Easy buttermilk waffles

Jazz up a winter weekend with these buttermilk waffles, or break all the rules and serve them for dinner. 

Sometimes my 5-year old has great ideas. Last Saturday, she requested homemade waffles for breakfast. We didn’t have any buttermilk so she had to settle for oatmeal. Instead of whining about her loss (a habit we are trying hard to break), she suggested that since we were going to the grocery store, we could pick up some buttermilk and enjoy waffles for dinner.

Eating decadent breakfast foods for dinner never ceases to excite me. A carb-centered, syrup-soaked meal in the evening feels like breaking a rule and getting away with it. So, we had a Saturday evening family date, giggling like four giddy kids as we enjoyed a weekend waffle dinner.

Though these Liege Sugar Waffles are hard to beat, they are more of a sweet treat on their own than a meal. I had yet to finalize a favorite buttermilk waffle recipe. When I made these pumpkin waffles, I had great results from separating the eggs, whipping the whites and folding them in at the end. So, I followed suit with this recipe. I started with this recipe and added some sugar and touch of vanilla, which further elevated the already heavenly scent!

We had a few extras that we froze for later. I usually microwave the frozen waffles for 15 seconds or to defrost them and then put them in the toaster oven to add a little crunch. The microwave defrost keeps them from getting overly cooked in the toaster. Though I have been enjoying a Belgian waffle maker because I like the thicker waffles, this recipe also works in a regular waffle maker.

Basic buttermilk waffles
Makes about 12 (3 batches of 4 square Belgian waffles)

3 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons white sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Begin heating your waffle iron.

2. Separate the eggs putting the whites and yolks in separate mixing bowls. Beat the egg yolks and add the buttermilk. In a third bowl, mix dry ingredients together and combine it with the egg mixture. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla until just combined. Beat egg whites until stiff and peaks form. Gently fold the whites into batter. Just a 10 or so folds – don’t over mix!

3. Bake waffles in your iron until golden brown. Serve immediately.

To Freeze Waffles: Cook until just light brown. Let the waffles cool. Lay them on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Put them in a ziplock bag or air-tight container and return to the freezer. To eat frozen waffles, cook in toaster oven. I usually microwave them for 15 seconds or so first to thaw a bit before toasting.