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You are here: Home / Breakfast / The Very Best Crispy Waffles

The Very Best Crispy Waffles

10/25/21 | Breakfast, Recipe for Two, Recipes

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If you’re a fan of crispy waffles, these are the best waffles in existence. They come out beautifully golden with a crispy, crunchy exterior and light and fluffy insides every time.

Today’s recipe is one I’ve gotten a TON of requests for: waffles!!

Crispy waffles for two on a plate.

The Best Waffle Recipe (Fight Me)

If you’re a crispy waffle fan, these are the best waffles in existence. They come out beautifully golden with a crispy, crunchy exterior and light and fluffy insides every time.

They are substantial and sturdy enough to pile whatever you want on top. Soak them in syrup, strawberry sauce and whipped cream, scoops of ice cream and hot fudge sauce. However you eat these waffles, they’re going to be great.

And, as should be expected of the best waffle recipe in all the world, they’re very, very, very easy to make. You just need one bowl and a waffle maker.

How to Make Crispy Waffles

Collage photo of waffle batter being prepared.

1. Start the waffles by combining all your dry ingredients: flour, corn starch, sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt, in a large bowl and whisking them together.

2. Then make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add all the wet ingredients: buttermilk, vegetable oil, an egg, and vanilla. This might seem like a lot of liquid, but don’t freak out! The recipe is correct, and the batter will be just fine. I promise.

Once the liquid ingredients are added, switch to a wooden spoon, and stir everything together until just combined. There will be some lumps, but that’s okay. Just make sure you don’t have any dry flour at the bottom of your bowl.

3. Let the batter rest for about 30 minutes. Remember all that liquid we were just talking about? The resting time allows the batter to thicken and the gluten to relax so you get that really tender and fluffy waffle interior rather than chewy waffles. (Here’s a good article on what’s happening while batter is resting, if you’re curious).

If you’re serving waffles with sides, this is a great time to cut fruit, prep any meat you’re making, or make a fruit sauce.

Waffle batter being poured into waffle maker.

4. Once your batter is ready, preheat your waffle iron and cook the waffles according to your iron’s instructions. This recipe makes pretty exactly 2 cups of batter, so it will make 2 to 4 waffles depending on the capacity of your waffle maker.

Keep waffles warm in a 200°F oven while all the waffles cook, and then top with toppings and enjoy!

Variations

  • Blueberry waffles: Stir ⅔ cup of  washed and dried blueberries to the batter just before cooking. 
  • Chocolate chip waffles: Stir ½ cup of chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate to the batter before cooking.
  • Strawberry and whipped cream waffles: Serve topped with strawberry sauce and whipped cream. (My FAVORITE way to eat waffles!)

Waffle Recipe Substitutions

This recipe uses a couple ingredients that not everyone keeps stocked in their baking cupboard. These waffles are best when made as written, but you can make the following substitutions and still end up with a pretty great waffle.

  • Substituting for buttermilk: To make a buttermilk substitute, put 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice (fresh or bottled) in a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill the cup the rest of the way with milk. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to “sour,” and you’re good to go.
  • Substituting for cornstarch: Corn starch is one of the ingredients that makes these waffles so crispy, so I recommend using it if possible, but in a pinch, you can replace the corn starch with the same amount of flour.

FAQ

Do I have to let the batter rest?

Yes. As mentioned above, resting the batter gives it a chance thicken slightly and let the gluten in the batter relax so you get the best waffle texture possible. 

How many will this recipe serve?

This recipe makes about 2 cups of batter, which depending on your waffle maker will make 2 to 4 waffles. It generously serves 2, but if serving to children/with a large breakfast, it could be stretched to serve 3 to 4.

If you would like to double the recipe, go for it. It scales up with no preparation changes needed. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

Pieces of crispy waffles on a fork.

Can I freeze waffles for later?

Yes!! Extra waffles freeze extremely well, and I often double the recipe just so I have extras to freeze for later. Store cooked waffles in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.

