This Waffle Recipe makes the best waffles with light and fluffy insides and crispy edges. These homemade waffles are quick and easy to make and perfect for a weekend breakfast.

pouring syrup onto stack of two waffles

Waffles are one of our favorites to make for breakfast, or even breakfast for dinner. Our homemade waffle batter takes just a few minutes to mix up. With this easy buttermilk waffle recipe, you’ll have hot, crispy waffles with soft, fluffy insides on your table in no time.

I originally shared this recipe in 2018 and we’ve been making these waffles almost weekly ever since. Over time, I’ve slightly modified this waffle recipe to make it even better. Today I’m sharing the updated recipe with more tips to help you make the best homemade waffles. 

This recipe makes buttermilk waffles, which have a delicious flavor and the perfect texture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, I’ve included substitution information below.

You can use this batter in a regular waffle maker or in a Belgian waffle maker. We’ve recently upgraded our waffle maker to this one, but also loved the simple, inexpensive one that we used for years.

bite of waffle on a fork, showing fluffy waffle insides

Looking for more breakfast recipes? These are our favorite Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes, this Breakfast Casserole is a delicious hearty breakfast, Baked French Toast Casserole is perfect for a special occasion, and these Steel Cut Oats are healthy, creamy and flavorful. You will also love my easy french toast, oven-baked bacon or Air Fryer Bacon

How to Make Fluffy Waffles with Crispy Edges

  • Add some cornstarch to the dry ingredients. Cornstarch in the waffle batter helps to make light and crispy waffles.
  • Waffle batter should be thinner than pancake batter. When making pancakes, you want the batter to be thick to make thick, fluffy pancakes. Waffle batter should be thinner to produce a light, airy waffle. If the batter is too thin, however, there will be too much air in your waffle. The perfect waffle batter takes practice. After a lot of testing, I’ve settled on a ratio of dry to wet ingredients that works best in this waffle recipe.
  • For the lightest, crispiest waffles, you need to separate your egg whites from the yolks, beat the whites until they form soft peaks, and gently fold the whites into the batter at the end. I don’t know about you, but most mornings I don’t have the time or patience for that! Especially with little kids who want breakfast NOW. If you have a leisurely morning, go ahead and separate your eggs. I find these waffles to be perfectly crispy without the extra step.

buttermilk waffles on a plate with fresh berries and syrup on top

Recipe Ingredients

  • Butter: I prefer to use butter instead of oil in this recipe because it adds flavor.
  • Flour: I use a combination of all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour. If you prefer to use only all-purpose or only white whole wheat, that will work too. You can use regular whole wheat flour, but the waffles will have a heartier texture and more whole wheat flavor.
  • Cornstarch: Cornstarch makes the waffles extra light and crispy.
  • Sugar & Vanilla: For flavor.
  • Baking Powder, Baking Soda & Salt: Baking powder and baking soda provide lift to help the waffles rise and become fluffy. Salt is a key ingredient for flavor.
  • Eggs: You will need two large eggs for this recipe.
  • Buttermilk & Milk: You can make waffles with all buttermilk, or all milk. I like to use a combination of the two. The buttermilk gives these waffles the best flavor, while the milk helps to produce a lighter texture. 

How to Make Waffles

  1. Preheat your waffle iron.
  2. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly.
  3. Whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. dry ingredients for waffle recipe in a mixing bowl
  4. Whisk together the wet ingredients: eggs, buttermilk, milk and vanilla. Then whisk in the melted butter. wet ingredients for waffle recipe in a mixing bowl with melted butter in another bowl
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Whisk together the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. waffle batter in a mixing bowl with a whisk
  6. Cook the waffles according to your waffle maker’s instructions.

Keeping Waffles Warm

You can serve waffles as they come off of the waffle iron or keep them warm in a 200° F oven while you cook the rest of the waffles.

To keep cooked waffles warm, place them on a wire rack that is set on top of a baking sheet (I use this set) in the warm oven while the rest of the waffles cook. The cooling rack is important because it allows air to circulate around the waffles, keeping them crisp.

stack of two waffles with a fork standing up in a bite of waffle

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Waffles freeze wonderfully so they are a great option for make ahead breakfasts. To freeze waffles, let them cool completely on a wire rack and then store them in a zip-top bag or other airtight container. Waffles can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Thaw frozen waffles at room temperature or in the microwave using the defrost setting or low power.

To warm and crisp waffles after thawing you have two options:

  1. Place them in your toaster, using a low heat setting if your toaster has one.
  2. Place waffles on a wire rack atop a baking sheet in a 250° F oven for about 5 minutes, until warm and crispy to the touch.

Waffle Recipe Tips

  • When measuring the flour, be sure to spoon it into your measuring cup and then level it off. Do not scoop the flour with the measuring cup, as this can pack in too much flour.
  • This recipe calls for a combination of buttermilk and milk. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own buttermilk substitute or use all milk in this recipe. Since milk is thinner, you’ll need to reduce the liquid to 2 cups total if you’re just using milk (1/4 cup less liquid overall). I recommend using whole milk.
  • Try not to overmix your waffle batter. It is ok if a few small clumps of flour remain.
  • Preheat your waffle iron before you start cooking the waffles.
  • You can tell that your waffles are done cooking when there is just a little bit of steam left escaping from the waffle iron. They should be golden brown on the outsides.
pouring syrup onto stack of two waffles
5 from 2 ratings

Waffle Recipe

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This easy Waffle Recipe makes the best waffles with light and fluffy insides and crispy edges. Leftover waffles freeze well; see freezer and reheating instructions in the notes below.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk*, store-bought or see how to make buttermilk
  • ¾ cup milk, whole milk is best
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat waffle iron.
  • Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Crack the eggs into a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup. Add the buttermilk, milk and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the melted butter.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined.
  • Cook waffles according to manufacturer’s instructions, until crisp and golden. Waffles are usually done when just a small amount of steam is left escaping from the sides of the waffle iron. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven (on a cooling rack placed on a baking sheet) while you cook the rest of the waffles.

Notes

  • This recipe makes 6 large waffles in my Belgian waffle maker, which is enough to serve 8 people. The number of waffles you are able to make will depend on the size of your waffle iron.
  • You may substitute 2 cups whole milk in place of the buttermilk and milk. You'll need less liquid overall if using all milk because it is thinner than buttermilk.
  • Waffles freeze well. Let cool completely on a cooling rack. Store, wrapped airtight, in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • To reheat frozen waffles, first thaw on the counter or in the microwave on low power. Then warm the waffles in a toaster on low power or on a wire rack set atop a baking sheet in a 250° F oven, for about 5 minutes, until warm and crisp to the touch.
Serving: 1/8 of recipe, Calories: 238kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 288mg, Potassium: 192mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 348IU, Calcium: 120mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast
Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.
This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kristine's Kitchen!