When’s the last time you had a truly phenomenal I’m-going-to-cry-these-are-so-good waffle? WAFFLES ARE UNDERRATED! Why don’t we make them more often??
I have to admit, I donโt whip out the waffle maker often. I love buttermilk waffles, pumpkin waffles, and gingerbread waffles, but was looking for something a tad bit healthier using whole wheat flour.
I suppose the reason I don’t make waffles often is because they aren’t the healthiest way to begin the day. And aren’t those the rules? Always start healthy? And if I’m going to splurge before 12pm, it’s going to be a plate of overnight cinnamon rolls or doughnuts.
And face itโwaffles are better than pancakes. Waffles have nooks and crannies for maximum melted butter and maple syrup storage. You don’t have to stand there and flip each individual one; the waffle maker does all the work for ya. When done right, waffles are a texture freak’s dream; they’re crisp on the edges, but soft in the centers. I don’t even want to dream about a “crispy” pancake. I think that just means burnt. A burnt pancake.
So yeah, waffles vs pancakes. There’s really no contest.
Turns out, it’s pretty difficult to produce a whole wheat waffle that’s not only crisp on the edges, but soft and airy in the centers. Not too dense, not too heavy. Light and fluffy like the white flour version. It’s a tall order, but just like whole wheat pancakes, the secret lies within the ratio of ingredients. You see, whole wheat flour is much heartier than all-purpose; it weighs down anything it touches. To keep things springy, I used enough baking powder for lift. Buttermilk prevents the waffles from drying out (as whole wheat flour does to everything!) and melted butter keeps it all so very… yum.
Seriously, don’t leave out the butter because they’ll taste bland!
So all super basic ingredients, but like I saidโit’s the ratio that matters. Make sure you add a dose of cinnamon for flavor and for a little necessary sweetness, a little brown sugar. If an unrefined sugar sounds better to you, I’ve tried these with coconut sugar, honey, and maple syrup. All very good. Especially the maple syrupโyou get extra extra maple flavor in your stack!
In the market for a new waffle maker? Here’s the waffle maker I own. And if you’re looking for heart waffles, this waffle maker is outstanding. I also love this mini waffle maker!
And now it’s your turn to enjoy waffles for breakfast. Go crazy and add strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce, lemon curd, or even whipped cream on top. If you need a little something savory on the side, enjoy your stack with a batch of breakfast egg muffins. Anything goes!
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Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (includes batches)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8-9 waffles
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Here’s how to make fluffy whole wheat waffles with easy, healthy ingredients. Best way to start your morning!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (260g) whole wheat flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) packed light or dark brown sugar*
- 1 and 3/4 cup (420ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat waffle maker on medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 200ยฐF (93ยฐC). Place a wire rack on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl preferably with a pour spout, whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, and brown sugar together. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then whisk gently until combined. Do not over-mix. Some small lumps are OK.
- Grease the preheated waffle maker (I use nonstick spray). Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter into each well of the waffle maker (or less if your waffle maker is smaller) and close the lid. Cook the waffles until crisp, about 4โ5 minutes. (Follow the cooking instructions for your waffle maker.) Transfer the cooked waffles to the wire rack and keep warm in the preheated oven as you cook the rest. Repeat to cook the remaining batter.
- Serve the waffles immediately with your choice of toppings.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Waffles are best enjoyed freshly made. I recommend freezing any leftover cooled waffles. Waffles can be frozen for up to 3 months, then warmed in the toaster.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):ย Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Waffle Maker or Mini Waffle Maker
- Sugar: You can also try coconut sugar, granulated sugar, or honey.
- Buttermilk: You can substitute whole milk for buttermilk if desired. Acidic buttermilk isnโt needed in order for the waffles to rise since weโre using baking powder. However if youโd like the tangy flavor, which I highly recommend, you can make your own buttermilk substitute. Add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 and 3/4 cups. Whisk together, then let sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe. Whole milk is best for the DIY sour milk substitute because you’ll get the best, fluffiest, richest tasting waffles. However, lower fat or nondairy milks can work in a pinch.
- Waffle Maker: You can use this recipe in either a Belgian or traditional waffle maker or iron. The suggested cooking time is just a suggestion. Follow the cooking instructions for your specific waffle maker.
- Can I make these as pancakes? Yes, but I think you’ll enjoy my whole wheat pancakes even more (which are formulated to be pancakes!).
Reader Comments and Reviews
I made these and they were fantastic! Do you think I would be able to add protein powder to them?
Hi Jodi, weโve never tested this recipe with protein powder, but some readers have reported adding it with success. Let us know if you try it!
Why canโt you people on these sites put the measurements in the directions? Is it really that difficult!