To eat, place frozen waffles on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through.

Troubleshooting and Tips

Batter is too thin: This batter will be a little thin-looking. This is normal, and it will thicken slightly as it rests!! If it looks like the photo of the batter above being poured onto the waffle maker, you’re good to go.

If you’re worried about it oozing out the sides of the waffle maker, make sure your iron is completely preheated before adding the batter. Ladle it on slowly, filling holes where more batter is needed, and then give it a moment to set (about 5 to 10 seconds) before closing the lid. This will help prevent batter from squeezing out the sides when you close the lid.

Waffle Maker: If you don’t own a waffle maker, this is the one I own, and I absolutely love it. I’ll be totally honest, I was little iffy when I took it out of the box, because it felt a bit cheap compared to waffle makers I’ve handled in the past, but it does such a good job cooking waffles that I don’t care. And you can stand it upright for storage, which is a nice space-saver.

More Favorite Breakfast Recipes

  • Banana Pancakes
  • Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
  • Banana Muffins
  • Cream Scones
  • The BEST Banana Bread
Crispy Waffles for Two

The Very Best Crispy Waffles

If you’re a fan of crispy waffles, these are the best waffles in existence. They come out beautifully golden with a crispy, crunchy exterior and light and fluffy insides every time.
4.83 from 169 votes
Print Pin
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Batter Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield): 2 servings
Calories: 637kcal
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (30g) corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Melted butter optional for serving
  • Syrup optional for serving

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Make a shallow well in the dry ingredients and add buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla, and stir together until just combined.
  • Allow batter to sit for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 200°F and set a baking sheet inside to place the waffle(s) on after cooking to keep warm while you cook the rest of the batter.*
  • Preheat waffle iron and cook batter according to your iron’s instructions*, typically 4 to 6 minutes per waffle, until waffle is nicely golden and has mostly stopped releasing steam. Waffle may not initially seem crispy to the touch, but will crisp up out of the waffle maker.
  • Top with melted butter and syrup if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

*Do not stack or overlap waffles in the oven. Placing them on top of each other will cause the steam to make them lose their crispiness.
*If using a non-stick waffle maker, you should not need to grease the plates, but if you typically need to grease your waffle maker, go ahead and do so. 
This recipe will make approximately 2 cups of waffle batter, which depending on your waffle maker will make 2 to 4 waffles. It generously serves 2, but if serving to children/with a large breakfast, it could be stretched to serve 3 to 4.
If you would like to double the recipe, it scales up with no preparation changes needed. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag @BakingMischief or hashtag it #BakingMischief.

Recipe slightly adapted from The Waffle of Insane Greatness

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.

Comments | 134 comments

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Comments

  1. Sarah says

    August 28, 2024 at 7:37 am

    5 stars
    LOVED these perfectly crispy waffles! My son specifically requested crispy waffles this morning (the ones I usually make are much less criscpy), and these fit the bill and were absolutely delicious! My new go-to waffle recipe! Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Dave S. says

    August 28, 2024 at 6:28 am

    Wow.. this just got sent to me in an email from Pinterest. I didn’t realize how old this post was!

    I do have a suggestion for a substitute for using the vinegar and milk. I keep “SACO Cultured Buttermilk Powder for Cooking and Baking” on hand. If you need a cup of buttermilk, you use 4 tablespoons of the powder in the dry mix, and then use 1 cup (or equivalent ration of buttermilk powder to water) of water instead of the milk. That will give you the flavor you are looking for.

    If you are interested, the ingredients are simply: A cultured blend of sweet cream churned buttermilk, sweet dairy whey, and lactic acid.

    Reply
  3. HoneyBunny20 says

    August 13, 2024 at 4:08 pm

    5 stars
    This are the Very Best Crispy Waffles. Searched and made many different recipes. Finally one that really is crispy. Thank you!

