. The next morning I got out my brand-new waffle iron and got to cooking them. I gave Mr. Fantabulous one and after one bite he looked at me and said “Um, can I have eggs instead as these are terrible.” I took a bite and yep, he was right. The batter was a loose dough consistency which I found odd but figured that’s how yeast batter would be. I couldn’t stand the taste so needless to say I pitched the entire batter.
So I went back to the drawing board and looked at some of my other waffle recipes. Then it dawned on me my Mom used to make these waffles when I was really little. After digging through my old recipe book I found hers. After studying the ingredients I knew I had to tweak it to get it to a Belgian waffle taste, appearance, and thickness.
These waffles are more like Brussels waffles so they have baking powder instead of yeast for the leavening agent. That being the case, just like any pancake batter or waffle batter once you whisk it together (but not over-whisk it) you allow it to set out for a good 30 minutes to allow the leavening agents to work their magic. Now me being me I am a batter girl. 99% of the time I can tell you how a dish is going to turn out just by how the batter tastes.
Which Waffle Maker?
I’ve made this recipe using a round waffle maker and a square one.
Since this was a new machine for me, I had to figure out the settings. See this one went from 0-8 on the temperature gauge however, I had no clue what the baking temp was. Needless to say, the first one was waaaaaaaaaaaay too dark and raw in the middle and the 2nd one was too light (and I didn’t put enough batter on the maker). I WISH this machine would have come with instructions of “Pour X amount on the hot iron so ensure an even bake AND to not have it overflow out the sides, onto your counter and everywhere in between!”.
Yeah… she overflowed.
… A LOT but live and learn.
By the third waffle, I had it down to a science – almost a cup of batter with the machine on #7. But when you make these you’ll have to go with what your manufacturer’s instructions say. As you can tell by these pics, these came out to about 1″ thick with deep crevices to house all that maple syrup or toppings.
What do you top yours with? Mr. Fantabulous loves pure maple syrup (must be warmed). Yes, he’s spoiled, but I blame his mother for that. I just continue it. LOL
Initially, I only made a half batch I only had enough batter to make 4. Since the first 2 didn’t turn out right and Mr. Fantabulous was nomming on #3 I had only one left. So I got to make the last one when I heard “Wow baby, these are amazing! Are there any more???” Now folks these things are pretty big. As I said an inch thick by 10″ round. I honestly was surprised he wanted a second one (okay not really but it still amazes me just how much he can eat!) so I gave up my waffle.
But this recipe, I nailed it the first time out of the gate with my tweaks off of my Mom’s original recipe. It was light and airy, the texture was perfect. It wasn’t heavy but it was filling.
Always test, test, and re-test recipes!
Now like any food blogger, or cook, you test, test, and re-test a recipe for consistency. You want the same results every single time with minimal variance in outcome. So later that afternoon I set out and made 2 more batches. Perfect every single time. Now I will tell you that I have enough Belgian Waffles in my freezer for quite a while but I have plans for those babies in future recipes. You know me, I can’t just stick to the norm. I have to venture outside of the box and push the limits. I already have another adaption of this recipe coming up (just waiting on me to edit the photos) and 3 more uses of these. Oh yeah, I got plans baby!
Chef’s Secrets To Perfect Waffles!
Needless to say, I went through many iterations of this recipe and finally figured out the secret (or secrets to the perfect Belgian waffle).
- Separate your eggs. You want your egg whites whipped to a stiff peak. By folding the egg whites in, you’re ensuring you have a light and airy waffle instead of one that weighs as much as a brick.
- Cornstarch – yep, cornstarch. The cornstarch binds the waffle together and helps it create that crispy exterior (once you cook it thoroughly per your machine’s instructions).
- Resting the batter – you need to let the batter set to allow the leavening agents to work their mojo.
You know, I think I already know what I’m having tomorrow for lunch. One of my Belgian Waffle makeover recipes I’m working on. I think it’s going to be all kinds of awesome! Until then you NEED to have these in your life, your freezer, and most importantly, in your belly!
♥If you want thicker than 1″ waffles, this model makes 1.25″ Thick waffles.
♥For even thicker waffles, 1.5″ thick, go with this model!
♥The KRUPS, 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker With Removable Plates is great for thick, square Belgian waffles. Plus it has removable plates. The negative, they aren’t as thick as the round one above. Both are awesome and work amazingly well!
Best Ever Belgian Waffles in the World!
- Yield: 4-6
- Cuisine: breakfast
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Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (has to be buttermilk)
- 1/3 cup melted butter, unsalted
- 1 egg, room temperature and separated
- 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- In a bowl beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well.
- Add the milk, butter, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla and mix just until combined. Do not overmix as you do not want air in this. Some lumps are OK.
- Gently fold in the egg whites until combined. Do not deflate the egg whites. This is what will give your waffles that light texture.
- Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.
- Heat a waffle iron.
- Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles.
