Belgian Waffles
Thick waffles with deep pockets, crispy on the outside and airy on the inside thanks to beaten egg whites.
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cook/bake time
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 508 kcal
- Servings
- 6
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cooking & baking
- 20 min
Thick waffles with deep pockets, crispy on the outside and airy on the inside thanks to beaten egg whites. The separately beaten egg whites are the difference between a dense waffle and one that yields easily when you bite into it. The classic weekend breakfast that works just as well as a dessert.
Why this works
The beaten egg whites bring mechanically incorporated air that is trapped in the egg white film. In the waffle iron, this air expands and the batter cooks around it, creating the airy crumb. Baking powder alone creates coarser, more irregular bubbles. After baking, steam determines the crust. Stacked waffles trap their own moisture, the crust absorbs it again and becomes soft in a minute.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Mix the dry ingredients
Thoroughly mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. The salt is not an afterthought here, as it enhances the sweetness and prevents the waffles from tasting flat. Form a well in the center for the wet ingredients.
- 2
Wet ingredients
Whisk the egg yolks, buttermilk, melted and slightly cooled butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into the well and stir only until everything is just combined. Small lumps are perfectly fine and will dissolve during baking.
- 3
Beat the egg whites
Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the batter in two portions using a spatula, without stirring. This air is the reason why Belgian waffles become so airy inside and not compact like a pound cake.
- 4
Prepare the waffle iron
Preheat the waffle iron completely and grease it lightly for the first batch. An insufficiently preheated iron is the most common reason for soft, pale waffles that stick to the iron. It should be noticeably hot before the first batter goes in.
- 5
Baking
Pour about a ladle of batter per waffle into the center and close the iron. Bake them for three to four minutes until no more steam escapes and they are deep golden brown. Place the finished waffles on a wire rack instead of stacking them, otherwise they will immediately soften in their own steam.
Our best tips
- Place finished waffles on a wire rack, never stack them. Stacked, they become soft in a minute.
- Really preheat the waffle iron completely. Otherwise, the first waffle almost always fails.
- Beat the egg whites separately. It takes five minutes and is the difference to pound cake waffles.
Tasty variations
Savory waffles
Reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon and fold in 150 g of grated cheese and herbs.
Liège style
Fold 3 tablespoons of pearl sugar into the finished batter, it caramelizes in the iron into crispy spots.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 508 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 65 g |
| – of which sugar | 27 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
Where the 508 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my waffles stick to the iron?
Too little fat in the batter or an insufficiently preheated iron. The 120 g of butter in the batter are deliberately generous.
Can I freeze waffles?
Yes, cooled and frozen individually, they keep for two months. Reheated in the toaster, they are almost like fresh.
What is the difference to Brussels waffles?
Brussels waffles are rectangular, lighter and made with yeast. Liège waffles are denser and contain pearl sugar.
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