Belgian Waffles are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and EASY to make; ready in only a few minutes with pantry ingredients!
We’re big fans of Breakfast Recipes and this recipe is among our readers’ favorites from our kitchen along with Easy French Toast and Cinnamon Rolls!
Belgian Waffles are the PERFECT Sunday morning breakfast. They’re incredibly light and fluffy in texture, while having a sweet flavor and loaded with all of your favorite toppings. You can throw in a handful of chocolate chips or blueberries, and top with real maple syrup, Whipped Cream or Easy Strawberry Topping for the full effect.
There’s nothing that even comes close to homemade waffles. Once you try this incredibly easy fluffy waffle recipe, they will become your go-to when you have a free morning. It’s also great to make a batch for breakfast, then keep a few frozen for another day.
You can make these with brown sugar for a deeper flavor, or a dash of cinnamon. This Belgian Waffle recipe is better than any pancake mix version you’ve had before, I promise! Serve these alongside Breakfast Pork Sausage, Oven Bacon Cheddar Scrambled Eggs, and some fresh fruit for an amazing homemade breakfast.
How to Make Belgian Waffles
Prepare Belgian waffle iron by spraying with oil.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl then add the salt and sugar, mixing well.
- Using a hand mixer with the egg whites in a small bowl, beat them until stiff peaks form.
In a second bowl whisk the egg yolks, butter, milk and vanilla together.
Whisk the butter mixture into the flour mixture until just combined then very very gently, fold in egg whites (do not stir). Be careful not to over-mix the batter, especially at the very end where you might flatten the air out of the egg whites. Fold until just combined, then leave it alone.
Pour ⅓ cup servings into your Belgian waffle maker and cook as directed.
More Breakfast Recipes
Gooey Monkey Bread
Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls (Copycat)
Strawberry Cobbler
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls
Frequently Asked Questions
A Belgian waffle has larger square pockets than regular waffles, making it more ideal for toppings! These waffles were traditionally made using yeast, but now the more modern method is to use leavening agents.
Waffle batter is typically higher in fat and sugar, which helps the waffle achieve the slightly crispy texture on the outside. You’ll often find people using the batters interchangeably, though. The batter is also had egg whites folded into it, making it lighter and giving the waffle a slightly crispier texture.
For this waffle recipe you need an iron specific to Belgian waffles, with deeper squares, allowing the dough to properly rise to the fluffy texture and crispy outside. If you make them in a regular waffle iron, you risk losing some of the airy texture, and of course the traditional shape. Some waffle makers have removable plates, so you can switch back and forth between regular and Belgian waffles using one one iron.
To make this recipe friendly for dairy free diets, substitute the whole milk for almond milk. Instead of unsalted butter, use melted coconut oil, but let it cool close to room temperature before mixing in.
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Key Ingredients in Belgian Waffles
- Flour: All purpose flour works best for Belgian Waffles, and make sure to sift it to keep the texture light and fluffy.
- Sugar: White granulate sugar helps to sweeten the waffle batter and adds to the crispy crust. If you are watching your sugar intake, you can also use a granulated sugar substitute option.
- Eggs: By separating the eggs and whipping the whites, you will create airy Belgian waffles that still have a yummy richness and golden brown color thanks to the yolks.
- Milk: Whole milk is always best to use when baking or cooking. The extra fat helps with the texture of the dish and keeps it moist.
- Butter: Make sure to use unsalted butter for recipes, that way you can control how much salt is added. This is especially important for sweet recipes such as this where you do not want any salt at all.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent works by combining sodium bicarbonate with a powdered acid that creates gas in the batter when it combines with wet ingredients. Baking soda is fast acting, which eliminates the need for yeast in quick breads and these Belgian Waffles.
- Vanilla: A small amount of vanilla adds a warm and sweet flavor to the waffles that tastes even more amazing when they’re topped with fruit and maple syrup.
Can Belgian Waffles be Made Ahead?
Fresh waffles are always the best. If you’re going to make waffles more than 24 hours in advance, I would recommend freezing them to keep the quality as fresh as possible. Place a piece of parchment paper between each waffle and freeze in an airtight container.
Otherwise, you can refrigerate them temporarily, then reheat these in the oven at 300 degrees for a total time of 10-15 minutes on a baking sheet. Depending on the size of your waffle, you can also put them in the toaster oven for a few minutes until warmed through to maintain the crispy texture.
Variations on Belgian Waffles
- Toppings: The pockets are PERFECT for holding whatever toppings you go with, so I always serve these with extra syrup, honey, and whipped cream. You can also top them with butter, berries, bananas, Nutella, chocolate chips, peanut butter, sliced banana, or powdered sugar.
- Flavorings: Add extracts to play with the flavor of these waffles. This recipe uses vanilla, try almond, lemon, or strawberry!
