Crispy Waffles
I’m sharing my top 6 tips for how to make the best Crispy Waffles for breakfast or brunch. These homemade waffles have wonderful flavor, and the batter is simple to mix together. Serve them piping hot while crisp, topped with butter, maple syrup, or your favorite toppings.
Did you ever eat those frozen pre-packaged waffles growing up? I did. And I almost can’t believe I did. They’re quite a far cry from the crisp, thick, flavorful waffles I now make at home for brunch.
Even though my waffle standards started out with the soggy, spongy frozen variety, I’ve gotten very demanding about how a waffle should be.
The best waffles are crisp on the edges but a little fluffy in the middle, with good flavor, and doused in real maple syrup (though admittedly that last part has nothing to do with technique).
There is only one exception to this: Chef Capon’s Savory Bacon Cheddar Waffles, which are neither crisp nor should you put maple syrup on them, but are insanely delicious.
After a decade experimenting with various waffle ingredient combinations and several tiers of waffle makers, I’ve discovered there are 6 major secrets to perfect waffles.
Tip #1: Add stiff egg whites
For the most crispy waffles, we will be separating the egg yolks from the egg whites, and mixing them separately.
When you beat egg whites to stiff peaks, they hold in a TON of air (think about what’s going on with a soufflé). Incorporating stiff egg whites into your batter makes the waffles incredibly light instead of heavy and dense.
I mix the small amount of granulated sugar needed in this recipe directly into the egg whites, both to make the beaten egg whites more stable, but also to dissolve the sugar thoroughly.
It takes an extra minute, but this step is important for a more crisp exterior.
Tip #2: Add cornstarch
I first read about adding cornstarch to waffles after someone sent me Pam Anderson’s recipe, and the thought of adding cornstarch really surprised me.
I went in skeptical but after testing it out I was convinced. It makes a big difference! The addition of cornstarch protects the waffle from getting soggy from cooking steam.
What’s interesting is that over the years, I have noticed more and more people incorporating cornstarch into their baking as a secret ingredient. When added to baked goods like cakes, cookies, and so on, it helps the texture quite a bit.
Tip #3: Swap Amaretto for vanilla
Vanilla extract is classic in sweet applications, and you may certainly use it here if that’s what you have. But I love adding a little amaretto liqueur to the batter instead. It makes the waffles flavorful and aromatic, in a way that’s different from the norm.
If you don’t have amaretto, make sure you at least use some vanilla or almond extract, so you get that nice flavor and aroma that’s necessary for a great waffle.
Tip #4. Use real buttermilk
Real buttermilk is important for the same reason as #3…flavor. We all love substitutes, but be sure to use actual whole milk buttermilk from the store here, not vinegar curdled regular milk! A vinegar milk mixture might work out chemically, but it does not compare to the real thing.
If you have leftover buttermilk, you can freeze it, or use the leftovers for Lemon Buttermilk Pie, Buttermilk Pancakes, this amazing Cornbread Recipe, or this legendary Fried Chicken Recipe.
For the wet ingredients, mix the buttermilk with egg yolks, melted butter or vegetable oil, and your amaretto or vanilla.
Add it to the dry ingredients of all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, in a separate bowl:
Once the buttermilk amaretto liquid is added to the dry ingredients, it’s time to fold in those stiff egg whites I mentioned earlier:
Fold gently in a large bowl with plenty of room to turn, so as not to deflate the whites. This ensures crispier waffles.
Tip #5: Use a flip waffle maker
As good as your crispy waffle recipe may be, if you have a crummy waffle maker, you’re going to get crummy waffles. I know this because I had one. One side would get completely burned, while the other side was underdone.
It pained me to do so, but I threw it away and bought this flip waffle maker instead. Flipping the iron after pouring in the batter allows all the liquid to spread out evenly, so the waffle cooks evenly on both sides.
Also take care not to overfill the waffle maker, as it will just spill over the sides and make a mess.
With a good quality preheated waffle iron, each waffle should come out crisp, golden brown, and ready to eat. If this doesn’t happen, the following tip will save you.
Tip #6: Crisp five minutes extra in the oven if needed
If the waffles aren’t fully crisped when they come out of the waffle iron, put them in a 250 degrees F oven for 5 minutes, directly on the metal racks of the oven (not on a baking sheet).
This will crisp the waffles even further and putting it on the wire oven rack will allow the steam to escape and prevent sogginess. This is also good for maintaining the waffles’ crispy exterior while you’re cooking the remaining batter.
How to Serve
My favorite toppings for these crispy waffles are simply some good quality butter and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Classic waffles always please! But you could also dust with a little confectioner’s sugar, add Homemade Orange Honey Butter, Blueberry Sauce, or fresh fruit.
You may also want to balance these delicious waffles out with some healthier savory options. I love Poached Eggs with Hash Browns, Sausage Breakfast Casserole, and this Potato Frittata.
