If you, like me, have a true passion for Saturday morning waffles, then you understand the importance of crispiness. Golden, crispy waffles, good. Limp, spiritless waffles, bad.
Here are three tips to guarantee crispy buttermilk waffles every time.
I gave the "crisp factor" a lot of thought as I worked on our recipe for Classic Buttermilk Waffles. Even though the waffles looked beautiful and tasted exactly right, I found that they would lose their crispness within minutes of coming off the waffle iron. This would not do.
The problem is moisture. You need some of it to make sure your waffles are tender, but too much and that extra moisture will quickly soften the waffle's outer crust. Buttermilk is also a tricky ingredient because it tends to make a heavier batter, which results in less crispy waffles.
A hot waffle iron makes a huge difference when it comes to crispy waffles, even more than brushing the iron with butter (though that is, of course, delicious). A hot iron means that that the waffles start cooking the instant they hit the griddle.
You should actually hear the batter sizzle on contact. The outer crust will immediately begin to set and crisp. Moisture in the batter quickly turns to steam and evaporates out the sides of the pan. If the iron isn't hot, none of this happens and the waffles will be soggy and squishy.
To make sure your waffle iron is hot, let it warm for at least five minutes before you start making waffles. Some waffle irons may take longer to heat. Check that it's ready by flicking a drop of water on the griddle; if it sizzles and evaporates right away, you're good to go.
Milk helps make a thinner, more liquidy waffle batter, which in turn makes lighter and crispier waffles. I've found that swapping half the buttermilk for regular milk gives you this lighter texture without sacrificing the rich flavor of the buttermilk. (You can also exchange the buttermilk entirely for milk if you want!)
I prefer using whole milk or 2% milk for the flavor, but you could definitely use skim milk or almond milk if that's what you have.
3. Bake the Finished Waffles in the Oven
It seems redundant to cook the waffles in a waffle iron and then bake them a second time in the oven, but this is the best method I know for making waffles with a long-lasting crisp.
Even the best waffle irons can fall short when it comes to steaming off all the moisture during the brief window of cooking time. Putting the waffles in the oven helps keep this evaporation process going without the risk of burning your waffles. As a bonus, it keeps the waffles warm until you're ready to serve!
Before you start cooking your waffles, preheat your oven to 250F. Place a wire cooling rack inside a baking sheet and place it in the oven. The cooling rack helps lift the waffles off the baking sheet and allows air to circulate on all sides.
As you finish cooking each batch in the waffle iron, transfer the waffles to the oven. Arrange them in a single layer so they crisp evenly and no steam is trapped between layers. Once one round of waffles has crisped for a few minutes, you can stack them to make room for the following batches. Let the waffles crisp for 5 to 10 minutes; much longer and they can start to dry out too much.
These three tips have made the big difference in my Saturday morning waffle game recently. Even though I've been talking specifically about my buttermilk waffles here, these tips really apply to any (and every) batch you make.
Do you have any tried-and-true tips for guaranteeing crispy waffles?
You can substitute whole grain flours like whole wheat or spelt flour, but expect the waffles to be more dense. Cornstarch: The secret ingredient for making the crispiest waffles. Cornstarch guarantees that the waffles will be perfectly crisp and tender.
You can substitute whole grain flours like whole wheat or spelt flour, but expect the waffles to be more dense. Cornstarch: The secret ingredient for making the crispiest waffles. Cornstarch guarantees that the waffles will be perfectly crisp and tender.
If the waffles aren't fully crisped when they come out of the waffle iron, put them in a 250 degrees F oven for 5 minutes, directly on the metal racks of the oven (not on a baking sheet). This will crisp the waffles even further and putting it on the wire oven rack will allow the steam to escape and prevent sogginess.
Use your nose and eyes to determine when the waffles are done cooking. They should smell toasty and nutty, and should definitely have a little color on them. Not only does cooking them to golden-brown impart a better, crisp texture, it adds flavor.
Whisk in wet – put the milk, eggs and vanilla in first and whisk to combine. Once incorporated, add the butter then whisk until lump free. Batter – The batter is thicker than a pancake batter (which should be thin enough to spread in a pan) but thinner than a muffin batter (which semi-mounds in muffin tins).
Place frozen waffles flat on baking sheet and heat in the oven for about 3 minutes.Flip waffles and heat for an additional 3 minutes or until crispy and hot.
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).
Their process of operation works as follows: When you pour the batter onto the waffle maker, it starts to spread and cook on the bottom plates. Then you have to flip the machine over allowing direct contact so that the batter pours onto the top plates. This ensures both sides of the waffle brown evenly and cook faster.
Yeast gives waffles airiness and a crisp crust, and it adds flavor that waffles made with baking powder or baking soda lack. Yeast batters need to rise, though, so make the batter the night before, pop it into the fridge, and you'll be ready to go in the morning.
"The goal is to heat them up quickly so they get crispy, not soggy." This means that whatever cooking method you choose, your waffles should go straight from the freezer to the heat source. Allowing them to thaw or cooking them slowly may result in a soft, floppy waffle.
Making pancake and waffle batter ahead of time is a huge no-no and will lead to flat, dense results every time. Even letting your batter hang out for just a few minutes after you've mixed it before you start ladling it onto the griddle will lead to less fluffy results.
An undeniable element of technique is involved in the flipping, timing, and surgical extraction of delicate waffles from the teeth of the iron. It also takes an experienced hand to not cram too much batter into the iron or underfill and end up with a thin, lackluster puck.
I generally use AP (plain) flour, so I can add my own baking powder and salt, to make sure the leavening is fresh. I like to use a combination of AP and rye or whole wheat flour, for added flavor. Barley flour is also good in waffles, adding a subtle sweetness.
While regular old waffles are made from a typical pancake-like batter, Belgian waffles are made from a brioche dough. The secret ingredient in Belgian waffles is the pearl sugar, which gives the waffles a unique texture and slight, satisfying crunch.
Once the rest of the waffle ingredients are prepared, slowly add the egg whites to the batter with a flat spoon or spatula. "Folding" is the technical term for this process, but just know that you want to add them in so that they stay relatively airy.
There are no two ways about it: the best way to get delicious waffles is to have a properly heated waffle iron. And by properly heated, we mean 375°F (191°C). Only by heating your waffle iron enough, but not too much, can you get that crisp outside and that steamy inside that everyone wants in a waffle.
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