- Chocolate Belgian Waffles: Replace ½ cup flour with ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolately waffle mix. Add a dash of cinnamon for Mexican Hot Chocolate Waffles.
- Mix ins: Stir in mini chocolate chips for chocolatey waffles, or rainbow sprinkles for a birthday funfetti waffle. You can also swirl in your favorite sauce like strawberry or caramel sauce.
- Homemade Waffle Mix: Make a big batch of the dry ingredients and store in an airtight container on the counter to mix up easy Belgian waffle batter any time.
- Buttermilk Waffles: You can substitute the milk with buttermilk for added flavor in this recipe. If you’re using gluten free all purpose flour, the buttermilk will provide necessary acidity for that type of flour, which makes a big difference in texture.
- Ice Cream Waffles: Who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast? The crispy, sweet texture of Belgian Waffles makes them the perfect base to top with creamy cold ice cream. Don’t forget the whipped cream and chocolate sauce!
More Delicious Breakfast Classics
Biscuits and Gravy
Yogurt Parfait
French Toast
Classic Pantry Pancakes
How To Store Belgian Waffles
- Serve: Don’t leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: Store in an airtight container to keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Re-heat in toaster oven.
- Freeze: You can also freeze for up to 3 months. Re-heat in toaster oven or in a skillet with a bit of butter.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs , separated
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Spray the waffle maker with a bit of oil.
- Into a large bowl sift the flour and baking powder then add the salt and sugar, mixing well.
- Using a hand mixer with the egg whites in a small bowl, beat them to stiff peaks which stand straight up.
- To a second bowl whisk the egg yolks, butter, milk and vanilla together.
- Whisk the butter mixture into the flour mixture until just combined then very very gently, fold in egg whites (do not stir)
- Pour ⅓ cup servings into your Belgian waffle maker to cook as directed.
Nutrition
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Photo used in a previous version of this post.
A little too sweet for me. They did fluff up nicely however. Served them with maple syrup and topped with slices of bananas and strawberries.
Fantastic recipe, waffles turned out amazing, thank you very much
Tasted good, they just weren’t crispy. I followed the recipe to the letter and I’m an experienced cook. Wonder what I did
Amazing recipe. Followed it exactly. Definitely my go-to recipe for Belgian Waffles. My kids love these with some cool whip and berries. Thank you!
YAY! Thanks Beena!
Tasted good, they just weren’t crispy. I followed the recipe to the letter and I’m an experienced cook. Wonder what I did
Delicious waffles
I’ve made these twice and followed the recipe exactly but they are flat and soggy every time. I’ve used other recipes in my waffle maker and they come out crispy and fluffy this one’s not it.
I think that this is an amazing batch of waffles. This is definitely my favorite recipe that I will continue to use, my whole family loved them as a desert and I think that this is so creative and so tasty.
Delicious and chewy. I made a cinnamon swirl with some of the batter. So good!
Terrible. Didn’t raise almost at all, batter too runny. Tried to save it with more flour but wasn’t enough. Doesn’t taste like proper waffles neither. Shame as I really wished for lovely Sunday breakfast :/
I made it and it turned out amazing, I am 13 years old. We all know it’s not the recipe because mine turned out good so the only thing left to make it bad is your cooking. Better luck next time for you.
Best recipe I found, melts in your mouth.
Very delicious
Works like a charm! Every time!! ?
Great recipe… my new “go-to”!
This is by far the best ever recipe! Wow! Third time making and I doubled the recipe. Yummy!
I highly recommend this recipe. The last time I made I decided to add cinnamon. Took it to another level of yummy.
The recipe is awesome as is without tho.
May you enjoy this as well.
They are the best waffles I had in my whole life and I am 9. I had I lot of waffles in my life and these are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it!! Thanks for coming back to let me know. BTW, great name!! Haha!
Under the “tips” you suggested: Make a big batch of the dry ingredients and store in an airtight container on the counter for waffle mix anytime.
Once I have a big batch of dry ingredients – how much do I use in relation to the wet ingredients in the recipe? Thank you!
I guess I should clarify, I make batches of the dry ingredients but keep it in recipe proportions so when I’m ready to make them, all I need to do is add the wet ingredients and I’m all set. Sorry if that was worded confusing.
Really good recipe !!
Thank you, Karen.
Hi Sabrina,
Thank you so much for your waffle recipe is the best recipe out there.
I made this waffles and my Family love it. My wife always made us waffle but there not the same as your recipe Lol.
Thank you.
I’m glad you all enjoyed them! Thanks for the 5 star rating.
This was a great recipe, thank you! I’m wondering if next time I can use maple syrup instead of sugar, and if so, how much?
Thank you for sharing this!
