Homemade Buttermilk Waffles | Light and Crispy

Whenever I am given an option between waffles and pancakes, I always choose waffles. I just love their deep pockets that fill with strawberry jelly and whipped cream. In general I'm a crispy food person and waffles definitely fulfill this craving too.

Ever since I was little my mom would make me a special birthday breakfast of waffles topped with ice cream, strawberry jelly, and whipped cream. I look forward to it every year (although my husband makes it for me now)!

You are just 4 steps away to making the best buttermilk waffles of your life!

• Gather the ingredients: Sift the dry ingredients into one bowl, melt the butter, and separate the eggs.
• Combine: Stir the buttermilk, vanilla, and egg yolks in a bowl with a fork or whisk. Gently combine the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, adding the butter at the end. Mix until just combined.
• Whip the egg whites: Using a stand or hand mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. You can tell when they are stiff if the peaks stay still and don't fold over after you remove the whisk. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, mixing until almost combined. You don't want to over mix it since the egg whites are what make the waffles so light and fluffy.
• Cook: Pour the batter into a hot, greased waffle iron and shut the lid. Cook until they are nice and brown and crispy.

• Homemade whipped cream
• Strawberry jelly
• Syrup
• (Ice cream, if it's your birthday!)
• Blueberries, strawberries, bananas
• Bacon
• Caramel sauce
• Peanut butter
• Nutella
• Maple Cream Cheese Syrup
• Meyer Lemon Syrup
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Applesauce
• Whipped Strawberry Honey Butter

After the waffle comes out of the waffle iron, place it on a wire rack to allow them to cool down and the steam to escape properly so they don't get soft or soggy. For any extras, you can place them in an air-tight bag and leave them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. My favorite method is freezing waffles since I don't always eat them in the next couple of days. They defrost super quickly and keep their flavor nicely this way. They'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Another option is to only make enough waffles for you to eat and then keep any extra batter in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. This way ensures you have the freshest waffles.

Using 2% or whole milk will work just fine, but buttermilk really adds a tangy flavor boost to baked goods like waffles, pancakes, biscuits, and bread. The acid in buttermilk breaks down the gluten which makes the food more tender. It's also a natural rising agent that makes the food fluffy. If you don't have a bottle of buttermilk in the fridge, you can easily make some by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. 2% or whole milk works best for their viscosity or thickness. You can check out this article for more information about how to use and make buttermilk.

If you try it out, let me know how it goes in the comments or on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.