On school mornings, packing lunch takes up most of my time, so breakfast has to be simple. Ideally it cooks itself while I do something else. That’s where the waffle maker comes in. I’ve been using mine for the past 2 years and it’s been great! The trick is doing part of the work the night before. The flour, sugar, baking powder and salt get mixed in a bowl on the counter, and the milk and vinegar sit in a measuring cup in the fridge. In the morning, I whisk in 2 eggs and the melted butter, pour 2/3 cup of batter into the hot iron, and pack lunch for the 5 minutes it takes to cook. One batch makes 5 waffles. Breakfast AND lunch done at the same time? That’s my kind of multitasking.
TIPS
- No buttermilk? I almost never have it, but I always have milk and vinegar. Stir 1.5 tbsp vinegar into 1.5 cups milk and let it sit 5-10 minutes (or overnight in the fridge). If you do have buttermilk, use 1.5 cups and skip the vinegar – same trick I use in my fluffy rice cooker pancakes.
- Cover the butter with a paper towel before it goes in the microwave. I only heat it for 10 seconds, then whisk with a spoon until the rest melts. The paper towel is there just in case the butter decides to explode.
- Stop mixing as soon as there is no dry flour. A few lumps are fine. Once the liquid hits the baking powder it starts working, so get the batter into the waffle maker right away instead of letting it sit around.
- I rub a cold stick of butter right over the grids while the iron preheats. Mine is set to #3 (the highest) and takes about 5 minutes per waffle, but every waffle maker is different, so you may need to play with the setting.
- Freeze the leftovers flat first. I cut them in half, freeze them on a plate for a couple of hours, then move them to a ziploc so they don’t stick together. They are good for about a month. If you like night-before breakfasts, try my creamy Instant Pot oatmeal or honey yogurt in a jar.
35 Minute Belgian Waffles
Classic Belgian waffles made with milk and vinegar instead of buttermilk, golden and crisp in about 5 minutes each. Mix the dry ingredients the night before and the batter comes together in minutes on a busy morning.
Ingredients
Method
- Night before (optional): mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and leave it on the counter. Stir the vinegar into the milk in a measuring cup and keep it in the fridge. Set the butter out in a small bowl.
- If you did not prep the night before, stir the vinegar into the milk and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes.
- Plug in the waffle maker and start preheating it (I use #3, the highest setting on mine). Rub a cold stick of butter over the grids, close the lid and let it keep heating.
- Cover the butter with a paper towel and microwave it for 10 seconds, then whisk it with a spoon until the rest melts.
- Whisk the eggs into the milk and vinegar until completely combined, then stir in the melted butter and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until there is no dry flour left. A few lumps are fine. Cook right away.
- When the waffle maker is ready, scoop in 2/3 cup batter (a 1/3 cup measure, twice) and cook until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Serve, or move the waffle to a wire rack while you cook the next one. Repeat with the rest of the batter to make 5 waffles.
Notes
Cook time depends on your waffle maker, so start with about 5 minutes and adjust. To freeze leftovers, cut the waffles in half, freeze on a plate for a couple of hours, then move them to a ziploc bag. They keep about a month.