You can substitute it but I haven’t tested it and usually you need to reduce the other liquids by 1/4 cup. If you decide to test it out, I’d love to know what ends up working. Good luck!
🙁 did not come out crispy. I’m not sure why.
Sounds like it might not have gotten as hot as it needed.
Have just put together all ingredients and popped mixture in the fridge for Father’s Day breakfast tomorrow
Amazing!
Yummy ? my new favorite! I didn’t have any butter milk or whole milk so I just added a couple tablespoons of vinegar to my 1% ? Will definitely be making these again! Thanks for the recipe??
Very good.
Excellent, had them with strawberries ? bananas ? and drizzle of Nutella ??
DELICIOUS!!!
They came out perfect!!
Fantastic! Thanks for the 5 stars, Charlene.
So I made these using self rising flour. However I did this before reading the comments so I still used the baking powder and salt. Mine turned out a little wimpy. Would this be why?
Yes
Could you substitute coconut or almond milk for whole milk? If so, would you recommend canned full fat coconut milk since there is more fat content?
Yes 🙂
These by far are the most delicious, crispy waffles I have ever made! Simply amazing!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Candy!
Can you use self rising flour for this recipe?
Yes but omit the baking powder and salt since it’s already in the self rising flour. Enjoy!
Does this make 8 whole waffles or is a serving size less than one waffle?
I was able to make 8 waffles. I guess it also depends on how big your waffle iron is too. Enjoy!
This recipe is so perfect. It is by far the best waffle recipe I have ever made. It is also SO easy to remember. I added some flax seeds to mine so that I can feel a little better about always making these for my kids. 🙂 Truly this recipe is wonderful. I have never commented on a recipe before and I felt like this one deserved it. Thank you!!!
Good idea about the flax seeds. Thanks for the suggestion.
I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before even though I saved it but this recipe….OMG! It seems like it’s too many steps but it’s simple and soooo worth following. The results are amazing. I made a few first then gently folded in pumpkin spice to the last batter. So fall worthy and now thinking it would be great for a Thanksgiving breakfast.
YUM Pumpkin Spice waffles!! Thank you for your review, and thanks so much for sharing a comment. Happy you loved them!
Thanks for this awesome recipe! Came out great!
You’re welcome! Glad you liked them!
Very good!
Thank you!
Can you make this ahead of time before serving it? Having a waffle bar at my sons baptism and wondering if we could make it prior to church so it’s ready to go once we’re home?
Certainly. I would refrigerate while at the baptism, then take them out and reheat in the oven at 300 degrees.
I’ve tried multiple other web waffle recipes and none of them were quite right – these are FLAVORFUL and fluffy and delicious 🙂
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed them.
yo can we use water instead of milk
No, but you can substitute buttermilk for milk if needed.
My family loved this recipe! Thanks!
You’re welcome!
What heat settings do you recommend for the waffle iron?
It’s really a personal choice. If you’d like a waffle that’s darker than most, you should set your thermostat to high. That will place your temperature between 370° and 440°F. Play with that temperature range and the cooking time to get to just the right spot for just the right look and feel for your waffle. Enjoy!
Seriously amazing! Do not substitute oil for the melted butter. The butter makes these out of this world! Thank you for this recipe! My whole family LOVES them!
I got to say by far the BEST homemade waffles I have made!!!! I had a recipe before that I used to use and thought those were good waffles but this recipe went above and beyond! Such a good flavor and melts in your mouth! My kids (13 and 10) wanted to have them the following morning! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know. It makes me happy to know you all enjoyed it.
What brand of waffle maker would you recommend to make belgian waffles? I have a Cusinart waffle maker that makes the square kind.
I use the Cuisinart WAF-F20 Double Belgian Waffle Maker
Here’s the link: http://amzn.to/2mdlQ2E
I want this for breakfast this weekend! Love a good waffles!
Enjoy!
We LOVE Belgian waffles at our house! So fluffy and delicious!
Planning on having a waffle bar for my baby’s birthday brunch. Would it be okay to make the batter the night before? Or how early do you think it’d be okay to make batter in advance? (Planning on having the waffle iron out and guests make their own so it’s fresh.)
You can make it the night before. I recommend adding a bit more baking soda to the mix (1-2 tsp). Test one waffle the day of and add more baking soda if needed. Let me know how it turns out, it sounds like a super fun party!
These waffle are glamorous! I would like these for brunch this weekend!
Sounds like a great way to start the weekend!
These look so perfect, can’t wait to try them!
Enjoy!
It is supposed to snow here this weekend. I want to be snowed in with these beauties!
Sounds like a great plan!
These waffles look so delicious! So fluffy and easy
Thanks, Dee!
I’m going to make these for my kids this weekend! They always order these when we go out.
Enjoy!