Easy Waffle Recipe with 5 Variations

Everyone needs an easy waffle recipe in their arsenal! This simple recipe, only calls for 7 ingredients and creates fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside waffles! With this one easy waffle recipe you can create virtually any flavor of waffle you could ever want! This is the only waffle recipe you will ever need!

The Process of Making Waffle Batter

Making waffles from scratch is actually quite an easy process! Just like my easy pancake recipe, the process of creating a waffle batter uses “The Muffin Mixing Method.” If you’re interested in learning more in depth information about this mixing method, you can read my post about it here.

In short, to make waffle batter the dry ingredients are whisked together and then the wet ingredients are added to the dry ingredients. The ingredients can all be mixed together in one bowl and then your waffle batter is ready to go into your waffle maker.

Personally, I always find that knowing the purpose of each ingredient in a recipe is helpful with the success of creating a dish! I will go over the function of each ingredient briefly and discuss substitution options in case you may need to change an ingredient.

Dry Ingredients

All of the dry ingredients are whisked together in a large bowl before any of the wet ingredients are added. 

Flour: This is the structure of your waffles. I typically use all-purpose flour for my waffles, but you could definitely substitute for whole wheat flour if you prefer. Cake flour or pastry flour would also work well in these waffles if that is all you have on hand. Both cake flour or pastry flour will create a much more delicate and tender waffle.

Tip: If you want to make this recipe even more simple and you happen to have self-rising flour on hand, you can use that and omit the salt and the baking powder in the recipe!

Sugar: In a waffle recipe, the sugar is actually completely optional. The main purpose of the sugar in this particular recipe is to add sweetness. I tend to lean towards using only a little bit of sugar. The amount called for in this recipe will give you slightly sweet waffles. I think this is the perfect amount, especially if you are topping them with syrup or other sweet toppings. You can definitely increase or decrease the amount of sugar to match your own preferences.

Note: Increasing the amount of sugar will create a slightly crispier waffles while decreasing will give you softer waffles.

Salt: Salt really is a key ingredient in all baked goods. The amount of salt in this recipe will not make salty waffles, rather it simply balances the flavors. Leaving out salt in this recipe will make waffles that taste flat.

Baking Powder: Baking powder is the leavening agent in this recipe. That means, it helps the waffles to rise and become more fluffy and tender. If you are really in a pinch and do not have or are unable to use baking powder, you can make this waffle recipe without baking powder. However, your waffles will be a bit less fluffy and tender than if you did use the baking powder.

Wet Ingredients

The wet ingredient are then added into the bowl with the dry ingredients and are stirred together just until the batter comes together. Stirring too much will result in tough waffles. 

Milk: The purpose of milk in this recipe is to add moisture and to hydrate your dry ingredients. The milk in this recipe can really be any kind. I usually have regular 2% milk on hand, so that is what I typically use. If you happen to have buttermilk, it adds a certain tanginess that is quite lovely in this recipe! You could use skim milk or whole milk or non-dairy milk if you need a waffle recipe without regular milk. Any of these options will work well!

Eggs: Eggs are the binder in this recipe. They are what holds the waffle together and they also help to leaven the waffles a little bit. Vegan egg substitutions can be used, but please note that using flax or chia egg will result in more dense waffles. The best vegan egg substitution would be EnerG Egg Replacer.

Oil: In a waffle recipe, the oil or liquid fat, serves several purposes: flavor, browning, and texture. I typically use canola oil here, but you can use any liquid fat really. You could even use melted butter or bacon fat in these, both of which I’ve done with delicious results!

Add-Ins

The beauty of this easy waffle recipe is that it is a blank slate! These waffles are quite delicious served simply with butter and maple syrup. But you could also flavor the actual batter or add various ingredients to make any kind of waffle you desire!

Spices and Extracts: Adding a spice or an extract is probably the easiest way to flavor this batter! Some ideas of spices you might want to try are: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin spice. Some ideas of extracts that you could try are: vanilla, almond, anise, or lemon.

All spices and extracts have various potencies, so I suggest adding just a little bit at a time and tasting the batter to decide how much you want to add.

Fresh Fruit and Nuts: Berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, are always delicious additions to waffles! Bananas are also a hit! I love pairing these with different nuts, such as: walnuts, pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts.

Sweet Things: This is where you can get really creative! Of course chocolate chips are a staple addition to waffles, but what about adding a sweet cereal like Fruity Pebbles or Captain Crunch?

Popular Waffle Variation Ideas:

Chocolate Chip Waffles: Mix mini chocolate chips right into the batter or sprinkle on top of the batter before you close the waffle maker lid.  Serve with whipped cream on top and a sprinkling of more mini chocolate chips.

Blueberry Waffles: Add fresh or frozen blueberries right into the batter or sprinkle on top of the batter before you close the waffle maker lid. Top with blueberry jam or blueberry syrup.

Banana Pecan Waffles: Add fresh diced bananas and chopped pecans right into the batter or sprinkle on top of the batter before you close the waffle maker lid. Top with more fresh diced bananas, diced pecans, and warm maple syrup.

Cheddar Bacon Waffles: Add shredded cheddar and crumbled cooked bacon right into the batter or sprinkle on top of the batter before you close the waffle maker lid. Top with more cheddar, a fried egg, and chives.

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The flavor variations I listed above are just a few options of the endless combinations you could create! I love to leave the actual batter for these waffles plain so that I can create many different kinds of waffles with one batch. I definitely recommend checking out the video below to see just how quick this easy waffle recipe comes together! The video also show you how easily I transform the simple waffles into the different flavor variations!