- Serve immediately hold in a 200 degree oven, directly on the rack. I would not recommend stacking them as they are heavy and may get smushed or soggy on the plate.
Notes
To freeze, allow to cool completely and wrap individually in plastic wrap.
To reheat just place frozen in the toaster.
We personally like a sweeter waffle so when I make them I like almost a 1/2 cup however you can certainly add the lesser amount.
Depending on how big your waffle iron is, will depend on how many waffles you get out of this. Mine is fairly large so I get 5-6 waffles that are pretty big.
Renee says
My waffle iron also takes a cup of batter. How many waffles does this recipe make?
TKWAdmin says
Hi Renee!
I would say ~4 waffles then.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Michelle says
Hi I’ve made these and they are fantastic. How would I make a savoury version?
TKWAdmin says
Hi Michelle!
Thank you so much! So for a savory version cut back in the sugar for sure first. Then add maybe some thyme, roasted garlic, sautéed shallots and salt and pepper to the batter. Instead of syrup go with a bechamel sauce!
Michelle says
Many thanks all the way from the UK 👍
TKWAdmin says
*waves hi across the pond!* yeah! You are most welcome!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Kairi Gainsborough says
I love waffles, and your recipe looks like it makes some pretty delicious ones! I have never separated my egg whites and whipped them before. If you say it works, then I will have to try that. Of course, sometimes I would rather find a good diner that serves all day breakfast than get my waffle iron dirty, but that’s just me.
TKWAdmin says
Hi Kairi!
OMG you sound like I was when it came to cleaning the waffle iron! I bought a new one and the plates actually come off and can you wash them in the sink or dishwasher! But yes definitely follow my tips on how to get them super light and airy (while crisp).
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Tess says
Great reviews. I’m looking forward to making these. What type mixer do you use?
TKWAdmin says
Hi Tess!
For these I mix by hand. I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Plus I also have a commercial 10 quart globe mixer.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Andrea Cottrell says
These were the best waffles I have ever had in my life! Thank you 🙂
TKWAdmin says
Hi Andrea!
Yeah, thank you so much! I’m so happy that you loved them as much as we do!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Dolores Wiens says
Can vanilla be substituted for vanilla bean paste? How does that affect the end result/taste?
Also, how many waffles does this recipe make? It seems as if it would make only 2.
Dolores Wiens says
I’ll answer my own question! The liquid vanilla worked fine, I doubled the recipe for two people and had half a waffle left.This amount made 3 waffles with my waffle iron and I had 3/4 of one left. I served them with fresh blueberries, butter and pure maple syrup and they were FANTASTIC! I will add my name to the list of “best ever!”
TKWAdmin says
Hi Dolores,
Sorry hon I didn’t respond sooner. I’m on vacation and taking a it of a break while trying to let my shoulder heal. But I’m happy you were able to answer your own question. Vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract are interchangeable. I’d say the only difference is vanilla bean paste as a slightly stronger vanilla flavor as you see all of the flecks of vanilla seeds in it.
And yeah! I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you so much for your kind words!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Debbie says
This is truly the best waffle recipe! I would give it 10 stars if I could! The waffles were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. We used 1/4 cup of sugar and it was perfect for us. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
TKWAdmin says
Yeah!!! Thank you so much Debbie!!! I am so happy you loved them!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
BReece says
Just made these and they were wonderful. I used milk instead of buttermilk and the taste was still fantastic. I know buttermilk is used to create tenderness in other recipes, so I will eventually try it with buttermilk to see if it’s better. But don’t be afraid of using milk.
I also only used 1/4 cup of sugar as I do not like sweet waffles. The suggestion was perfect. 1/4C makes it just sweet enough that you could add sweet toppings for a sweet treat if you desired.
I also think what makes these waffles great is your waffle maker. We have the Waring Pro which was considered the best by America’s Test Kitchen but didn’t come in #1 for them because it’s pricey. Yeah, it is, but it also makes damned good waffles.
TKWAdmin says
Yeah!!!! I’m so happy you loved these! I completely agree with you that the waffle maker is also crucial. If it doesn’t heat evenly or hot enough the waffles won’t turn out.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Areilly says
Just made these waffles. Man were they tastey!! However mine also came out soggy and very unevenly brown. I think it may be due to my cheap waffle iron. I definitely folded the egg whites and not stirred. I did use Vanilla extract so I’m wondering if that had anything to do with it. Also ,is the buttermilk supposed to be room temp?
Niqui says
OMG!! I just made these waffles this morning and they were fantastic! I only changed one thing and that was using Demmadera sugar instead of white sugar it gave the waffles a caramel like flavor. They were sooo yummy. This is an amazing recipe lady thank you for sharing it.
TKWAdmin says
Hi Niqui!
Yeah!!! Thank you so much!!! And I LOVE your change up to the demmadera sugar! If you to kick it up even more next time, try browned butter.
Best Kitchen Wishes!