Crispy Belgian Waffles
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Delicious Belgian Waffles with a crispy exterior and light fluffy interior. Perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch, you’ll be piling your waffles high with toppings in no time! Make sure to check out the recipe for the secret ingredient that makes them extra crispy!
“and in the morning, I’m making WAFFLES” – Donkey, Shrek.
I am OBSESSED with Belgian waffles, regular waffles, chicken and waffles – anything with the world “waffle” attached to it, sign me up! Thick, fluffy, with deep pockets perfect for holding ooey gooey maple syrup, these Belgian waffles are a standout at the breakfast table!
Crispier and fluffier than their flattened counterpart, I would hands down choose waffles over pancakes any day! Plus, they are SO easy to put together. All you need is a waffle iron and a handful of pantry staple ingredients to make your #breakfastgoals dream come true!
Belgian waffles vs regular waffles
Regardless of which waffle I’m eating, I’ll enjoy it; BUT, there is a difference when it comes to “types of waffles.” Belgian waffles are thicker and typically larger than regular waffles because they are made with a waffle iron that has deeper grids ( if you don’t have a waffle iron I suggest you stop reading right now and go buy one, trust me – it’s worth it 😉 ) They also have a crispier, lighter texture than your typical waffle.
The batter for Belgian waffles is also made a little differently by using a leavening agent or egg whites ( like I used in this recipe) to make the batter extra light and fluffy! The secret ingredient to get them extra crispy is the cornstarch! So there you have it, the more you know.
Ingredients
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour.
- Cornstarch – This is the secret ingredient that makes these waffles extra crispy!
- Baking Powder – The pantry staple.
- Sugar – I used granulated sugar, you can substitute with brown sugar, honey, agave or maple syrup.
- Salt – To taste.
- Eggs – Make sure the whites are separated from the yolks! We separate the whites to make our Belgian waffles extra light and fluffy.
- Butter – Unsalted, melted.
- Milk – Use your preference, dairy or non dairy will work.
- Vanilla Extract – For that added hint of flavor.
How to make Belgian waffles
- Prep Waffle Iron: Preheat your waffle iron, spray with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: To a large bowl add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, salt and whisk until combined.
- Mix Egg Whites: In another bowl, add the egg whites and beat them with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the egg yolks, melted butter, milk and vanilla extract to the bowl with the flour mix and mix until well combined. Fold in the egg whites with a spatula.
- Cook: Pour the batter onto your hot waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Finish & Serve: Serve immediately with maple syrup, berries and whipped cream.
Toppings and additions
The best part about Belgian waffles is their deep pockets! This allows the waffle to get a better hold on whichever toppings you prefer. My favorite way to serve them is more of a classic style – with butter, sticky maple syrup, fresh fruits, blueberry sauce and lots of whipped cream.
Which brings me to my next point: there is really no end to what you can top your waffles with! Sweet or savory, there is a plethora of toppings and additions you can pile on to these babies!
Try mixing these options into your batter:
- Chocolate Chips
- Blueberries
- Jalapenos (for savory chicken and waffles or jalapeno popper style waffles!)
- Strawberries
Try these toppings to make your waffles extra special:
- Fresh Berries
- Blueberry Sauce
- Chocolate Chips
- Bananas
- Greek Yogurt
- Apple butter
- Nutella
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon Curd
- Peanut butter
- Honey
- Almond butter
- Chocolate Sauce
- Fried Chicken
Leftovers
Place leftover waffles in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing
If you want your Belgian waffles to last longer, let them cool completely, then place each waffle between a layer of parchment paper. Place the stack of waffles in freezer bags and squeeze out as much air as possible! Place them in the freezer and store for 3 to 4 months.
Reheating your waffles
There are a couple options when it comes to reheating waffles. My favorite thing about them – you do not need to thaw them out! Simply take them out of your freezer and use one of the following methods:
- Toaster: If your waffles can fit in your toaster, use the toaster to toast them!
- Microwave: You can put them in the microwave until they’re heated through.
- Oven: Last but not least, my favorite method: the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the waffles on the baking sheet. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. This method will ensure they will turn out crispy!
Did you like this recipe? Try these!
- Maple Ricotta Stuffed Crepes
- Sausage French Toast Roll Ups
- Chocolate Waffles
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip Scones
- Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
- French Toast
- Nutella Berry Crepes
- Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Roll Ups
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Belgian Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (whites separated from yolks)
- ½ cup butter (unsalted, melted)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prep Waffle Iron: Preheat your waffle iron, spray with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: To a large bowl add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, salt and whisk until combined.
