Belgian waffles
Light, deep-pocket Belgian waffles with crisp edges and a pillowy interior — perfect for weekend brunch or dessert.
These Belgian waffles are all about deep pockets, crisp edges and a light, pillowy centre. A little technique — whisking the whites and resting the batter — gives you the lift and texture that make brunch guests swoon.
Make them for a leisurely weekend breakfast, a brunch spread or dress them up for pudding with fruit and cream. They take a bit more care than a quick batter, but the results are worth it.
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 15 ml baking powder
- 30 g caster sugar
- 5 ml salt
- 3 large eggs
- 300 ml full-fat milk
- 15 ml white wine vinegar — used to sour the milk
- 60 g melted unsalted butter — cooled slightly
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 15 ml vegetable oil — for brushing the waffle iron
Equipment
- waffle iron
- electric whisk or stand mixer
- measuring jug
- rubber spatula
- wire rack
Instructions
Make soured milk: pour full-fat milk into a measuring jug, stir in white wine vinegar, leave to stand for 5 minutes until it looks slightly thicker and a touch curdled.
Separate the large eggs into two clean bowls: yolks in one, whites in the other. Put the whites to one side in a spotlessly clean, dry bowl.
Whisk the dry ingredients: sift plain flour and baking powder into a large bowl, stir in caster sugar and salt so everything is evenly distributed.
Combine wet ingredients: whisk the egg yolks with the soured milk, melted unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined; a few small lumps are fine.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks using an electric whisk or a clean balloon whisk. They should hold a soft curl when the whisk is lifted, not be runny.
Fold the egg whites gently into the batter in three additions using a rubber spatula: cut through the centre, lift and fold — keep as much air as possible.
Rest the batter at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and hydrate the flour — this improves rise and texture.
Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions. Brush the plates with a little vegetable oil using a pastry brush just before cooking.
Cook the waffles: pour about 120 ml batter into the centre of the hot iron (adjust for your machine), close and cook for about 4 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Repeat to make 4 waffles in total.
Transfer cooked waffles to a wire rack to keep the bases crisp while you finish the rest. Serve immediately with your choice of toppings.
Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients: egg whites whip better and batter mixes more evenly.
- If you don’t have a waffle iron with adjustable settings, aim for a medium-high heat and judge by colour — deep golden is best.
- To keep waffles crisp while finishing a batch, place them on a wire rack in a low oven set to 100°C fan/120°C conventional for up to 20 minutes.
- If batter seems very thick after resting, loosen with a splash (10–20 ml) of milk; it should pour slowly but not be runny.
- Clean, dry bowls are essential when whisking egg whites — any grease or water will stop them from reaching volume.
Substitutions
full-fat milk → buttermilk, same quantity
Stays closemelted unsalted butter → vegetable oil, use 50 ml
Noticeably differentcaster sugar → granulated sugar, blitz briefly in a food processor to make finer
Stays closeplain flour → 50:50 plain flour and spelt flour, same total weight
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 484
- Calories
- 13 g
- Protein
- 57 g
- Carbs
- 23 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 300 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the batter the night before?
You can make the batter and keep it covered in the fridge overnight, but whisk the whites and fold them in just before cooking for maximum lift.
Why aren't my waffles crisp?
Common causes are undercooking, a cold waffle iron or stacking waffles immediately. Ensure the iron is hot, cook until deep golden and rest cooked waffles on a wire rack.
Can I freeze cooked waffles?
Yes — cool completely, then freeze flat on a tray before transferring to a bag. Reheat from frozen in a toaster or oven for 3–6 minutes until crisp.
Can I skip whisking the egg whites?
You can, but the waffles will be noticeably denser. Whisking whites gives the classic light, aerated texture of Belgian waffles.
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