Basic Buttermilk Waffles

Original Recipe HERE

These are standard, no-frills waffles.  A good recipe for when you want the waffle to just be an accompaniment to elaborate toppings.  Sadly, this night we only had maple syrup...but that classic combo was still a satisfying meal.

I didn't have pastry flour like the original recipe called for, so I used white all-purpose.  They weren't the light, crispy waffles that the pastry flour would've given me, but they were perfectly fine anyway.

I got 11 approximately 4" waffles from this recipe.  Next time I'll double it to have breakfast pre-made for the next day.

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1 & 3/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted & cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup almond flour [optional; I used]

Directions

(1) Preheat waffle iron.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

(2) In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla.

(3) In a separate bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and almond flour.

(4) Combine dry ingredients into wet until just mixed.

(5) Ladle batter onto iron; cook according to iron's directions.

Kid Participation:

* Measure wet ingredients

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Measure dry ingredients

* Sift dry ingredients

* Combine all ingredients

Ham & Cheddar Waffles

Original Recipe HERE

 

Winner winner, waffles for dinner.  I shook things up and stepped away from the standard or dessert-leaning waffles of days past.  These were a successful adventure.

 

I doubled this to feed four of us.  I got 12 square waffles using three rounds of batter (my iron makes four squares at a time).  It may not sound like enough, but the waffles were filling.

The original recipe says to, ideally, allow the batter to sit for 20-30 minutes before baking because the waffles will be fluffier.  I did have the time, so I waited.  I have nothing to compare the final product to, but the waffles weren't dense or heavy, so maybe they were the proper amount of fluffy?

Being waffles, my kids wanted to use maple syrup with them.  I was fine without it, but they tasted fine either way.  The sweetness paired well with the cheese and ham...kind of like a McGriddle (not that I would have any familiarity with how a McGriddle tastes...).

 

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard [I used ground mustard]
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese [do not use pre-shredded]
1/2 cup finely chopped deli ham
1 heaping tablespoon chopped chives or thinly sliced green onions [I used dried minced onions]
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

 

Directions
(1) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and dry mustard.
(2) Add cheese, ham, and chives (or onions) and lightly toss.
(3) In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, oil, and egg.
(4) Add wet ingredients to dry; stir until everything is just incorporated.
(5) Preheat waffle iron.  Spray with non-stick spray.
(6) Ladle batter into iron.  Cook according to iron's instructions to achieve lightly golden waffles.

Kid Participation:
* Whisk dry ingredients
* Whisk wet ingredients
* Stir all ingredients togehter
* Experiment with dipping and drizzling options

Banana Waffles

Original Recipe HERE

 

One of my many breakfast-for-dinner staples.  I especially like it because it doesn't require buttermilk.  Yes, I know I can make buttermilk on my own.  But it seems like I'm always running low on regular milk, and I don't like to sacrifice it for a recipe.  Also, the bananas give a subtle sweetness (especially if the ones used are at the just-past-ripe stage) and banana flavor without being overpowering.  I can eat these with a little butter spread on top and sans maple syrup because they have a distinctive enough taste on their own.  Kids love them, and I double the recipe to make enough for them to have breakfast the next day.  I get twelve regular waffles (three large waffles divided into four sub-waffles) out of a doubled recipe, so using the original amounts wouldn't give us nearly enough food.  The amounts listed below are the doubled ones.

 

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 cups milk

2 large eggs

2 Tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 ripe bananas, thoroughly mashed [but not smooth]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat waffle iron.

(2) In medium mixing bowl, sift or whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.

(3) In large mixing bowl, whisk eggs.  Add milk, honey, vanilla, and bananas.  Combine thoroughly.

(4) Add dry ingredients to wet in several increments; stir until just combined.  Batter can be lumpy and should not be smooth.

