Really great waffles

This easy waffle batter recipe yields deliciously crispy waffles on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. Whip them up immediately or prepare the batter the night before for even softer waffles—see Note 1!

You need a waffle maker – see note 2 for my thoughts on economical v premium.

Makes 9-10 with my good waffle maker (thicker, bigger), 12-14 with my Kmart waffle maker (which I still love!).

Ingredients

Waffle batter:

• 2 1/4 cup flour , plain / all purpose
• 2 1/2 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar (sub granulated / ordinary sugar)
• Pinch cooking / kosher salt
• 4 tsp baking powder (if yours is old, check it’s still good)
• 1 1/3 cup milk , full fat, slightly warmed (not piping hot)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 large eggs , at room temperature
• 150g / 11 tbsp unsalted butter , melted and slightly cooled (not piping hot)

Topping options:

• Butter , softened (strongly recommended!)
• Maple syrup (strongly recommended!), or honey
• Icing sugar / powdered sugar , for dusting
• Strawberries, other fruit , whipped cream, melted chocolate, jams, fruit compotes, creme fraiche, strawberry sauce, blueberry or other sauce, ice cream

Instructions

• Whisk dry – Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to mix.
• Whisk in wet – Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Add melted butter then whisk until lump free. The batter should be pourable but thick – slightly thinner than pancakes.
• Recommended resting (Note 1) – Cover then refrigerate overnight, or for at least 2 hours. Softer insides, better flavour. Else, proceed immediately with cooking.
• Preheat a waffle maker (Note 2, inc setting options). A non stick one will not need oil, plus there is butter in the batter.
• Cooking – Use a ladle to pour batter in to just cover the iron. Don’t get greedy – it will leak out the sides! Cook until golden and crisp – my good waffle iron takes 3 1/2 minutes, my Kmart one takes 6 minutes.
• Serving – Transfer onto plates and serve as you go, with desired toppings. Or, put on a rack and keep warm in a preheated 70°C/150°F oven while you continue cooking!

Recipe Notes:

1. Resting – Waffle recipe is great made immediately. But batter resting for 2+ hours makes the flour absorb the liquid so the inside of the waffles is even softer and airier. And with overnight resting, the batter develops flavour so the waffle is tastier (like overnight bread and pizza doughs). In any case, making the batter the evening before is super handy – wake up to fresh waffles!

2. A better waffle iron will make better waffles that are thicker with a crispier, more evenly golden exterior and softer more moist insides. With this waffle batter, you will still have really great waffles made with an economical waffle iron (I have a Kmart one). But you’ll make exceptional waffles with a quality one! (I also have the Breville Waffle Pro). I have two waffle makers because cooking is my job. 🙂 But if it weren’t, I’d be perfectly happy with just my Kmart one.

Waffle maker setting – my Breville Waffle Pro has setting options. I use heat setting 3 of 5, “Classic” option (as opposed to Belgium, buttermilk, chocolate etc), with the colour dial set midway between Light and Dark. My Kmart waffle maker has no options. 🙂

3. Storage – Waffles lose crispiness as they cool but will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge. Sometimes I reheat in the toaster, other times in the oven. I’m not very fussy! 🙂

Nutrition per waffle, assuming 10 waffles (thick waffles with my good waffle maker). For 14 waffles (Kmart), it is 191 calories each.

Nutrition Information: