Light and Fluffy Waffles (Tips + Video)

Learn how to make the best fluffy waffles! This breakfast staple is rich, freezes well and has no buttermilk in the batter.

The perfect waffle recipe: I spent years looking for the best one. How to get the best flavor with easy ingredients? How to make them stay crispy on the outside? What’s the secret recipe for a light and fluffy waffle?

Keep reading and get all the answers!

Jump to:

• 🛒 Ingredients
• 🥣 How to Make Them
• 💭 Tips for success
• 🍽 Keeping them crispy
• 🧾 Flavor Variations
• ❕ Storing and Freezing
• 🥞 What to serve with them
• 📖 Recipe

🛒 Ingredients

Milk versus Buttermilk

This recipe calls for only milk and still makes delicious waffles that don’t lack flavor.

Although buttermilk can somewhat enhance flavor, using it only makes waffles that are more dense. Milk makes fluffier waffles, while still giving enough flavor.

Butter versus Oil

Oil will make waffles a bit crispier on the outside than butter, but the last one will give them much more flavor. Use butter.

Egg Whites

Yes, whipping the egg whites is one of the secrets to get your waffles to be fluffier when making using baking powder.

For this recipe, you can skip it and still have supper light waffles. But I recommend doing it.

Sugar

Don’t skip the sugar. The ingredient is not only the responsible for a hint of sweetness but also gives a beautiful golden-brown color and helps with a crispier exterior.

Just avoid adding more sugar that the recipe asks for. A batter too sweet can cause waffles to stick in the iron.

Baking Powder

Make sure this ingredient is not expired, or you’ll end um with dense waffles.

If you don’t know if your baking powder has expired, check it before using:

• Add ½ teaspoon of baking powder into a bowl and pour ¼ cup of boiling water over it.
• When not expired, the mixture should bubble up right away.

All-Purpose Flour and Cornstarch

All-purpose gives the texture we know and love, but substituting a part of it for cornstarch is what makes these waffles lighter.

For the fluffiest waffles, we’re going to need both all-purpose flour and cornstarch.

🥣 How to Make Them

Preheat the waffle iron

It needs to be properly hot before you pour the batter on it. A cold iron will give you soggy waffles.

Make the batter

When making the batter, there are 3 important points to keep in mind:

• You need to follow the ingredients order;

• Whipping egg whites will give you an even lighter waffle; and

• Avoid overmixing it after adding the flour. Some lumps are ok and better than overmixing.

Keep waffle iron closed until waffle is ready

Usually there’s a light that goes on the iron when the waffle is ready. Wait for it, or wait at least 3 minutes (or the time recommended in the waffle iron instructions) before checking.

Opening the iron before time might cause waffles to break apart.

💭 Tips for success

• Preheat the waffle iron for at least 10 minutes. That will guarantee you a hot iron, and with that, better waffles. It’s hot enough when batter crisps (or a drop of water sizzles and evaporates) as soon as it hits the surface.

• Adding fat before pouring the batter prevent waffles from sticking. You can grease it using butter or cooking oil. Doing it will make waffles crispier in the outside.

• I don’t recommend making this batter ahead. Making it as soon as you’ll ready to cook the waffles produces a better results, specially if you’re whipping the egg whites.

• Don’t substitute ingredients, don’t overmix or make the batter ahead, and don’t stack waffle disks.

🍽 Keeping them crispy

Here are my top tips for you to have that crispy outside everybody aims for:

• Never stack your waffles while they’re warm! Place them on a cooling rack as soon as they’re out of the iron;

• Grease evenly the waffle iron with butter or cooking oil to give an extra help; and

• Keep waffle disks in a preheated oven. Preheat your oven to 200°F for ten minutes, rack in the middle shelf. You’ll be placing waffles directly into the rack, so make sure it’s clean. As soon as waffle is out of the iron, place it onto oven rack.

🧾 Flavor Variations

Cinnamon: add 1 tsp of ground cinnamon in the batter when mixing in sugar.

Chocolate: add ½ cup of chocolate chips, and substitute 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour for 1 of cocoa powder.

Berries: add ⅔ cup of fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries or blackberries work for this) just before adding all-purpose flour.

❕ Storing and Freezing

Wait for waffles to cool completely before storing.

Once cooled, place them into an airtight container or bag. Store at room temperature. They’re good for about 3 days.

You can freeze waffles. Once cooled, place them into a freezer-safe container or bag. They’re good for up to 3 months.

To reheat, place waffles from 4 to 5 minutes into a preheated oven (350°F). Keep an eye on them, as they can burn easily, and every oven is different.

You can also use a toaster: they get an extra crispy exterior with it. Microwave also works, but it will give you soft waffles.

🥞 What to serve with them

Waffles are amazing for breakfast, specially cause they go well with so many options:

• Top them with butter while still warm;

• Try with yogurt and a homemade granola;

• Dust powdered sugar and add fresh berries;

• Homemade blueberry compote is also delicious, as is apple butter.