(5) Ladle batter onto waffle iron and cook according to iron's directions.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mash bananas

* Whisk dry ingredients

 

Vanilla Cream Sauce

Original Recipe HERE

I made these waffles, and they were a bust.  Mushy, flat, and a great disappointment in texture.  Taste was pretty good (though note to self: cut down the ginger slighty), so I'll give them one more shot.  But the suggested sauce to serve them with was great.  It tasted very similar to melted vanilla ice cream.  Pseudo ice cream for breakfast?  Yes, please.  I'll be referencing it in the future as an alternative to maple syrup when I host elegant brunches and fancy luncheons.  And they'd also be a good compliment to the frozen Kashi waffles I serve our kids.  Both are equally likely scenarios...  I halved it to feed four people, but the ingredients below are the regular amounts.

Ingredients

2 cups milk [I used a mix of skim and 2%]

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

pinch of salt

1 Tablespoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

(1) Add the milk to a sauce pan; heat over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge of the pan.

(2) Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a separate bowl.

(3) Gradually add dry ingredients to the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens a bit. Do not boil.

(4) Remove pan from heat.  Add butter and vanilla; stir until melted and combined.  Keep sauce slightly warm prior to serving.

Kid Participation: None.

Yeasted Waffles

Original Recipe HERE

I love waffles for breakfast on weekends, but sometimes the tasks of measuring, mixing, preheating, cooking, and cleaning up the always-surprisingly-large mess at the end dissuades me.   However, this is perfect: do all the hard stuff the night before, and then in the morning whip up waffles in minutes.  Which frees me up to add a complimentary side dish, like bacon or a fancy homemade sauce.  Bacon wins 90% of the time.

This recipe makes a good basic waffle, but next time I'll play around with flour substitutes (adding wheat or cake flours into the mix) and some cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.  Also, using applesauce instead of oil works in baking - maybe it would work here (though perhaps the waffles would lose some crispness).

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups white flour
2 Tablespoons sugar

1 package active dry yeast [or roughly 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast]
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 3/4 cups milk [I used half 2% and half skim]
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Directions

(1) Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.

(2) Combine wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. Add to dry ingredients; whisk until thoroughly mixed.

(3) Cover loosely.  Refrigerate overnight or all day.

(4) When ready to make waffles, stir batter. Pour appropriate amount into waffle iron and cook per manufacturer's directions.

Kid Participation:
* Combine dry ingredients
* Combine wet ingredients
* Combine all ingredients

Whole Wheat Waffles with Oats

Original Recipe HERE

I love homemade waffles.  They're 200% better than any of the storebought ones.  And the great thing is that I usually have a few leftover ones that go into the freezer and can be enjoyed on subsequent mornings. 

I had planned on making a buttermilk waffle recipe that's an old stand-by in my kitchen.  But I realized that morning that I had no all-purpose flour.  I considered just substituting wheat flour and hoping for the best, but it seemed like too much of a risk.  At least not one I was willing to take while craving waffles and therefore would be really pissed off if I had to go without.  Luckily they turned out well - denser than the average waffle, but (probably due to the oats) not tough or dry.  I got two large (meaning 8 smaller) waffles by doubling the original recipe.  The amounts below are the doubled ones, and a few ingredient tweaks were made - so see the original to compare and make substitutions to suit your preferences.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick cook oats

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon [optional]

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg [optional]

1teaspoon vanilla extract

2 whole eggs

4 Tablespoons apple sauce [or canola oil]

3/4 cup plus 2 Tablepoons milk

3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

1) Preheat waffle iron.

2) Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl.

3) In separate bowl, whisk wet ingredients.  Pour into dry ingredients in several batches; thoroughly combine.

4) Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray.  Ladle batter into waffle iron and follow iron's instructions for cooking.

Notes: Next time I'll mess around with the substitutions and amounts just to compare.

Kid Participation:

* Measure dry ingredients

* Whisk dry ingredients together

* Crack eggs

* Whisk wet ingredients together

* Whisk all ingredients together