I say these are the BEST because I have been trying version after version of traditional Belgian waffle recipes over the last few months. A Belgian waffle maker was one of our “splurge” (i.e. nice-to-have, not a need-to-have) items we bought for the Tiny House – we just have a regular waffle iron (i.e. non-Belgian) at home.
What is a Traditional Belgian Waffle?
Most any waffle with deep pockets is referred to as Belgian nowadays, but according to Joy of Cooking, “When Belgian waffles were introduced to Americans at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, they were yeast-raised and served with sweetened whipped cream.” So I made it my mission to come up with a traditional Belgian waffle recipe that is fluffy, delicious, and reliable … and here it is!
The Best Belgian Waffles (traditional with yeast)
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 1 envelope active dry yeast, about 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup club soda, or plain seltzer water
Suggested Toppings
- homemade whipped cream, unsweetened
- pure maple syrup
- berries, fresh
Instructions
Warm 2 cups milk (to between 100 and 110 degrees F) in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Remove from heat and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast begins to foam up. (Working with yeast can take some practice, but it must foam up a little for your waffle batter to rise properly - see image at bottom of post.)
Melt the butter, honey, and vanilla together in a separate bowl or saucepan.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well (hole) in the center, and gently whisk in the eggs. Add the seltzer water and whisk a little more (will foam up), and then while continuously whisking, pour in the melted butter mixture and then the milk mixture and stir until smooth.
Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until the dough almost doubles in size. I prefer to make my batter the night before and let it rise in the fridge overnight.
Cook in a waffle iron (in batches) according to manufacturer's directions.
Garnish with homemade unsweetened whipped cream (simply shake heavy cream in a jar until you no longer hear the liquid hitting the sides), pure maple syrup and fresh berries.
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
I like to mark my plastic wrap with a Sharpie to keep track of where the batter started so I can make sure it’s cooperating (a.k.a. rising) like it’s supposed to.
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Can you use this recipe in a traditional waffle iron (not Belgian)?
Hi there. We’ve not given that a try. My experience has been that Belgians “overflow” in a traditional waffle maker.
Love the tip of marking the plastic wrap so you know how much the dough rises! I can’t believe I’ve never thought of that.
When I try to double this recipe the form does not double the yeast. Wondering why? Do I not need double yeast?
Hi Heather, that is strange, it works for me. If you send more details (device, screenshot, etc.) to us at support{at}100daysofrealfood{dot}com we can look into it. – Jason
Has anyone tried the recipe using an egg substitute like flaxseed? How did it work?
Hello. We’ve not used them in this recipe .
Has anyone tried this w/ milk alternative (almond or coconut milk)?
Hi there. I use coconut or almond milk for most of Lisa’s recipes. It should work just fine.
Delicious dish, thanks for sharing.
I just made these. Didn’t have honey so I substituted 3 tablespoons organic sugar. They are delicious! Light,airy and fluffy
Looks delicious! I wish we were going to have a waffle maker on our boat!!
How would you freeze these for later use?
Hello. I put mine in large ziplock removing as much air as possible.
This is just the kind of article that I had been looking forward to. Your article has helped me in clearing out all my doubts. Thanks a ton.