Yeasted Belgian Waffles

When it comes to the holy trinity of griddle carbs—French toast, pancakes, and waffles—I’m Team Waffle through and through!

What is the difference between Belgian and regular waffles?

• Traditionally, Belgian waffle batter is leavened with yeast (like this recipe), but there are recipes that use just baking powder and soda.
• They are often served once per person.
• The deeper pockets not only hold more syrup and toppings, but also provide more surface area! For me, more surface means more crispiness!
• You need a special waffle iron, one with deeper pockets. For all the extra goodies!
• Most Belgian waffle batters are lighter and produce a crispier product than a more traditional waffle. The dough expands more due to the yeast, so it is not recommended to make Belgian waffles in a conventional waffle iron.

What type of waffle maker is best?

There are all sorts of Belgian waffle makers out there. My favorite is the Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker. I love how you can make two waffles at once and it rotates to ensure both sides of the waffles are evenly browned and crispy.

You need one of these waffle irons with deep indentations. If you don’t have one or aren’t sure if yours is a Belgian waffle maker, play it safe if the indentations don’t look that deep and use less batter to avoid possible overflow.

Leave the dough out overnight?

Just be sure to use a large container as the dough will more than double if left to rise overnight.

My secret ingredient for the best waffles

My version of the yeast overnight waffles has an addition of cornmeal. Although cornmeal is notoriously gritty, you’ll find that the night’s sleep is enough time for the all-starch, no-gluten cornmeal to thoroughly hydrate.

This results in an extra crispy waffle without the semolina. In fact, this Belgian waffle has an almost crunchy surface without being dry and a slightly sweet flavor from the cornmeal and the addition of brown sugar.

• Although you probably won’t need it with this waffle batter, if crispy waffles are your jam, check out our tips for making crispy waffles!

How do I keep these warm?

The best way to keep Belgian waffles warm is to serve them straight out of the waffle maker! But if you’re more civilized and want to serve everyone at once, you can preheat your oven to 250F and place a metal wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.

As you prepare each waffle, remove it from the iron and place it directly on the rack on the baking sheet to keep it warm. The grate allows air to circulate around the waffle, ensuring it stays non-soggy and crispy.

What can I put on my Belgian waffles?

Beyond the standard maple or pancake syrups, the possibilities are endless. Here are a few ideas.

• A little powdered sugar makes them pretty and adds a touch of sweetness.
• You can also toss a knob of butter on top, although I don’t think these Belgian waffles need more richness.
• Fresh strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries, and stone fruit like plums, peaches, and cherries are all great. Whipped cream of course!
• Try a side of jam or preserves, or go decadent and add some Nutella or chocolate spread.
• The raspberry sauce from this recipe would be out of this world on a Belgian waffle; so would this butterscotch!
• I’ve even made sundaes out of Belgian waffles and topped them with a scoop of my favorite chocolate, French vanilla or strawberry ice cream, along with chocolate syrup, whipped cream and a cherry!

What if I didn’t make the dough the night before?

If you’re craving waffles and forgot to make the batter the night before, you can always make these Belgian waffles and eat them right away!

Make the dough, omitting the cornmeal and increasing the flour to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour. Instead of overnight, let it sit at room temperature for an hour, then continue with the recipe.

The dough will rise a bit, but won’t get as big as if it had risen overnight. The flavor of the waffle is not as complex as an overnight rise. But the waffles still turn out great!

What if you made the batter but can’t make waffles?

Sometimes the best plans go wrong! If you made your batter the night before and you wake up and realize you can’t make the waffles in the morning, don’t throw the batter away.

• Cover the dough container with plastic wrap and place in the fridge; it keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• Bring it back to room temperature when done (about an hour on the counter), then continue with the recipe as usual. Breakfast for dinner, anyone?

Storing and reheating leftover Belgian waffles

If you happen to have leftover waffles, you can store them in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge for up to 3 days – longer and they tend to dry out.

These leftover waffles reheat remarkably well and crisp back to their original state. Simply reheat them in a toaster oven or regular oven at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes or until crispy. You can even pop them in a toaster if you have one with thick enough slots. Simply break the waffles in half or quarters if they are too large in diameter for your toaster.

These waffles freeze very well too! Let cool completely, stack a few on top of each other and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place all of your packets of waffles in a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and freeze for up to a month.

No need to thaw before reheating. Just pop them in the toaster or toaster oven until hot.

Other waffle recipes to try!

• Classic buttermilk waffles
• Buckwheat waffles
• Gingerbread waffles
• Almond flour waffles
• Sweet potato waffles with fried egg, bacon and spring onions