This Buttermilk Waffles Recipe makes the BEST light and fluffy waffles! Easy to make, perfect for breakfast or brunch, with a simple secret ingredient!
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Buttermilk Waffles Recipe
Here at The Busy Baker we’re firm believers in the fact that breakfast isn’t just the most important meal of the day, it’s the BEST meal of the day.
We’re breakfast lovers through and through and whether it’s a delicious fresh frittata, a quick grab-and-go egg muffin, some healthy pancakes, an easy-to-make cinnamon roll, a healthy smoothie on the go, or a simple breakfast burrito, we’ve got you covered with all the BEST breakfast recipes you could ever need.
This Buttermilk Waffles Recipe is the BEST basic waffles recipe that’s as light and fluffy as it is delicious. Trust us, this is THE waffle recipe you need in your kitchen!
Breakfast and Brunch Ideas
One of our most-kept kitchen secrets is a make-ahead breakfast for busy weeks. We LOVE making a big double batch of this Buttermilk Waffles Recipe on the weekend and freezing the leftovers to enjoy throughout the week. The kids LOVE to pop them in the toaster and then smother them in peanut butter and some fresh fruit to enjoy before heading off to school in the morning.
The great thing about this waffles recipe is that it’s easy enough for a simple weekend breakfast and it’s stellar enough to enjoy for a holiday breakfast or brunch! If you’re looking for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter-worthy solutions for breakfast or brunch, we’ve got you covered. Sign up below for our FREE Easy No-Fail Holiday Meals E-course for all our best holiday meals tips, tricks, recipes and tutorials, including all the best breakfasts to wow a crowd!
The Secret to Light and Fluffy Waffles
When it comes to light and fluffy waffles there’s one secret ingredient that works every time: whipped egg whites!
Add your dry ingredients and wet ingredients to two separate bowls. When adding the eggs to the wet ingredients, add the egg whites into a third bowl by themselves and mix the egg yolks with the other wet ingredients.
Before you combine the wet and dry ingredients to form the waffle batter, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Then combine the wet and dry ingredients. Once they’re combined, fold the egg whites in to the waffle batter slowly, just until no streaks of egg whites appear.
Adding the whipped egg whites to your waffle batter right before cooking will create an ultra-fluffy batter with lots of tiny air bubbles. They’ll be the most fluffy waffles you’ve ever tasted!
Kitchen items you’ll need to make waffles
Making homemade waffles is easy, as long as you have these kitchen items you’ll need (affiliate links):
- mixing bowls
- a silicone spatula
- a whisk
- measuring cups and spoons for dry ingredients
- liquid measuring cups for wet ingredients
- a hand mixer or stand mixer
- a round Belgian waffle iron OR a standard rectangular waffle iron
Buttermilk Waffles Recipe Ingredients
To make this Waffle Recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- all purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- melted butter
- buttermilk
- eggs
- vanilla extract
How to Make Buttermilk Waffles
Time needed: 30 minutes
Follow these steps for the perfect waffles every time!
- Preheat your waffle iron.
Make sure your waffle iron preheats while you make the batter so you’re able to begin cooking immediately after the batter is mixed.
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients seperately.
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and measure the liquid ingredients into a separate bowl, separating the egg whites into a third bowl.
- Whip the egg whites seperately.
Whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding them in to the batter creates a beautiful light and fluffy waffle with a crispy exterior.
- Don’t over-mix the batter.
Stop mixing when no more streaks of the egg whites are visible. This will help create a light and fluffy texture.
- Make the waffles right away.
The batter will deflate if you let it sit for too long, creating tougher and less fluffy waffles. It’s best to cook the waffles immediately after you mix the batter for best results.
- Enjoy with your favourite toppings.
We love these waffles with nut butter, maple syrup and fresh fruit, but feel free to enjoy them with your favourite waffle toppings.
Are waffles just pancakes?
Waffles and pancakes aren’t the same. Waffle batter usually contains more sugar and fat than pancake batter, and waffles are often made with whipped egg whites for an extra fluffy interior and crispy exterior.
Are waffles difficult to make?
No! Waffle batter is easy to make and using a conventional waffle iron with non-stick plates makes it even easier to achieve the perfect waffles!
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
We recommend making these waffles and enjoying them right after they’re made. We don’t recommend making the batter ahead of time as the waffles won’t be as fluffy (the batter will deflate over time). Once they’re made, the waffles can be reheated in the toaster or microwave.
Can I freeze these waffles?
Yes! Freeze these waffles in an airtight container with parchment paper between them to prevent them from sticking. Reheat in the toaster or microwave.
Can I make these waffles gluten-free?
It’s possible to make these waffles gluten-free with a gluten-free flour that performs similarly to all purpose flour. Since we don’t do much gluten-free baking, we can’t guarantee the results will be the same.
We hope you love this waffle recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite breakfast recipe? We’d love to know!
Looking for more breakfast recipes? You’ll LOVE these:
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Buttermilk Waffles
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 3 cups buttermilk at room temperature
- 4 large eggs at room temperature, separate whites from yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- cooking spray or vegetable oil for greasing the waffle iron
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- To a separate bowl, add the melted butter, buttermilk, , egg yolks, and vanilla. Whisk well to combine.
- Add the egg whites to a separate bowl and mix on high speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer until they reach the hard peaks stage (when you remove the mixer from the egg whites they form peaks that don't fall).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well with a silicone spatula, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the whipped egg whites, a little at a time, and fold them into the batter gently just until all the egg whites have been incorporated.
- Brush the waffle iron with oil or spray it with cooking spray.
- Ladle about 1/2 cup of batter into the waffle iron for each rectangular waffle, and more if you're making round waffles. This recipe makes approximately 8 round Belgian-style waffles or 16 smaller rectangular waffles.
- Cook according to your waffle iron's instructions (every waffle iron is different), or until the waffles are golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone.
- Serve immediately with fresh fruit, maple syrup, or your favourite waffle toppings.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.