    Reply
  4. mary says

    July 31, 2024 at 3:29 pm

    5 stars
    well, i’ve got to tell you, this is the best waffle i’ve ever made. i’ve made it half dozen timesor so cause i wanted to be sure the great waffle wasn’t a fluke; that i could replicate that yumminess over and over again. i test my baking soda every time to be sure it’s still active, same with the baking powder. i use brown sugar instead of white sugar cause my buttermilk is powdered. and even with brown sugar, they are great. so happy. thank you.

    Reply
  5. Sheri Grant says

    June 3, 2024 at 12:51 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time making waffles and I loved the recipe. Thank you

    Reply
  6. Mark says

    December 31, 2023 at 5:35 am

    I doubled the recipe, but only used ½cup of cornstarch and ½cup whole wheat flour and added 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Everyone loved them.

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      January 2, 2024 at 1:23 pm

      So happy to hear it!

      Reply
  7. Ann M Whyte says

    December 30, 2023 at 8:08 am

    5 stars
    This was a great recipe. Instead of buttermilk I used egg nog…YUM!

    Reply
  8. Barbara says

    November 5, 2023 at 1:40 am

    3 stars
    You were right about one thing, they are crispy however, there is no flavor whatsoever! A little bit of sugar added some mild sweetness but overall it was like eating a piece of crunchy cardboard. I had to fix the batter so I could feed my family. I added more sugar, some cinnamon, an extra teaspoon of vanilla and another 1/2 to 3/4 cup of flour. The batter was so runny that it didn’t rise at all. I followed your instructions exactly. I am a cook and a baker so I know what I’m doing in the kitchen. I will say, I do appreciate that crunchy coating. I’ve been searching for something like that for a while, so thank you for that.

    Reply
  9. Connie says

    October 8, 2023 at 4:40 pm

    3 stars
    I’ve made these twice and we liked the taste but couldn’t get them crispy. Turned up the temp , cooked longer. Still soggy in the middle.

    Reply
  10. Jenn says

    September 16, 2023 at 9:18 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for such an amazing recipe! These were by far the best homemade waffles I’ve ever had! They were teen approved as well 🙂

    Reply
  11. Lonnie Appleby says

    July 19, 2023 at 7:57 am

    5 stars
    OHHHH, DAY-UM! YOU WIN! Absolutely the CRISPIEST waffles I have ever made! This is, hands down, the winning recipe of EVER! ❤️ THANK YOU for this! I always test recipes before I put them on a card. This one GOES ON A CARD!!!

    Reply
  12. Violetta Panicki says

    July 2, 2023 at 3:23 am

    5 stars
    they are crispy!!! freeze well too and are not dry once reheated, my latest new waffle recipe, cheers

    Reply
  13. Jessica says

    May 31, 2023 at 6:38 am

    4 stars
    These were very good. The texture was very similar to a funnel cake, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, light and airy (I don’t like dense waffles). I would make these again.

    Reply
  14. Brandy says

    May 28, 2023 at 8:04 am

    5 stars
    I’ve tried so many waffle recipes and none have been this good. Sooooooo crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside! Made these for my waffle loving son for his “birthday breakfast” and he said they were the best he’s every had. That’s saying something since he’s 21!

    Reply
  15. Adam says

    May 12, 2023 at 10:37 am

    5 stars
    I was skeptical once I saw how soupy my batter was, but wow these turned out amazing. As advertised, crispy outside, fluffy inside.

    Reply
  16. Vic says

    February 22, 2023 at 6:36 pm

    I was listening to a cooking show, maybe Triple D and a chef said to use coconut oil when making pancake and waffle batter. It’s a game changer! Try it. It’s Amazing! I’ve shared this recipe on my FB page it’s that good. I am more of a pancake person and now I prefer this. 100% the best!

    Reply
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Welcome!


Hi, I'm Tracy! Welcome to Baking Mischief, where we realize that not everyone is cooking every night for a family of four. We have delicious sweet and savory recipes, mostly scaled for one or two, and we love our pop culture around here, so keep an eye out for film, book, and TV-inspired treats as well! Read more»
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