Fluffy and Crisp Buttermilk Waffles
These classic buttermilk waffles are easy to make and come out big, fluffy, and crisp every time. It's a must-have recipe for turning an ordinary breakfast into something extra-special.
Whether you choose to top the waffles with the standard butter and syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or some combination… you are going to fall in love with this waffle recipe!
I didn't encounter the world of "real" waffles until I went to college and found the Belgian waffle station in the cafeteria. I relished my newfound freedom and ate my weight in Belgian waffles during my freshman year.
Nowadays, I'm partial to my square waffle maker because I have three kids waiting to eat, and the one-waffle-at-a-time approach isn't nearly as efficient.
I used boxed waffle mixes to make my batter for a long time, but I finally nailed the perfect homemade buttermilk waffle recipe. It's incredibly easy and makes the most delicious waffles I know you and your family will love!
Ingredients List
There is a high probability that you already have everything you need to make these classic buttermilk waffles.
Let's run down the list…
- Flour - To give the waffles structure.
- Sugar - For a little sweetness.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda - For the all-important fluffiness.
- Salt + Vanilla - For maximum flavor.
- Buttermilk - For rich flavor and supreme fluffiness.
- Butter - Adds fat for tenderness and loads of flavor.
- Eggs - Bind together the batter and bring everything together.
Buttermilk Substitute
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make it using a combination of regular milk and either lemon juice or white vinegar (this is referred to as "clabbered milk"); here's how to do it:
For this waffle recipe, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a 2-cup measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 2 cups. Stir together, then use as directed in the recipe. (You only need 1¾ cups for this recipe; you can discard the leftover buttermilk.)
How to Make Buttermilk Waffles
Homemade waffles are a great treat; making them completely from scratch takes only 2 or 3 minutes longer than making them with a baking mix.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients - Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl - The buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla get mixed.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. When whisking the batter together, do so gently and for only as long as it takes to incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry. Lumps are okay; you don't want a completely smooth batter!
- Spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and preheat until it is scorching hot - A drop of water on the iron should sizzle and evaporate almost immediately.
- Portion the batter according to the manufacturer's directions and cook to the desired doneness.
The last step is, of course, topping those beautiful golden brown waffles.
Waffle Toppings
There are so many wonderful toppings to choose from! Here are a few ideas:
- Butter
- Maple Syrup
- Fresh Fruit
- Whipped cream
- Nut butter or Nutella
- Jam or fruit spread
- Hot fudge sauce
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate chips
- Coconut
- Sprinkle of powdered sugar
What are your go-to waffle toppings?
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Make It a Full Breakfast:
- Oven-Baked Bacon
- Bourbon-Brown Sugar Bacon
- Perfect Scrambled Eggs
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken (chicken and waffles!)
- Fresh fruit
Waffle Tips
No one wants a soggy waffle! To make the most delicious fluffy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside waffles, there are a few important things to remember:
- Buttermilk - Much like pancake batter, buttermilk reacts with baking soda to create a wonderful rise, creating ultra-fluffy waffles. A little extra baking powder is included to ensure supreme lift. If you don’t have buttermilk, see the note above in the Ingredients section about how to make a substitute.
- Lumpy Batter – Don’t keep whisking until the batter is completely smooth; you want some lumps in there! The air pockets in the lumps ensure wonderfully fluffy waffles.
- High Heat Setting - Don't be afraid to crank up that temperature setting on your waffle iron; your waffles will NOT burn, but they will be significantly crisper when you turn up that setting versus leaving it low, resulting in soft waffles.
Serving, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
Serving: If you are serving a group and want everyone to have warm and crisp waffles, place the finished waffles on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven until ready to serve.
Storage: You can store any leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: If you want to freeze leftover waffles, place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and put in the freezer until completely frozen. Then remove them from the baking sheet and store in a freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Whether you’re reheating a waffle from the refrigerator or freezer, these are the best ways to return them to their original warm, crisp texture:
- Toaster or toaster oven: Use a medium-high setting to get them crispy again!
- Oven: Reheat in a 350-degree oven for 6 to 10 minutes or to desired crispness.
Check Out More Waffle Recipes:
More Classic Breakfast Recipes:
- Challah French Toast
- Dutch Baby Pancake
- Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
- Baked Oatmeal with Apples, Raisins & Walnuts
- Monkey Bread (From Scratch)
Watch the Buttermilk Waffles Recipe Video:
These homemade buttermilk waffles are an easy classic that your family will beg for time and again. Make your weekends a little sweeter, or create a waffle Wednesday tradition for a special midweek treat!
If you make this waffle recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Fluffy and Crisp Buttermilk Waffles
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups (228 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¾ cups (420 ml) buttermilk
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently whisk to combine. Do not overmix!
- Spray a waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, then preheat. Once the waffle maker is ready, add the batter according to the manufacturer’s instructions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the waffle maker indicates they are ready. Serve immediately, or place in a 300-degree oven to keep warm. Leftover waffles can be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a ziploc bag and stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Recommended Equipment: Breville Smart Waffle Maker or this single Belgian-style waffle maker
- Buttermilk Substitute: For this waffle recipe, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a 2-cup measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 2 cups. Stir together, then use as directed in the recipe. (You only need 1¾ cups for this recipe; you can discard the leftover buttermilk.)
- Lumpy Batter - Don't keep whisking until the batter is completely smooth; the air pockets in the lumps ensure wonderfully fluffy waffles.
- High Heat Setting - Don't be afraid to crank up that temperature setting on your waffle iron; your waffles will NOT burn, but they will be significantly crisper when you turn up that setting versus leaving it low, resulting in soft waffles.
- Serving: If you are serving a group and want everyone to have warm and crisp waffles, place the finished waffles on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven until ready to serve.
