Help please - What is your go-to basic waffle recipe?

[foodiefrog]

Proud new owner of a vintage electric waffle iron looking for proven waffle recipes. What are your favorites? Thanks!

[alkonost]

My favorite is the Cook's illustrated "Yeasted Waffle" recipe. I don't think I'm allowed to post it, but it's great as long as you make it ahead. You'll need to mix all the ingredients the night before you intend to make them and let the yeast bubble and ferment the batter overnight in the fridge. In the morning you stir it to deflate, and the waffle batter is ready. The waffles have a crisp exterior, yet are very soft and rich on the inside- you don't need to butter them at all, but there's a lot of butter in the batter to begin with.

[chicgail]

I don't know how "basic" this is, but it is definitely my go-to. It's been in the family forever and makes the best waffles I've ever had.

1½ C flour
1 t salt
1 T sugar
1 T baking powder
2/3 cooked rice
[The rice is the key to what works in this recipe. if you happen to have a carton of leftover rice in the fridge from last night’s Chinese food take-out, by all means use that. In fact, Chinese take-out rice is my favorite excuse to make this recipe.]
1½ C milk
3 T melted butter
1 egg, separated

Sift the dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar, baking powder) together. Work rice in with your fingers.

Add the milk, melted butter and egg yolk and blend well. It goes without saying that you use a spoon here – and not your fingers – right?

Beat the egg white until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Pour the batter into your preheated waffle iron. Mine took a good 1½ cups to make a full-sized waffle with corners and a cup of batter tends to make a smaller, round waffle.

Alternately, if you don’t want to go to the trouble of hauling out your waffle iron – or if you don’t have one – this batter makes amazing pancakes.

You can also make the batter the day before and even freeze it with surprisingly acceptable results.

Photos and more here: http://foodbeest.com/?p=4669

[sandylc]

Toasted chopped pecans.

[RBofSF]

Mine is from How to Cook Everything (i'm pretty sure). It's a waffle recipe, but I've used the exact same recipe for pancakes too, btw. I like to use 1/2 whole wheat flour, and this recipe has worked best for me.

2 c flour (can be up to 1c cornmeal or whole wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tblsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 c buttermilk (i usually sour milk w/vinegar & it's fine)
2 eggs separated (i don't separate when lazy)
4 tblsp butter melted
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix dry, mix wet (except egg whites), add wet to dry. Beat egg whites & fold in at the end (which I rarely do but they are better that way for sure.)

I usually do this 1 c whole wheat flour + 1 c white & they're not heavy like other whole wheat recipes & my kids still love. I love the crunch with cornmeal, but my kids don't.

[chowguyXXX]

No love for Bisquick?

[sandylc]

NO

[AngelaID]

These are the lightest waffles I have ever had. They sort of melt on your tongue.

Waffles of Insane Greatness
Recipe courtesy Aretha Frankensteins

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter and syrup, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.

[queenscook]

I love Isa Chandra Moskowitz' book Vegan Brunch. I recently got a waffle maker, and have so far only made waffles from that book. They work so well that I wonder why most waffle recipes have egg in them. The cornmeal ones are amazing.

[foodiefrog]

Thanks everyone - especially for the recipes - you rock!

We'll probably try the JOC basic or buttermilk recipe for the inaugural run this weekend using our new waffle iron. We'll let you know how they turn out!

After that I look forward to trying a yeast version.

[iL Divo]

foodiefrog

me too. within the last few years we found a very very old large square waffle iron.
did I need it, no. did I have a waffle iron, yes. why did I have to make it mine at all costs, no idea.

I have made several versions of no recipe shoot from the hip waffles but even I wasn't wowed much. anxious to read this thread because maybe just maybe I'll be able to convince my little ones that mine are as good or maybe even better than those frozen squares. ;:-/

thanks for starting this...........

[sidwich]

I use Mollie Katzen's Amazing Overnight Waffle recipe: http://www.recipefiles.org/view_recip...

It takes starting the night before, but super-easy, and I've always gotten great results.

[karykat]

I love this overnight recipe too. I think it develops good flavor sitting overnight and it doesn't take much to finish it off in the morning.

[John E.]

Whatever recipe you decide to use an addition of 1/2 to 3/4 cup of malt powder will add a good crunch and tang to your waffles.

[jmcarthur8]

I like that, John E.!
Now you have me wondering if I could make use of the bottle I have of Fox's Malt Syrup in the waffles. It won't provide the crunch that the powder would but I love malt flavor in waffles.
Pancakes, too, perhaps??

[John E.]

I have also used malt powder in pancakes. I made America's Test Kitchen pancake mix and put in there. I'm sure you could use the syrup but remember that it has either sugar or cirn syrup in it.

[coll]

I have a bottle of Ovaltine from Jamaica (ie malt is the first ingredient rather than sugar) I think I may play around with that. I have malt syrup too but have a feeling that would throw things off kilter. I do love me some malt.

[jmcarthur8]

You know what...I just noticed that the JOY recipe upthread for cornmeal pancakes calls for 1/4 cup maple syrup. Bet I could sub the malt syrup there. I think the buttermilk, cornmeal, and malt flavors would play nice.

[coll]

I am now inspired to sub malt syrup in other places too, hmmmmm. I'll have to contemplate.

[RetiredChef]

Malted Waffles are the way to go, almost everyone will say they are the best they have ever had.

[John E.]

I am sad to report that I did not discover malted waffles until we stayed at one of those budget hotels with the 'free' breakfast that included the make-your-own Belgian waffles.

[CindyJ]

Are you talking about that powdered malt product that's usually sold where they have the chocolate syrup and cocoa?

[John E.]

I don't know if RetiredChef was referring to that malt powder, but that's the stuff I to which I was referring, specifically Carnation brand.

[CindyJ]

I cheat and make waffles from a mix. I've found Kodiak Cakes Frontier Flapjack and Waffle Mix – Whole Wheat Oat and Honey to be REALLY good. I add some cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla to the batter. Also chopped walnuts or pecans if I have them on hand. And a BIG surprise -- while it used to be really difficult to find, I saw it at Target recently, so I'm guessing it's widely available.

[coll]

I make it like Mom did, separate the eggs and beat the whites, and also must have heavy cream in it.

[free sample addict aka Tracy L]

+1 The beaten egg whites are key for good waffles.

[Skippy1414]

I like the yeast ones in the Fanny Farmer Baking Book, but when I've made standard non-yeast recipes, I always whip the egg whites. It really makes a difference. Of course I haven't had the opportunity to make waffles in a long time, sigh...

[Cliocooks]

+1 on the egg whites, which make all the difference. I think I usually use the Fannie Farmer recipe--not the baking book, just plain old Fannie Farmer.

Cook's Illustrated had one a couple of years ago that used seltzer instead of beating the egg whites. I tried it and thought it worked pretty well. An option if you don't want to deal with an extra bowl, beaters, etc.

[jmcarthur8]

I just use the one in Joy of Cooking. I can post it if you don't have Joy.

[splatgirl]

the yeast recipe from JOC is our go-to

[foodieX2]

make that 3! Easy simple and you can doctor it up too. a few of my favorite additions are:

• Vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg

• Vanilla and orange zest

• A very ripe banana, optional is some PB2 peanut butter powder

• Crumbled bacon (sprinkle on top after pouring the batter for even distribution)

[AntarcticWidow]

I am also a fan of the JOC's waffle recipes. There's the basic, the basic with buttermilk, cornmeal and Belgian waffle (yeast risen).`

The basic calls for 1/2 to 2 sticks of butter. After some experimenting, I liked it best using one stick. I also some vanilla extract to the batter. The buttermilk version is also delicious, are are the cornmeal waffle recipe and Belgian waffle recipe.

If you have The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum lying around, the recipes for the buttermilk waffles and Marion Cunningham's raised waffles are also good.

[foodiefrog]

Thanks! It looks like the JOC recipes are widely liked, but I don't have it! Can someone post the four different recipes?

We have Fanny Farmer, but it would be great to have the JOC recipes too!

[AntarcticWidow]

Here are the ingredients for JOC's basic, buttermilk, cornmeal and Belgian waffles, and the method for mixing ingredients. I'll leave it up to you how to best cook them in your particular iron.

JOC's Basic Waffle Recipe
1-3/4 c AP flour
1 tblsp baking powder
1 tblsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, well beaten
1/2-2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 cups milk

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together in a second bowl. (I like to add about a teaspoon of vanilla extract as well.) Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients, then quickly whisk the ingredients together until it looks a little like a muffin batter. If you like, feel free to fold in 1/2 cup of raisins or other finely diced soft fruit, fresh or frozen berries, finely chopped nuts, thinly sliced banana, crumbled cooked bacon, shredded cheese, shredded dried coconut, grated semisweet or milk chocolate.

Buttermilk Waffles. I've obviously not paid attention when making this. The instructions for buttermilk waffles says to substitute buttermilk for the milk and calls for an additional 1/4 tsp more BAKING SODA. The original recipe calls for baking powder, not baking soda. Has anyone else noticed this?

JOC's Cornmeal Waffles
1 c AP flour
1 c stoneground cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 c buttermilk
1/4 c pure maple syrup
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 large egg yolks at room temperature
2 large egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks

Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl and the wet ingredients in a second bowl. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently whisk until combined, then fold in the beaten egg whites.

Belgian Waffles
2-1/4 tsp or 1 envelope active dry yeast
1/4 c warm milk (105-115 degrees F)
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1/2 c sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
4 c AP flour
2-1/2 cups warm milk
3 large egg whites beaten to soft peaks

Dissolve the yeast in the 1/4 cup of warm milk and let sit for five minutes.

Whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup lukewarm milk and melted butter, then add the yeast mixture, sugar, salt and vanilla.

Add the flour in three parts and remaining milk in two parts, alternating the ingredients. Lastly, fold in the egg whites. Cover the bowl with plastic film and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about an hour or so. When you're ready to cook, stir the batter first to deflate.

[iL Divo]

I have it, I'm just too lazy to find that particular cookbook right this second.
so glad someone else asked.
oh just remembered I'd promised to write a recipe out for someone on here who asked.
let me think how I did that then I'll come back and look over these ideas for waffles.