Best Homemade Waffles
My son requests these waffles almost every week and they are made with simple ingredients you should have in your pantry or fridge. I hope you love them as much as we do!
If you have ever wanted a waffle recipe you can make from scratch with pantry ingredients you already have, this is the one. My son requests these almost every single week, and I do not blame him. The outside is crisp and golden, the inside is fluffy and tender, and the touch of maple syrup right in the batter gives them this gentle sweetness that just hits.
I have made this recipe so many times that I have it memorized. The magic is in the ratios: just enough baking powder to give you serious lift, a little sugar for tenderness, melted butter for richness, and warmed milk to keep the butter from seizing when it hits the cold ingredients. That little detail makes a huge difference in the final texture.
What I love about homemade waffles versus the frozen kind is how much better they actually taste, and they really are not much more work. You can have batter ready in 5 minutes flat, and the waffle iron does the rest. Make a double batch on the weekend and freeze the extras for school mornings, they reheat in the toaster like the day they were made.
Serve them however you love them. My son loads his up with chocolate chips and syrup. I am team peanut butter and bananas. Berries and whipped cream is brunch heaven. There is no wrong answer here. Let's make them.
📝 Ingredients
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 TBSP Sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/3 cup Melted Butter
- 1 1/2 cups warmed Milk
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
- Toppings: Chocolate Chips, Syrup, Bananas, Peanut Butter etc!
👩🍳 Directions
- 1
Combine Dry Ingredients first in one bowl: Flour, Salt, Baking Powder and Sugar. Whisk together
- 2
Combine Wet Ingredients into second bowl: Eggs, Vanilla Melted Butter, Warmed Milk, Maple Syrup. Whisk together
- 3
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Let the batter sit while you heat your waffle maker.
- 4
Heat Waffle maker and spray with cooking spray. Add batter and cook until golden.
- 5
Remove from waffle maker and let sit on a wire rack until ready to serve or serve immediately with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
All-purpose flour: Two cups, spooned and leveled (do not pack it). Use a kitchen scale if you have one for the most consistent waffles, 240 grams is the sweet spot.
Baking powder: 4 teaspoons may sound like a lot, but it is what gives you that big rise and fluffy interior. Make sure your baking powder is fresh, old baking powder loses its leavening power and your waffles will be flat.
Sugar: Just 2 tablespoons. Enough to bring a hint of sweetness without making them dessert-sweet. Adjust up to 3 tablespoons if you like a sweeter waffle.
Eggs: 2 large eggs at room temperature. Cold eggs can re-solidify the melted butter, so let them sit out for 10 minutes if you forgot to take them out ahead of time.
Butter: A third of a cup melted. Real butter gives the best flavor. Melt it gently in the microwave or on the stove and let it cool for a minute before adding so it does not scramble the eggs.
Milk: 1 and a half cups warmed. Whole milk gives the richest waffle, but 2% works fine. Microwave for about 30 seconds before mixing.
Maple syrup: A quarter cup in the batter is the secret. It adds a gentle sweetness and a touch of caramel flavor that elevates these from regular waffles to favorite waffles.
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze
Leftover waffles keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the toaster on a low setting or in a 350 oven for 5 minutes to bring the crispness back.
For longer storage, freeze them. Cool completely on a wire rack, freeze flat on a sheet pan for an hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep for up to 2 months and reheat in the toaster straight from frozen, no thawing needed. Honestly better than store-bought frozen waffles.
What to Serve With Homemade Waffles
The classic move is butter and maple syrup, but the topping options are endless. Fresh berries with whipped cream is a brunch favorite. Bananas and peanut butter turns it into a meal. Chocolate chips folded into the batter or sprinkled on top before closing the waffle iron melts into pockets of chocolate. For something savory, fried chicken on top with maple syrup drizzled over is iconic. Crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit on the side rounds out a full breakfast spread.
💡 Tips for Success
- Warm your milk before mixing. Microwave it for about 30 seconds until it is barely warm to the touch. This keeps the melted butter from re-solidifying when they meet, which gives you a smoother batter and a more tender waffle.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another before combining. This prevents lumps and makes sure the baking powder is evenly distributed.
- Do not overmix the batter once you combine wet and dry. A few lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and gives you chewy, tough waffles instead of tender ones.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while your waffle iron heats up. The flour fully hydrates and the baking powder activates, which means a higher rise and a fluffier interior.
- Spray your waffle iron with cooking spray even if it is non-stick. The little bit of extra fat helps the outside crisp up golden brown.
- Do not open the waffle iron too soon. Wait until the steam coming out has mostly stopped, that is your cue they are done. Opening early will tear the waffle in half.
- Keep finished waffles warm in a 200 degree oven on a wire rack while you cook the rest. Stacking them on a plate makes them soggy from the trapped steam.
- Make a double batch and freeze the leftovers. Cool completely on a wire rack, freeze flat on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag. Pop them straight into the toaster for the easiest school-morning breakfast.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
Best to mix it fresh because the baking powder activates as soon as it hits the wet ingredients and you will lose some lift the longer it sits. If you must, mix the dry ingredients ahead and combine with the wet right before cooking.
Can I freeze homemade waffles?
Yes, and they are amazing from frozen. Cool waffles completely on a wire rack, freeze them flat on a sheet pan for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat in the toaster from frozen and they taste like fresh.
Can I make these gluten free?
Yes. Sub a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend like Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur for the all-purpose flour. The texture is very close to the original.
Can I make them dairy free?
Yes. Use any unsweetened plant milk (oat works best for richness) and sub the butter with melted coconut oil or vegan butter. They turn out beautifully.
Why are my waffles soggy?
Usually it is one of three things. The waffle iron was not hot enough, you opened it too early, or you stacked the finished waffles instead of holding them on a wire rack. Crisp waffles need air circulation.
Why are my waffles dense and not fluffy?
Either the baking powder is old, you overmixed the batter, or you did not let the batter rest. Fresh baking powder, a gentle hand on the whisk, and a 5-minute rest will give you fluffy waffles every time.
What is the best waffle iron?
A Belgian-style waffle maker with deep pockets gives you that classic restaurant texture, but any standard waffle iron works. Look for one with adjustable browning levels so you can dial in your perfect crispness.
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