These Homemade Buttermilk Waffles are a family favorite!! They cook up crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside and are a delicious breakfast that feels extra special any day of the week.
Warm buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla make a tender batter with classic diner flavor, and the recipe is simple enough for sleepy mornings.
We love to top these with our Buttermilk Syrup, or for a favorite twist, Cinnamon Buttermilk Syrup. No matter how you top them, they are sure to be a hit!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Kid-approved. Our kids love these waffles just as much as they love a stack of Pancakes or a slice of French Toast!
- Start eating in 20 minutes! From start to finish, you’ll be pulling hot waffles from the waffle iron in no time.
- The toppings are endless. Sweet or savory, pick your favorite toppings and enjoy! We especially love fresh fruit and Whipped Cream.
Buttermilk Waffles Ingredients
- All-purpose flour (2 cups): Gives structure so waffles hold their shape yet stay tender.
- Sugar (2 tablespoons): Lightly sweetens and helps the surface caramelize and crisp.
- Baking powder (2 teaspoons): Provides lift for airy pockets.
- Baking soda (1 teaspoon): Reacts with buttermilk for extra rise and a golden finish.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Balances sweetness and sharpens flavor.
- Buttermilk (2 cups, warm): Adds tang, tenderness, and steam for a soft interior. Learn How to Make Buttermilk using 2 cups of milk and lemon juice.
- Butter (⅓ cup, melted): Enriches the batter and promotes crisp edges.
- Eggs (2): Bind the batter and create a light, custardy crumb.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds bakery style aroma and rounds out the flavor.
- optional toppings – Maple Syrup, Cinnamon Buttermilk Syrup, Strawberry Sauce, Nutella, Whipped Cream and fresh berries, powdered sugar, or even Fried Chicken
How to Make Buttermilk Waffles
BATTER. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt.
In another medium bowl, whisk 2 cups buttermilk and ⅓ cup melted butter. Add 2 eggs and stir until combined.
Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined (there were still lumps). Fold in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
COOK. Preheat the waffle iron and grease. Pour about ⅓-½ cup of batter into the waffle iron (or until the batter reaches about ½ inch to the edge of the iron). Cook until ready. Top with syrup and berries.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Do not over-mix, whisk just until combined and leave small lumps so the crumb stays tender.
- Rest the batter 10 minutes as written, this hydrates flour and boosts browning.
- Preheat the waffle iron fully and grease lightly, hot plates give the best crisp edges.
- Keep finished waffles warm and crisp on a rack set over a sheet pan in a 225°F oven until serving.
- Check out our Homemade Waffle Mix to have on hand to whip these up even faster.
Buttermilk Waffle Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups buttermilk, warm
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another medium bowl, whisk buttermilk and butter. Add eggs and stir until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined (there were still lumps). Fold in vanilla. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the waffle iron and grease. Pour about ⅓-½ cup of batter into the waffle iron (or until the batter reaches about ½ inch to the edge of the iron). Cook until ready. Top with syrup and berries.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
The batter can be made the night before and kept covered in the fridge. Allow it to come to room temperature and give it a gentle stir before pouring it into the waffle iron.
Let the waffles cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or wrap each waffle in plastic and store together in a container in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Complete The Meal
Sides
Scrambled Eggs
9 mins
Bacon in the Oven
23 mins
Breakfast Potatoes Recipe
30 mins
Fruit Salad Recipe
1 hr 20 mins
Drinks
More Waffles
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This recipe was originally published July 2019.
Best I’ve ever made! Thanks!
Yay, that makes me so happy!
Delicious and perfectly crisp on the outside, yet soft inside. I made a half-batch for just two of us, and it made 2 1/2 waffles in our Cuisinart round Belgian waffle maker. I had to adapt, trying to use up some leftovers from Christmas cooking. Instead of the 1 cup of buttermilk the half-recipe called for, I had only about 2/3 cup. In the spirit of using up what was in the fridge, I added the last of the heavy cream to bring it to 3/4 cup, then topped it off to the whole cup with 2% milk. We are getting over a nasty cold, so I was not in the mood for extra dishes or fussy cooking. That meant I heated the buttermilk mixture in a 2-cup measuring cup with a 30-second blast in the microwave, added “some butter” – I was not in the mood to measure – and put it back in for 30 seconds since it was still unmelted after stirring a bit. That got me to the perfect level of warm with melted butter. It wasn’t too warm, so I just dropped the egg in and whisked it all together in the measuring cup. Used the same whisk to mix into the bowl of dry ingredients and did as instructed – stir just to the point of incorporation, but not bothering to break down every flour bubble. The 10 minutes it took to set up the waffle machine were long enough for those flour bubbles to puff up and burst, so a little stir with the measuring cup I used to scoop the batter was enough to remix the flour. Speaking of using up leftovers, let me share what I used to top the waffles. I had made a cranberry-jalapeno chai-spiced chutney for Christmas and had just a tablespoon or two left. I mixed it with equal parts syrup and microwaved it for a minute to get it bubbly and pourable. So good! But it needed a little more sweetness. Well, hello – leftover glaze from our Christmas day sweet rolls (butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange zest, and a little milk). A slight drizzle over the top, and I had a perfect little treat of savory, sweet, and spicy. Not to say anyone would copy my combination, but to encourage you to think outside the box as you look for toppings.
Wow, I love this kind of kitchen creativity! So glad the waffles turned out crisp and cozy and the cranberry jalapeño topping sounds next level.
Your kitchen creativity is amazing and those topping ideas sound incredible. Thanks for sharing all your fun swaps and inspiration!
Excellent recipe! We gobbled them up. Big hit. Thank you.
Glad they were a big hit and disappeared fast!
These waffles came out great! Thanks for the recipe.
Truly the best waffle recipe. Followed exactly. I warmed the buttermilk 1 min in the microwave, just took the chill off, melted the butter 1 min, let it cool 5 mins, slowly whisked into buttermilk then added eggs and vanilla, whisked into flour mixture and let it rest 10 mins while I heated the waffle maker. Perfect and so yum. Thank You
The batter was way too thick
If the batter it thicker than expected, go ahead and add a little more milk.