Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g cornstarch
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 6 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 3 g kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 350 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 85 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 463 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 57 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 825 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 142 mg
- Potassium
- 225 mg
- Calcium
- 217 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 218 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 198 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 29 mcg
- Water
- 109 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your waffle iron to a medium-high setting, approximately 190C/375F. If you want to keep batches warm, preheat your oven to 90C/200F and place a wire rack inside.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the room temperature buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and emulsified.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a whisk or spatula just until combined. Lumps are perfectly fine; overmixing will develop gluten and make the waffles tough. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
Lightly grease the preheated waffle iron if necessary. Pour the appropriate amount of batter for your specific waffle iron onto the center of the lower grid, close the lid, and cook until the iron stops steaming heavily, usually 4 to 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the waffle and immediately transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Do not stack the waffles on a plate, as the trapped steam will make them soggy. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Chef's Notes
- Cornstarch is the ultimate secret weapon here. It limits gluten development while providing a delicate, shatteringly crisp exterior that won't turn tough as it cools.
- Resting the batter for 10 minutes is crucial. It gives the flour time to hydrate and allows the acidic buttermilk to fully react with the baking soda, creating the carbon dioxide bubbles needed for a fluffy interior.
- Never stack warm waffles on a plate. The steam escaping from the hot waffles will immediately condense and turn the crispy crust soggy. Always use a wire rack.
- For the crispiest results, wait until the waffle iron almost completely stops emitting steam before opening it. Steam indicates moisture is still cooking out.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container separated by parchment paper.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe bag to prevent sticking.
Reheating: Reheat directly in a toaster or a 180C/350F oven for 3-5 minutes until crispy. Do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Waffles are soggy or soft instead of crispy
Cause: Iron was not hot enough, batter was overmixed, or waffles were stacked while hot
Fix: Pop the soft waffles into a standard toaster for 1-2 minutes to crisp up the exterior
Prevention: Ensure the iron is fully preheated, do not overmix the batter, and cool waffles in a single layer on a wire rack
Waffles are dense and heavy
Cause: Expired leavening agents or missing the resting period
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked
Prevention: Check the expiration date on baking powder and always allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes so the baking soda can react with the buttermilk
Cultural Context
Waffles were introduced to North America by Dutch colonists in the early 1620s. Over the centuries, the recipe evolved to incorporate regional American staples like buttermilk, which provides a distinctive tang and tenderizes the crumb. Today, the crispy buttermilk waffle is a beloved icon of American diner culture and lazy weekend mornings at home.
