Homemade Waffles Recipe

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I’ve been making this homemade waffles recipe since I was old enough to use a waffle maker. My Oma taught me to make them in her pale yellow kitchen without the use of a measuring cup. On Saturday mornings, I would get her big, yellow mixing bowl out of the cupboard, gather my ingredients and start mixing. I just poured a good amount of flour into the bowl, added 2 eggs to start (plus 1 egg for each additional person), and then added milk until I had a consistency I liked. We never measured.

But don’t panic, I have measurements for you! Phew! These healthy waffles are a fantastic way to not only enjoy a weekend breakfast, but also stock your freezer with a fast, healthy toaster breakfast that can head out the door with you on busy mornings. Waffles are versatile!

These whole wheat waffles have a heavier, more dense texture than the very light and fluffy ones you pop out of a box and into a toaster these days. But they are delicious, hearty, very filling, and much higher in protein to boot. I promise, these are easy waffles to make. You don’t need a box mix to make easy, tasty waffles.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Waffles Recipe

1. It’s just as fast as using boxed mix.
2. There are no chemicals, preservatives, additives, or stabilizers. Just honest ingredients.
3. They will fill you up so much better than store-bought waffles.

Waffle Mix Vs. Pancake Mix

Essentially, both mixes are made with the same ingredients. But waffles tend to have more egg, more baking powder, and are sweetener. They also often have butter in them as well, thought I do not add that here.

That being said, this recipe does not call for any sweetener in the waffles. So you can enjoy these with either a sweet topping or a savory topping!

Pro Recipe Tips

1. If you love crispy outsides on your waffles, make sure you place them on a wire cooling rack instead of a plate once they come off the waffle iron. Waffles tend to have some steam when they are hot, and stacking them can make them soft and soggy. Letting them sit on a wire rack will give you that crispy outside you love.
2. Want richer, more decadent waffles? Add melted butter and an extra egg to the batter.
3. Want waffles with crispy outsides? Add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the batter and use a flip waffle maker. You can also beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the batter.

Can I Make Homemade Waffles Ahead?

You can make the batter ahead of time, but waffles taste best if served just after being cooked unless you intend on warming them up in a toaster.

What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Waffles

Whole wheat pastry flour – In some areas, this can still be pretty hard to find. You’ll find it most often at places like Whole Foods. But if you can’t find it, the next best thing is “White Whole Wheat Flour”. This is far more common and can be found in most areas. After that, the next option is regular whole wheat flour. The flavor will be the same, but the finished texture of the waffles will be a bit more dense and hearty.

Milk – non-dairy milk works fine too.

Egg whites – Or you can use 1 whole egg. If you changed the flour at all (see above), you’ll want to use 2 large eggs.

Vanilla extract – Use the real stuff, not flavoring. You can also substitute with a different extract for a different flavor, or omit completely. Other options include maple extract, mint extract (top with chocolate chips!), and rum extract.

Ground cinnamon – Just cinnamon, not cinnamon sugar. You can try different spices, or simply leave it out completely if you’ll be putting savory toppings on your waffles.

Baking powder – Make sure this is fresh or newer. Old baking powder doesn’t work well.

Optional Ingredients

Salt – Just a tiny pinch of salt will help bring out and enhance any sweet or savory flavors. About a quarter teaspoon salt should be more than enough.

Sweetener – If you want your waffles sweet, add between 2-4 tablespoons sugar (unprocessed, of course!) to the batter. You can also use a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup.

How To Make Homemade Waffles

Preheat your waffle maker and spray it with oil if necessary. Whisk the flour in a large mixing bowl with the baking powder. Add your milk to the flour, then the egg whites.

Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon, and blend vigorously with a whisk until you have a nice, smooth batter. You can also use a high speed hand mixer or blender if you prefer.

Using a ladle, pour the mixture into your waffle maker, and cook until golden brown.

Top these waffles with nuts, fruit, honey, maple syrup, or anything your diet allows. They’re yummy and really filling.

Waffle Topping Ideas

As you can see, my favorite topping is blueberries. To me, nothing beats blueberry waffles! But there are lots of other options that are just as delicious. Toppings such as:

• Maple syrup
• Honey
• Fresh berries
• Peaches
• Chocolate chip
• Butter
• Whipped cream
• Chocolate syrup
• Nuts
• Ice cream
• Yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Nut butter
• Jam
• Jelly
• Lemon curd
• Strawberry syrup
• Blueberry syrup
• Cinnamon sugar
• Fried egg and cheddar cheese
• Any spice you’d like to add to compliment sweet or savory toppings

How To Store Leftover Homemade Waffles

If packed well, these can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, they will soften. To crisp them up again, you’ll need to reheat them briefly on your waffle iron.

How Long Does Waffle Batter Last In The Fridge?

Once mixed, this batter will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days. You will need to whisk the batter again before using it after it has been sitting a while.

How To Freeze Homemade Waffles

Wrap these well and store them in the fridge. Freezer bags are a good option here. If you are freezing them stacked, you may want to put small pieces of parchment between them, but for the most part, this is unnecessary unless there is somehow extra moisture in your freezer.

How To Reheat Homemade Waffles

Whether these are out of the fridge or freezer, they can be reheated easily in a toaster. How toasting you make them is up to you. They can also be microwaved, but I find they get a little too soft that way. The toaster is best. Freeze for up to 4 months.

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

• Buckwheat Crepes
• Belgian Waffles
• Brownie Waffles