- Storage: You can store any leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: If you want to freeze leftover waffles, place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and put in the freezer until completely frozen. Then remove them from the baking sheet and store in a freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Whether you're reheating a waffle from the refrigerator or freezer, use a toaster or toaster oven on a medium-high setting, or reheat in a 350-degree oven for 6 to 10 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
Made these for breakfast this morning and they were very good! They were very fluffy and got crispy on the outside.
Just made these for the first time and with a new waffle iron. They were delicious will definitely be using this recipe again.
I made these this morning as I’ve been trying to use up buttermilk from holiday baking and they were DELICIOUS. I used light brown sugar instead of white, and a bit less salt than the recipe calls for. To note, the butter WILL harden and clump once you add it to the other wet ingredients but keep calm and carry on, and everything will be fine 😌
Made this twice. First time it was not crispy and a tad soggy and that had everything to do with the waffle iron. It was a Belgian style iron with no heat adjustment and it just never got hot enough. A HOT iron=Perfection. The second round I made I used a hand me down traditional Toastmaster (50-60’s vintage) that was adjustable and I cranked it up to 425ish. The high heat is needed for the crisp outside. They were awesome! Recipe is now bookmarked under Favs!
I made these in my Dash mini waffle maker this morning and they were a huge hit! So light and fluffy. Buttermilk makes all the difference! This is our new go-to recipe.
For those having trouble with the crispiness, my first few weren’t that crispy, but then I realized that these were so fluffy they were actually pushing the waffle iron open as they cooked. So I used slightly less batter and adjusted my cooking time. Then they were perfect!
Been making the Emeril belgian waffles for over a decade as my go-to. Had some buttermilk left from the holidays and decided to use this recipe. Glad I did. A lot less fussy to make than Emeril’s but imo even more delicious with a great texture and appearance. This will be my new go-to for belgian waffles.
These were a bit salty! But overall great waffles. If you’re sensitive to salt, maybe go half tsp instead!
My wife and I love this recipe. It is definitely made us very popular with the rest of the family. 😀
Not sure what I did wrong but the batter just separated in my waffle iron and got stuck in all the crevices. After two failed attempts I made these as pancakes (which were delicious by the way) just wish it would have worked out in waffle form.
Also something is off with the conversion to grams. It says 1 3/4 Flour but 218.75 g. But 1 3/4 cups of buttermilk is 420 ml.
Wet and dry ingredients weigh differently though. A solid (flour) would not be shown in ml.
Crunchy, textured, and not too sweet. Loved it!
Delicious, light, crisp waffles! Now we have a good use for leftover buttermilk. Made four complete waffles on our large, square Dash waffle maker, at 1-1/3 cup per waffle. This recipe is a keeper.
This is the absolute best waffle recipe. We are waffle people and have found this to be our favorite. We make your recipe nearly every weekend. (And freeze any extras to toast up during the week!)
My husband says this is the recipe the kids will long for when they go off to college. 💕
Not sure what I did wrong but these were not crisp and fluffy. Very soggy.
My daughter and I love this recipe SO MUCH. It’s so reliable. We have fun experimenting with different add ins (chocolate chips are her favorite). We got a Mickey Mouse waffle maker for Christmas last year and now we can pretend we’re at Disney when we make these! 😄
These are still my favourites! With fresh fruit and whipped cream, they’re the best!
Excellent waffles.. I am sorry a handful of others had a poor experience but as we all know, cooking is an art and many things can affect the results (even altitude!). I have made these twice and both time the results were excellent. I do let the batter sit for a 1/2 hour so the buttermilk can react with the flour and lend itself to even lighter fluffier waffles.
My husband loves these waffles so it is now our standard “go to”waffle recipe… (providing we follow them with a hike afterwards!)
Lovely crisp waffles
Simply awesome
Made these this morning! Light and tender. Delicious! Thank you for sharing your actual recipe!!!
Great recipe! I cut it in half and it worked well. I will definitely make it again!
a half cup of butter is a quarter cup too much. I would use only one egg. And half milk half buttermilk. They were greasy and soft.
Hi Terri, Oh no! I make this recipe every single week and they are never greasy or soggy; always crisp and delicious. I would make sure your waffle iron is heating up enough; if it’s not then you’re basically steaming waffles.
Amazing. I substituted applesauce for half of the butter. Also only use one and a half cups of flour and a quarter cup of whey protein powder to make them even healthier. Moist, fluffy and delicious.
Nice and crispy! I always add some cinnamon and nutmeg to the dry ingredients.
Super recipe!. I added chopped crispy bacon to the batter, and cooked them as directed. Our favorite recipe.
When I was at home .my mama whipped the egg whites an folded them into the batter.So good.
PECANS!
Tasted good but were neither crispy nor fluffy. My waffle maker does not have any adjustable setting so maybe not hot enough. Nice and brown but soggy on the inside. If I try again I will reduce egg to one and use less butter.
Made this recipe twice exactly as written in Cuisinart Belgian waffle maker, the waffles were fantastic! Toasty brown on the outside and light on the inside. I was hoping to find an alternative recipe to the recipes that came with the waffle maker, which require yeast. Don’t bother with the yeast recipes, this is the only one you need!
Fantastic! This recipe absolutely satisfies both the texture and taste. Thanks for sharing it. Definitely an instant family favourite.
The recipe that comes with the waffle machine is the real waffle recipe for Belgian waffles. The yeast waffles is really a great recipe used in Belgum and other places in Europe, You might try it when you want to use a different kind of waffle. I make it from time to time..whip it up the night before, put int in the fridge over night and make them in the morning for a different treat .
Made perfect waffles! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Loved them . I added a little extra liquid and 1/2 cup of corn starch to add some crispness. They were perfect!