Banana Waffle Recipe

Preheat

Preheat your waffle iron according to manufacturer instructions. If it has adjustable heat, set to medium-high so waffles cook until golden but not burned (about 4–6 minutes per waffle depending on iron).

Dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (1.5 cups), granulated sugar (2 tbs), baking powder (1 tsp), and salt (1/2 tsp) until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, beat the large egg lightly. Whisk in the milk (1 1/4 cups), melted unsalted butter (4 tbs), and vanilla extract (1 tsp) until combined.

Add banana

Fold the mashed ripe banana (about 1 cup mashed; roughly 1–2 medium bananas) into the wet mixture. Stir until distributed — a few small lumps are fine and will add texture and banana flavor.

Combine

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet banana mixture. Gently stir until just combined; do not overmix. The batter should be slightly thick but pourable. If too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of milk to reach desired consistency.

Rest batter (optional)

Let the batter rest 5 minutes to allow baking powder to activate and the banana to incorporate; this helps create a tender waffle.

Cook waffles

Lightly grease the preheated waffle iron with butter or nonstick spray. Pour the recommended amount of batter for your waffle iron (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup for standard irons) onto the center, spread slightly, and close the lid. Cook until waffles are golden brown and crisp (about 4–6 minutes). Carefully remove and place on a rack to keep crisp while you cook remaining batter. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing as needed.

Warm the maple syrup (1/4 cup) in a small saucepan or microwave for 10–15 seconds if desired. Sauté the sliced banana (1 cup) in 1 tbs butter over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until just softened and lightly caramelized, if you prefer warm banana. Toast chopped nuts (2 tbs) in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Assemble: place waffle on a plate, top with sautéed or fresh sliced bananas, a pat of butter (1 tbs), drizzle with warmed maple syrup, sprinkle toasted nuts, and dust with powdered sugar (1 tsp) if using.

Serve immediately so waffles remain crisp. Leftover waffles can be cooled completely and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month; reheat in a toaster or oven until crisp.