Waffles made with buttermilk or brown butter are delicious, but when the waffle craving hits on Sunday morning, no one wants to leave the house to buy groceries. This recipe uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge, like butter, milk, eggs, flour, and baking powder, and it only takes a few minutes to mix together. Freeze any leftover waffles in between sheets of parchment paper inside a resealable bag, and toast one when you need a quick weekday breakfast.

Special equipment: You’ll need a pastry brush for this recipe.

Game plan: You’ll need to make the apricot syrup or strawberry sauce before you begin, if using.

  • Yield: About 7 (5-1/2-inch) Belgian waffles
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 35 mins
  • Active: 35 mins

Ingredients (11)

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 1/4 cups milk (not nonfat)
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest (optional)
  • Vegetable oil, for brushing the waffle iron
  • Maple syrup, apricot syrup, or strawberry sauce, for serving (optional; see Game Plan note)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 250°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and place it in the oven.
  2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside.
  3. Place the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until they’re just broken up. Add the milk, melted butter, vanilla, and zest, if using, and whisk until evenly combined.
  4. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until the flour is just incorporated and no streaks remain. (The batter may have a few lumps.)
  5. Heat the waffle iron to medium according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once heated, brush the iron with vegetable oil, fill it with batter, close the lid, and cook until the waffle is golden brown (when the steam starts to diminish from the waffle iron, you can open the top and peek for doneness). Transfer to the wire rack on the baking sheet in the oven.
  6. Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the iron with oil between each waffle. Serve immediately with maple syrup, apricot syrup, or strawberry sauce (if using).