# The Best Waffle Recipe (Crispy Outside, Fluffy Inside) Source: https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/waffles Author: Trevor (Trevor's Kitchen) Published: 2026-09-06 · Updated: 2026-09-06 Category: Breakfast · Cuisine: American > The best waffles are made with buttermilk, melted butter, a spoonful of cornstarch for crispness, and egg whites whipped separately and folded in for lift. Cook the batter in a hot, preheated waffle iron until the steam stops and the waffle is deep golden, then set it on a wire rack, never a plate, so it stays crisp. They are shatteringly crisp outside and tender and fluffy inside. ## At a glance - Prep time: 15 minutes - Cook time: 20 minutes - Total time: 35 minutes - Yield: 8 waffles (about 7-inch rounds or 4-inch Belgian squares) - Servings: 8 - Calories per serving: 300 ## Ingredients - 2 cups all-purpose flour, 250 g - 2 tablespoons cornstarch - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar - 2 teaspoons baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, 420 ml, at room temperature - 2 large eggs, separated - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 113 g, melted and slightly cooled - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ## Instructions 1. **Preheat the waffle iron.** Turn the waffle iron to medium-high and let it heat fully while you make the batter, at least 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°F and set a wire rack on a sheet pan for holding finished waffles. 2. **Mix the dry ingredients.** In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 3. **Mix the wet ingredients.** In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg yolks, melted butter and vanilla until combined. 4. **Whip the egg whites.** In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer or whisk until they hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. 5. **Combine.** Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until no dry streaks remain; a few lumps are fine. Fold in the whipped egg whites gently in two additions, keeping as much air as possible. _Tip: Fold, do not stir. The batter should look airy and slightly streaky with white._ 6. **Cook the waffles.** Lightly brush or spray the iron with oil if it is not nonstick. Pour in enough batter to almost cover the grid, about 2/3 cup for a standard iron or 3/4 to 1 cup for a Belgian iron. Close the lid and cook until the steam slows and the waffle is deep golden and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes depending on your iron. 7. **Hold and serve.** Transfer each waffle to the wire rack in the oven, in a single layer, while you cook the rest. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup. ## Equipment - Waffle iron (Belgian or standard) - Two mixing bowls plus a clean bowl for egg whites - Hand mixer or whisk - Spatula - Wire rack set on a sheet pan ## Notes - Preheat the iron fully and cook until the steam nearly stops; underbaked waffles go limp. - Cool waffles on a wire rack, never stacked on a plate. - No buttermilk? Mix 1 3/4 cups milk with 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar and wait 5 minutes. ## Why this recipe works - Cornstarch reduces gluten and absorbs moisture at the surface, which is what keeps the outside crisp after the waffle leaves the iron. - Buttermilk plus baking soda creates a tender, airy interior with a subtle tang. - Whipped egg whites folded in at the end add lift without extra leavening, so the waffles are tall and light. - A generous half cup of melted butter fries the surface inside the iron, giving deep color and flavor. ## How to get crispy waffles Crisp waffles come from three things: enough fat in the batter, a hot iron, and letting steam escape. Preheat the waffle iron fully, until its light says ready and then a minute or two longer. Cook each waffle until the steam coming from the sides slows to almost nothing, which is usually a minute past when you think it is done. Then set the waffle on a wire rack, not a plate, so the bottom does not steam itself soft. To hold a batch, put the rack in a 200°F oven. The waffles will stay crisp for 20 to 30 minutes while you finish cooking. ## Ingredient notes and substitutions Buttermilk is the best choice here. Without it, use 1 3/4 cups milk mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar, rested for 5 minutes. Whole milk with a tablespoon of plain yogurt also works. The cornstarch can be left out in a pinch, but the waffles will soften faster. Melted butter gives the best flavor; melted coconut oil or a neutral oil can stand in for it. If you are in a hurry, you can skip separating the eggs and whisk them whole into the buttermilk. The waffles will still be very good, just slightly less tall. ## Belgian waffle iron or regular? This batter works in both. A Belgian iron with deep pockets makes thicker waffles and takes about 3/4 to 1 cup of batter each; a standard round or square iron takes 1/2 to 2/3 cup. Either way, pour the batter into the center and let it spread almost to the edges on its own, then close the lid. Do not open it for at least 2 minutes or the waffle will tear. ## What to serve on waffles - Butter and warm maple syrup, the classic. - Fresh strawberries and whipped cream. - A spoonful of homemade raspberry jam and a dusting of powdered sugar. - Fried chicken and hot honey for a proper chicken-and-waffles brunch. ## Storage - Leftover waffles keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat in a toaster until crisp. - Freeze cooled waffles flat in a freezer bag for up to 3 months; reheat straight from frozen in the toaster or a 375°F oven for 8 minutes. - The batter does not keep, because the whipped whites deflate and the leavening fades. Cook it all and freeze the extras. ## Variations - Chocolate chip waffles: fold 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips into the batter. - Cinnamon waffles: add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the dry ingredients and serve with apple butter. - Cornmeal waffles: replace 1/2 cup of the flour with fine yellow cornmeal for a crunchier, savory-leaning waffle. - Savory herb waffles: omit the sugar and vanilla, add 1/2 cup grated cheddar and 2 tablespoons chopped chives. ## Frequently asked questions **Why are my waffles soggy?** They were taken out of the iron too soon, or they were stacked on a plate where the trapped steam softened them. Cook until the steam from the iron nearly stops, and cool each waffle on a wire rack. **Do I have to separate the eggs?** No. Whisk whole eggs into the buttermilk for a quicker batter. Separating and whipping the whites makes the waffles taller and airier, but the shortcut still produces a crisp, tasty waffle. **Can I use this batter for pancakes?** It is richer than a pancake batter, but it will work. For dedicated pancakes, use the buttermilk pancake recipe on this site, which is designed for the griddle. **How much batter goes in the waffle iron?** Enough to cover about three-quarters of the grid before you close the lid, since the batter spreads. That is roughly 2/3 cup for a standard iron and 3/4 to 1 cup for a deep Belgian iron. The first waffle tells you whether to adjust. **Can waffles be made ahead?** Yes. Cook them fully, cool them on a rack, and freeze them flat. They reheat in a toaster in a couple of minutes and come out nearly as crisp as fresh. ## Nutrition (per serving, estimated) - Calories: 300 - Fat: 14 g - Saturated fat: 8 g - Carbohydrates: 34 g - Fiber: 1 g - Sugar: 5 g - Protein: 8 g - Sodium: 420 mg - Cholesterol: 80 mg --- Recipe by Trevor. 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