I’ve made a lot of whole grain waffle recipes in my lifetime and I am finally done searching. This recipe is delicious and light (for whole grain) with a wonderful texture. I did sub 2 flax eggs and 1/4 tsp of baking soda for the 2 eggs which worked beautifully.
I really like sallysbakingadditon tastiest and easy steps!
This waffle recipe was sensational.
I followed the suggestion to use soy milk and coconut oil due to a needing it dairy free.
Worked perfectly!
We’ve got an obsession with churros style waffles so they were pressed lightly into a shallow dish of cinnamon sugar.
Served with a scoop of plant based ice-cream… just wow!
My waffle maker is the Breville one, so I set it to the buttermilk option and timing was automatic. They were just nice between soft inside and crisp outside. I personally like extra crispy waffles so toasted mine in the toaster for about 2 minutes.
These waffles were phenomenal! Cooking them in my waffle maker for 5 minutes was just right. Four minutes was done and soft. Great flavor and liked that I could use just Whole Wheat flour with no all-purpose mixed in. The brown sugar was not all that noticeable but still made beautiful waffles. I will be keeping this recipe for future use. I made the mistake of putting my eggs with my pseudo-buttermilk instead of the butter and brown sugar, but it didn’t appear to make a difference as far as I can tell. Delicious!
So good, quick, and easy! Probably could have added a bit more cinnamon to mine, or nutmeg.
Just a quick comment Your waffle recipe and some others do not let you leave a review
Buttermilk waffles are excellent but I can not comment anywear and found no other way to let you know
Thanks for letting me know; I have my tech team looking into it. Appreciate the heads up!
Can you bake these waffles in the oven using a silicone waffle mould? Thank you.
Hi Elisabeth, we haven’t tested that, and didn’t know those existed! Let us know if you give it a try.
I make these every Wednesday as written. We love the recipe. Today I was adventurous and replaced the 2T sugar with 2T honey and the 6 T of butter replaced with 6T. Avocado oil. It worked great and the waffles turned out a little crispier. That you for sharing this recipe and others.
I made these tonight and we really enjoyed the favour but the dough was so thick that even after I added an extra half cup of buttermilk it was still thick. I couldn’t pour, had to spoon it out. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Patricia, we’re so glad you enjoyed the waffles! How did you measure your flour? Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure the flour isn’t overmeasured, which can make the batter overly dry and thick. It will also thicken as it sits, so you may need to rewhisk the batter to help thin it out if baking in batches.
I’ve encountered the same issue. Could it be the hydration of the specific whole wheat flour? I’m using whole foods organic whole wheat flour. I made a half batch, measuring 130g of flour and all other ingredients were appropriately halved. Very thick batter.
Can I make the batter & store it for later? How do I store it & for how long? Also do I substitute sugar for honey/maple in the same measurements? Please & TIA
Hi Balderich, we don’t recommend making the batter ahead of time since the baking powder will be activated once wet. You could make the wet and dry ingredients separately and store overnight, then make fresh in the morning. Or, baked waffles can be frozen for up to 3 months, then warmed in the toaster.
What is best to substitute the eggs?
Hi Joy, we haven’t tested an egg-free version of these waffles, so we’re unsure what might work best. Let us know if you do any experimenting.
Substituted the butter for coconut oil (because it was convenient). Turned out great, highly recommended
Best waffles I have made in 40 years!! I am new to baking with whole wheat and was amazed at how fluffy and tasty they were. I made in a Belgian waffle iron and the done indicator would turn on, however they were not done, so I timed them and 5 minutes was perfect.
Made this with some adjustments to make it vegan and more kid-friendly, worked perfectly.
Added an extra 1/4 cup soy milk + 1/4 tsp xanthan gum to replace the egg. For the buttermilk I used soy milk + 1tsp apple cider vinegar.
I also replaced half the whole wheat flour with white, because my kids don’t like the texture of 100% WW waffles.
Will make again, super easy
Definitely will be my go to for waffles at home. Enjoyed the ingredients being all things I always have on hand. My waffles were filling and fluffy. Kiddos also liked them. I used milk + vinegar bc I didn’t have buttermilk. And white sugar bc I didn’t have brown.
This was a far more difficult recipe than I thought and it wasnโt very good.
I’d like to know what was difficult for you, if you’re willing to share. It’s basically mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients, pour wet into dry, and cook. What was difficult for you?
I love this recipe and make them every weekend! I add a little pb2 for a protein boost and another 1/4 c buttermilk to adjust for high altitude.
These were FANTASTIC. I subbed brown sugar for honey. We topped them with homemade whipped cream. Best breakfast ever!