Food & Cooking Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Buttermilk Waffles 4.0 (216) These delicious waffles are crispy on the outside, tender within. Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe This is our best buttermilk waffles recipe. It produces crispy-on-the-outside yet tender within waffles that will make any breakfast or brunch a special occasion. It's sure to become your new go-to. Baking powder and baking soda are used to leaven the waffles—that makes them quicker and easier to prepare than yeasted recipes. The key is using a light hand when mixing—so don't try to whisk out all of the clumps—and making sure your waffle iron is thoroughly preheated and greased before you start cooking. Serve these golden, restaurant-worthy waffles with butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, or whipped cream—and watch them disappear before your eyes. How Long Maple Syrup Really Lasts—and the Best Way to Store It Credit: Carson Downing Why Use Buttermilk in Waffle Batter You'll need 2 cups of buttermilk for this recipe. Besides contributing a subtle, delicious tanginess, the acid in the buttermilk activates the baking soda in the recipe, making for exceptionally light and crisp waffles. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, don't be tempted to swap in regular milk as it will impact the texture of the waffles. Instead, make this quick and easy substitute: Pour 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, then add enough milk to reach the 2-cup mark. Stir to combine, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or until the milk looks slightly curdled. Martha's Trick for Perfectly Crisp Waffles Transferring the cooked waffles to a rack in the oven will help keep them warm and crisp until you're ready to serve, but if you're planning on eating them right away, borrow this handy trick from Martha: After removing the waffle from your iron, gently toss it back and forth between your hands for about 10 seconds. This helps release any trapped steam, which would otherwise make the bottom of the waffle soft and soggy. How to Tell When Waffles Are Cooked Waffles typically take between 3 to 5 minutes to cook. In addition to keeping an eye on the clock, watch for steam to stop escaping from the sides of the waffle maker. It's an indication that the batter has gone from liquid to solid and the waffles are cooked throughout. Directions Credit: Carson Downing Preheat oven; combine dry ingredients: Preheat oven to 275°F; set a rack on a baking sheet, and place in oven. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Credit: Carson Downing Combine wet ingredients, then add dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, and eggs; add flour mixture, and mix just until batter is combined. Credit: Carson Downing Credit: Carson Downing Like pancakes, waffles require a gentle hand when preparing the batter. For the most tender results, don't overmix it, there should still be some lumps. Prep waffle iron and cook waffles; Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions; brush with oil. Pour batter onto iron (amount depends on iron size), leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides (spread batter if necessary). Close iron; cook until waffles are golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Credit: Carson Downing Keep warm while cooking remaining waffles Transfer to rack in oven to keep warm; repeat with remaining batter. Credit: Carson Downing How to Store and Reheat Leftover Waffles If you've got leftover waffles, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze waffles for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or airtight container, just be sure to separate them with parchment so they don't stick to one another. Reheat refrigerated or frozen waffles in the toaster or a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven until hot throughout. Our Favorite Ways to Dress Up Waffles Sure these waffles are so good they need nothing more than a bit of softened butter and maple syrup before they're ready to eat, but to take them over the top, try these topping ideas: Whipped cream and fresh or macerated berries Flavored maple syrup like blueberry or rum raisin Our tender, saucy sautéed apples Vanilla ice cream and homemade hot fudge sauce Crispy fried chicken and hot sauce 5 More Waffle Recipes to Try Blueberry Buttermilk Waffles Gluten-Free Peanut Butter-Banana Waffles Pumpkin Waffles Yogurt Waffles Puff-Pastry Waffle Hearts Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.