Waffles Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the waffle iron according to manufacturer instructions. Lightly brush or spray the grids with a little melted butter or neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate medium bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add the milk, melted butter (cooled slightly), and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture in. Stir gently with a spatula or whisk just until combined — the batter should be slightly lumpy. Do not overmix or the waffles will be tough.

Let the batter rest for 5 minutes at room temperature. This helps the baking powder activate and gives slightly lighter waffles.

When the waffle iron is hot, spoon or pour the recommended amount of batter onto the center of the grids (usually 1/2 to 3/4 cup depending on the size of your iron). Spread slightly if needed, but avoid overfilling.

Close the waffle iron and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 6 minutes depending on your iron and preferred crispness. Most irons have an indicator light; otherwise check after 3 minutes to avoid burning.

Carefully remove the waffle with a heatproof fork or tongs and place on a wire rack (not a plate) to keep crisp while you finish remaining waffles. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing the iron with a little butter or oil between batches if sticking occurs.

Serve waffles warm topped with a pat or two of unsalted butter and drizzle with pure maple syrup. Add optional berries or a dusting of powdered sugar if desired.

Estimated leftover batter: if you have extra batter, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours and cook within that time. Cooked waffles can be cooled completely and frozen in a single layer, then re-crisped in a toaster or oven.