Wonderfully craggy, crispy and hot, waffles are a breakfast treat perfect for the weekend, a birthday, a holiday — or any day. While they’re extremely simple to make using just a handful of basic pantry ingredients, they are tricky to master without a knowledgeable, experienced guide.
The history books show that waffles came with the Dutch immigrants who populated New York, Pennsylvania, and other areas in the American Northeast — as far back as 1602. Waffle irons back then were hinged cast iron devices to be held over a fire. When Cornelius Swarthout patented the stovetop waffle iron in 1869, it revolutionized American cooks’ ability to make and serve this beloved dish. The day Swarthout’s patent was issued, August 24, is now recognized as National Waffle Day.
Since then, waffles have changed and adapted with different cultures, ingredients, and fashions, but a few things remain the same in every recipe: butter, milk, some kind of starch, eggs, and leavening. It can be as simple as mixing the wet ingredients with the dry ones, but to achieve the holy grail of waffles — tender inside, crispy outside — you’ll want to keep a few things in mind.
Get a good waffle iron.
Waffles are the rare dish that is linked to a specific piece of kitchen equipment: in this case, obviously, a waffle iron. As such, a discussion about making waffles has to take this required gear into account. Waffle irons come in every shape imaginable, from simple circles and squares to cartoon characters and even building blocks. The shape doesn’t matter though: what matters is that the iron can get really hot. If you can find one with a digital thermometer on it, the desired temperature is 375 degrees F. If you can find one with a light that signals when the waffle is done baking on the iron, even better.
Let it fully preheat.
Plug in your waffle iron immediately as you start to prep ingredients for the waffles. Let it preheat at least 10-15 minutes to ensure that the surfaces are up to the desired 375 degrees F. At this temperature, waffle batter is most likely to get crisp when it hits the iron, rather than become floppy or soggy.
Separate the eggs.
This might be the single most surefire way to get those crispy waffles we all want. Most Challenge Dairy waffle recipes call for 2 eggs in addition to the other ingredients. Your waffles will be fine if you beat the eggs whole into the waffle batter, but for the absolute best results, take the time to beat the whites to stiff peaks, apart from the yolks. Add the yolks to the batter first, then fold in the whites. This will give your waffles loft and a crisp exterior.
Consider your leavening.
When it comes to classic waffles, they get their puffy exterior in multiple ways, depending on their style. American waffles typically with baking powder and eggs. (Most Challenge Dairy waffle recipes include 4 teaspoons of baking powder per batch.) But Belgian waffles rise with yeasted batter and whipped egg whites. A yeasted batter will yield tangier, lighter, waffles than a traditional American waffle batter using baking powder. That being said, the average home cook doesn’t always have time to allow a batter to ferment with yeast — especially if they’re trying to get breakfast on the table in the morning.
Bring on the butter.
Another trick for getting those crispy waffle exteriors: brush butter onto the waffle iron. By coating the inside of your waffle maker with a tablespoon or two of quality Challenge Butter, you improve the waffles’ flavor, and you give it a bit of fat to fry in, as well.
Watch your waffles.
If your waffle iron doesn’t have a light to show when the waffles are done, keep an eye on it while it works. As a general rule, Challenge Dairy waffle recipes recommend baking waffles for 5 minutes, but your machine might work more slowly or quickly. Use this hack to gauge when your waffles are done: the moment steam stops emitting from your waffle iron, the waffles are probably just about done.
Play with your food!
While traditional waffles with melted butter and maple syrup are always delicious, don’t hesitate to get creative. Want to go over-the-top for your family or friends? Dish up Chocolate Waffles with Peanut Butter and Caramelized Bananas, or Waffles with Bourbon-Glazed Ham, Pears, and Maple Syrup. Mix it up with sweet-salty ingredients like we do in our recipe for Sweet Corn Waffles with Bacon and Cinnamon Maple Whipped Butter, or go fully savory with a dish like Pepperjack Waffles with Bacon, Avocado, Fried Egg and Cilantro Aioli Drizzle. Or try substituting a different starch in for flour, like in our Hashbrown Waffles with Cheddar Cheese, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs and Salsa. There are no rules with waffles, only options!
