Waffles

This waffle recipe is easy to make, resulting in a crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, light waffle.

These are my personal favorite! My Mom got this recipe from a family friend, and I have tried a lot of waffle recipes but come back to this one a lot of times for its simple ingredients. I love the crispy texture these waffles have, and how easy they are to make. I love to make up a big batch and keep them in the freezer for quick breakfasts.

Flour- Flour works to bind everything together. I used unbleached all-purpose flour, but originally this recipe called for whole wheat flour. You can use whatever flour you like.

Oil- The oil gives the waffles it’s crispness, and depending on the oil you use, it will change the flavor. I have used olive oil, the extra virgin olive oil has a very strong taste. So if you want to use olive oil but not have a strong overpowering taste, try using the light classic olive oil. You can use any cooking oil for that matter, or swap it out for butter. If using butter keep in mind warm melted butter mixing in with cold milk can coagulate. Warm any cold ingredients before adding in warmed butter.

Milk- The texture and flavor are influenced by using milk over water. Whole milk will create a denser batter, skim milk will result in a fluffier batter. I always use whole milk for this recipe.

Eggs- Eggs add color and richness. They help bind everything together and also work as a leavening agent adding to the fluffy textrue of waffles. If you need to substatue the eggs, bananas, greek yogert, apple sauce, or avacado are sugested options to swap out the egg with. I have personally not tried any of these in this recipe however I make banana pancakes that are really good, and have also had apple sauce in another waffle recipe I’ve tried. I would vouch for those two as replacments.

Baking Powder- The baking powder is a leavening agent that makes the waffles rise and helps create the airy pockets that give the waffles their light and fluffy texture.

Salt- The salt is a flavor enhancer.

2 c all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour.

2 c whole milk

1/2 c oil

2 eggs

1 Tb baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat your waffle iron, having a hot iron will help the waffles not stick. Give your waffle iron a light coating of non stick spray or brush some olive oil on it. Even if your waffle says it’s non stick they can still stick to the iron if not greased.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a seperate bowl add the milk, oil, and eggs. Mix everything together until well combined.

Gradually add the wet mixture into the dry until combined, the batter will be slightly lumpy that’s ok. Be carful not to overmix, this will result in tough waffles.

Pour the batter into your prepared hot waffle iron and cook them according to your waffles spacifications. For me that is until the green light pops on. The amount of batter you use will also very depending on the size of your waffle iron.

Remove the waffles from the waffle iron and serve imendiatly, cool any leftovers on a cooling rack theroughly and then store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Top with your favorite toppings, we like butter and maple syrup. Powdered sugar is also a fun topping, giving it a funnel cake effect.

I use a Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker, which has 5 different browning settings and red and green lights that indicate when it is ready to bake and when the waffles have reached the desired doneness. This will be different depending on the waffle iron you use.

I typically make them between the settings of 4 and 5; however, if I want to make up a big batch for freezing, I set the settings to 3. This way, when I reheat them, they won’t be overly cooked and tough.

Freezing Waffles:

If you want some waffles for a busy school morning or to have on hand to keep breakfast easy, or looking for a healthy alternative for Eggos. You can double or triple this recipe and make up a bunch at once and freeze to have on hand. After you have cooked all the waffles, spread them out on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once they are good and completley cooled off you can freeze them in a freezer safe bag.

To reheat frozen waffles you can place them on a baking sheet and reheat them in the oven to keep their texture. Or pop frozen waffles in the toaster and toast until warm and crispy again.

Tips:

If you are having trouble with a large amount of lumps in the batter try letting the liquid ingredients reach room temperature first to help them mix with the dry ingredients more easily.