belgian waffle RECIPE

This is the best Belgian waffle recipe for thick and fluffy homemade waffles! Like chocolate Belgian waffles, they’re crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. So delicious! Prep them on the hot buttered plates of a waffle iron.

Serve this comforting entree for breakfast, brunch or dinner. They’re simple to make with this easy waffle recipe! Top them with a pat of butter and warm maple syrup. Or enjoy them with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

PIN BELGIAN WAFFLES!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

All that’s needed for this easy recipe are some basic pantry items!

• Large egg
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Sea salt
• Milk
• Butter, for brushing grills

RECIPE YIELD: 2 1/2 large (4-section) waffles. If using a waffle stick pan, it makes 12 waffle dippers. Feeding a large family? It’s easy to double or triple this Belgian waffle recipe. Look for the scale-up feature in the recipe card.

HOW TO PREVENT STICKING AND BUILD-UP ON GRIDS

When making a Belgian waffle, it’s highly disappointing when it sticks to the grids of the waffle iron. When cleaning the appliance, it’s even worse to deal with that brown baked-on shellac that coats the non-stick plates.

Gummy film on the grids is created by the lecithin in unsaturated fats and light oils. When sprayed or brushed on a hot surface, it leaves a gunky rubber-like residue that builds up over time and is hard to remove.

LESSONS LEARNED: Never use cooking spray on your waffle iron! Prevent sticking with a saturated fat like melted butter. Clarified butter works even better. To keep the plates clean, carefully remove drippings and crumbs with a damp cloth while the grids are still warm.

BEST BELGIAN WAFFLE BATTER

Beating the egg whites and folding them into the batter is just one secret for this Belgian waffle recipe. Don’t skip this step. It helps make these homemade waffles extra fluffy!

• STEP 1: In a batter bowl, whisk the egg yolk until fluffy. Add oil and vanilla. Blend well.
• STEP 2: In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• STEP 3: Gradually add dry ingredients to egg mixture, alternating with milk. Mix until incorporated, but don’t over-mix. It’s okay to have a few lumps in the batter.
• STEP 4: In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer or electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the waffle batter until there are no visible white streaks.

ALLOW BATTER TO REST FOR 10 MINUTES: This important step will give the baking powder time to activate. This is another secret for fluffy waffles!

how to make waffles

RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 250°F. 

• STEP 1: Preheat waffle iron.
• STEP 2: Brush grids with melted butter.
• STEP 3: Pour batter onto the bottom grid.
• STEP 4. Close the iron. Cook according to appliance instructions. A Belgian waffle should be golden and crisp in 5 minutes or less.

Transfer cooked waffles to a baking tray. Keep them crisp and warm in the oven until serving time. When waffles get cold they also get soggy.

expert TIPS FOR BELGIAN WAFFLE RECIPE

• A THICKER BATTER IS BETTER for waffles that don’t fall apart when removed from the waffler. Thinner batters with less oil will stick to your iron and/or splinter when lifted from the plates.
• DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLASSIC AND BELGIAN WAFFLES: Belgian waffles are wider and thicker than classic waffles. They’re made in a waffle iron with deeper grids. The batter usually contains a leavening agent like baking powder (sometimes yeast), with beaten egg whites folded into the mix.
• CAN YOU MAKE BELGIAN WAFFLES IN A REGULAR WAFFLE MAKER? Yes. They’ll just be thinner with shallower pockets.
• HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE WAFFLES FASTER: Skip the separated egg. The waffles won’t be as light and fluffy, but they’ll still be super delicious!
• HOW TO MAKE FLUFFY WAFFLES: Use baking powder for extra fluffiness. It reacts twice: once when exposed to moisture and again when exposed to heat. Beat the egg whites and fold them into the batter. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
• ALWAYS PREHEAT THE WAFFLE IRON. Before adding the batter, brush the plates with butter (even if the grids are non-stick).
• SPREAD BATTER EVENLY, almost to the edges so it covers the entire grid. But don’t over-fill the waffler or the batter will overflow.
• HOW TO KNOW WHEN WAFFLES ARE DONE? For electric waffle makers, a waffle is usually done when steam is no longer visible, and the lid of the waffler has lifted slightly. For stovetop wafflers, raise the top grid to take a quick peek. Fully-cooked waffles should be golden blonde.
• HOW TO GET WAFFLES CRISPER? The cooking portion of this Belgian waffle recipe relies on your waffle maker. If your waffles aren’t getting crisp, it may be time to replace your appliance. In the meantime, you can crisp up cooked waffles in your toaster or under the oven broiler.
• HOW TO FREEZE HOMEMADE WAFFLES: Place cooled waffles between sheets of waxed paper or parchment paper. (Ice crystals will form on the surface of warm waffles.) Slide them into a large zip-top bag. Remove excess air. Freeze for up to 1 month.
• HOW TO REHEAT FROZEN WAFFLES: The easiest way is in a standard toaster or a toaster oven. Another method is under the oven broiler, flipping them over after 30 seconds.
• HOW TO KEEP WAFFLES FROM GETTING SOGGY? When waffles get cold, they also get soggy. Keep waffles warm in a 250°F oven. Use a USA Pan half sheet with baking rack. When the waffles are elevated, hot air can circulate around them keeping them crisp.

BEST WAFFLE MAKERS

Over the years, I’ve had different electric waffle makers. My current appliance is a flip-style machine. It makes excellent waffles, but the grids are not removable. It’s rarely used because clean-up is so inconvenient.

More recently, I’ve fallen in love with stovetop wafflers. These marvelous pans are easy to use, and clean-up’s a breeze! Being able to wash them in the sink was the incentive I needed for making waffles more often.

Between my California and Mexico kitchens, I have 3 stovetop pans for this Belgian waffle recipe: Belgian waffle pan, sweetheart waffler, and a waffle stick pan for waffle dippers. They’re all non-stick and easy release.

My husband loves the small footprint of these stovetop pans. They’re not space hogs in the kitchen. Below are Amazon affiliate links for these convenient wafflers. It’s always fun to mix things up. Each is a joy to use!

A KITCHEN CONFESSION: After sharing this Belgian waffle recipe, my daughter’s friend inherited my electric waffle maker.

Currently I’m working on cleaning, decluttering and freshening things up. But who knows. Maybe next year I’ll try a different electric waffle iron. I’m always keeping an eye out for great new products to share with you here.

MORE BREAKFAST RECIPES

If you love homemade waffles, you’ll also love these popular breakfast entrees. Try them all!

• FUNFETTI PANCAKES
• BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
• BACON EGG CUPS
• AEBLESKIVER MINI PANCAKES
• CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE

BEST BELGIAN WAFFLE RECIPE > rate it now! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

These homemade waffles are better than those served at restaurants! Over the years, friends have raved about this fluffy waffle recipe. I’m so happy to share it here today. If you love it too, give it a 5-star rating in the comments.

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