- Mix Egg Whites: In another bowl, add the egg whites and beat them with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the egg yolks, melted butter, milk and vanilla extract to the bowl with the flour mix and mix until well combined. Fold in the egg whites with a spatula.
- Cook: Pour the batter onto your hot waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's directions.
- Finish & Serve: Serve immediately with maple syrup, berries and whipped cream.
Notes
- Place leftover waffles in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- If you want your Belgian waffles to last longer, let them cool completely, then place each waffle between a layer of parchment paper. Place the stack of waffles in freezer bags and squeeze out as much air as possible! Place them in the freezer and store for 3 to 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
How many waffles does it make and how much batter do I pour in?
It depends on the size of your waffle maker, that’s why in step 5 it says Pour the batter onto your hot waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer’s directions. If you’re making big waffles like I did, you should get around 8.
Delicious waffle recipe. My first go in the waffle maker was not crispy. I left the second batch in longer and crispy waffles were produced! I used a heart shaped waffle maker. My experience is that it is hard to achieve crispy waffles in the “shaped” waffle makers. I am wondering how far in advance you could mix the batter?
You can make the batter in advance, probably a couple days in advance but I would store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. There might be some discolouration but it should be fine, just give it a good stir before using.
These were great! I’ve been looking for a crispy waffle recipe! I tipped with vanilla yogurt and strawberries!
The best waffles… I’ve made these several times. My family loves them!
So glad you guys enjoyed them!
Not crispy at all. Could it be our waffle iron?
It could be, or under-cooking. You can place them on a rack set on a baking sheet and transfer them to a preheated oven at 250F for 5 minutes, that should crisp them up.
Best Belgian Waffles. Light, fluffy, and best of all, crispy on the outside. I have tried numerous “crispy” Belgian Waffles recipes and this one is the best. When they were done, I sprinkled raw sugar on the tops and cooked for another 30-45 seconds. Soooo good!! 😋
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Thank you Jo! These waffles are dynamite !!! So crispy on the outside and soft inside. We made plain first and then decided to add some frozen raspberries and white chocolate chips and they came out so delicious too. Now it’s our favorite recipe 😋🥰
We’re so glad you enjoyed them so much!
It’s the easiest and tastiest waffle recipe. Perfect and I love it
I’m so glad to hear this! 🙂
This was a complete flop for me, like rubbery not even edible waffles that didn’t even keep their shape. Not sure what went wrong , I followed this recipe to a T 😩
We’re sorry to hear that. If you could walk us through your process maybe we can figure out together what didn’t shift well.
I just made this today. The BEST belgian waffle recipe I’ve tried yet! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Love it!
So glad you liked it, it’s a weekend staple at our house. 🙂
I like to substitute 25% of the flour for corn meal. It gives a great crunch to the waffles. Also, I use sour cream, vegetable oil and seltzer to give my waffles a wonderful light thickness. Served with strawberry compote and whipped cream, they’re sublime!
Great ideas, Janet!
Janet, this sounds like next level perfection. Can you provide details on amounts and how you added the sour cream, vegetable oil, and seltzer, please?
Michael: Here’s my recipe:
Whisk together: 1 1/2 cups unbleached AP flour (King Arthur), 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 tsp. table salt, 1/2 cup dried buttermilk (buy from King Arthur), 1/2 tsp. baking soda.
In separate bowl: whisk 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/4 cup vegetable oil (Mazola).
Gently add 1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) of seltzer to the wet ingredients.
Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredient. Stir just to combine.
I use my Villaware waffle maker between the number 4 and 5 setting for 4 minutes and serve with strawberry compote (cooked sliced strawberries and sugar and fresh lemon juice to taste) AND whipped cream (heavy cream, pinch of salt, dash of vanilla and sugar to taste).
Let me know how this works for you. My family loves these.
janet@levyross.com
I have been looking for the perfect recipe for waffles for years and now I have it! These stay crispy in the oven so that everyone can sit down and eat together and they are delicious. My husband’s comment “these are the BEST you have ever made” sealed the deal. The only problem – I eat too many. Thank you. I love your site and your recipes are always fantastic.
Thanks Carol, I’m so happy to hear this. 🙂 Keep cooking!
I saw this post last night and made them this morning. I think we found our new favorite waffle recipe!! And we have leftovers for the freezer. So good!
So happy to hear you liked them!
Those are gorgeous, drool-worthy waffles! However, I have only a regular waffle maker, not Belgian. Will this recipe work for me?
For sure, the Belgian waffle maker is just bigger and makes waffles with bigger pockets. You’re good to go.