Also try Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, Bananas Foster French Toast, Carrot Cake Pancakes for some fun and indulgent brunch recipes. If you want to go a little healthier, these 100% Whole Wheat Pancakes are shockingly delicious too. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and FAQ
Keep leftover waffles in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, keep in an airtight container or sealable plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Reheat in a 350F oven (or toaster oven) for 5-10 minutes, until warmed through. If reheating straight from frozen, you will need to add an extra 5 minutes. It is also possible you can pop them into the toaster, depending on how thick your waffles are.
No, I do not recommend using this recipe for pancakes. Try Buttermilk Pancakes or Whole Wheat Pancakes instead.
Yes. Sprinkle up to 1/4 cup of chocolate chips per waffle immediately upon adding the batter to the hot waffle iron.
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Crispy Waffle Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 eggs separated
- 2 cups whole buttermilk
- 1/3 cup melted butter or oil of your choice*
- 1 tbsp amaretto (can substitute 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 7.5 oz all-purpose flour, by weight (1.5 cups, if measuring)
- 2.5 oz cornstarch, by weight (1/2 cup, if measuring)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Separate the egg yolks and whites, and beat together the egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter or oil, and amaretto to combine.
- Whisk to combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine the leftover egg whites with the sugar, and whip to stiff peaks (if you lift the beaters straight out of the egg whites, then invert the beaters, the egg white should stand up on its own as a stiff peak).
- Stir the buttermilk liquid into the flour mixture (make sure the batter is still a little lumpy), then fold in the egg whites, being careful not to deflate them.
- Pour the batter into a preheated waffle maker and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Enjoy!
- Note: If the waffles don’t get crispy enough in your waffle iron, place them on a rack set on a baking sheet (or it can be the rack in the oven if it’s clean) and bake in a 250F oven for another 5-10 minutes, until crisp.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
226 Comments on “Crispy Waffles”
STOP RIGHT THERE! This is the recipe you have been looking for your whole life! I have tried mixes (cheap all the way to “they want how much for this mix?!?!) and dozens of recipes, THIS IS IT! It’s light on the inside and crispy on the the outside. Mixes tend to make heavy waffles but this one?…PERFECT! Two thumbs up 👍 👍 & 6 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!
Your waffles look DELICIOUS! Can I also use butter for flavor or will it influence the texture?
I tried it and it didn’t make a bit difference at all, it was still yummy!
Hi, going to try this recipe! Just tried my first one this morning but did 12 mins in waffle iron and 20 in the oven and the middle was still soggy! My waffle iron has a temp dial (Just low to high) What would you recommend? X
Whoa, that seems excessively long. Seems like you need to put your iron on the highest setting.
To add to last comment on flax milk- I added an extra egg and reduced flax milk addition to 1.5 cups 🙂
These waffles were fantastic!!! I was even able to substitute flax milk for cows milk and they came out beautifully!!! Thank you for this crowd pleaser!!!
Hi,
I tried this recipe and the waffles turned out great. Crispy from outside and airy from inside. Thanks much. I just wanted to ask you if I want to replace butter milk by regular milk, should I use same quantity ?
Cheers,
Hina
Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Finally, I have tried many recipes for waffles and hands down, this one is the best.
So many recipes and mixes produce a soggy waffle.
What’s the point of a soggy waffle, might as well have pancakes.
These come out light fluffy and most important to me crisp.
Thank you
Cynthia King
Guys…look no further! THIS-IS-THA-ONE! Light, fluffy, crispy outside and sweet delishesness on the inside! (I don’t think that’s an actual word..but it is now!)
The yummy sweet smell as it rises up from the waffle iron..!!!!!! Thank you for this recipe! It really is THA ONE!
Hello mine would not brown is there something I did wrong? Also to save time I did mix the dry ingredients the night before. The taste was amazing.
Thanks!
Hi Christina, it’s most likely the settings and strength of your waffle maker, not something you did wrong with the recipe. You can simply bake it in the oven for longer, and it will eventually brown. Glad you liked the taste!
This was a really great, crispy recipe. My family loved it! We are saving this one for later. Thank you. Used 2% milk, did not have buttermilk on hand. Still came out great. I do not currently own a mixer, just did it with a whisk and the waffles still turned out wonderful.
Hi Jaimie, that’s fantastic! Glad to hear!
The taste is diviiiiine! Loved it!
Can’t wait to try this morning! I don’t have any buttermilk – do I just sub the same amount of milk!
Sure, and add 1 tbsp of vinegar to mimic the acidity.
THANK YOU!!! WONDERFUL RECIPE!!! WONDERFUL!!! AMAZING!!!
Haha, glad to hear you are so enthused with the results. Happy cooking!
Thanks for this great recipe, I made these waffles this morning and they were awesome, I put them in the oven to crisp them up, but I put them on a pan instead of the oven wire racks and they were just a little crispy. I have to admit I didn’t read the instructions carefully. Also the recipe makes quite a bit of batter for one person, can I refrigerate for use at another time?
Hi Carol, glad you enjoyed! I wouldn’t recommend refrigerating the batter. It will mold in probably about 24 hours, as most flour-moistened things do. Better to finish the batch and reheat the waffles.
Can i make this batter a few days ahead of time
Hi Stacy, unfortunately no, the flour in the batter would likely go bad and mold 🙁
Thank u i love all your recipes