Belgian Waffles
Ingredients
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter – melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs – separated
- 1 tbsp neutral oil – for brushing waffle iron
- powdered sugar – for serving
Instructions
1. Warm the milk to 105–110°F; whisk in the yeast and sugar, and let stand until foamy, 5–10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt until evenly combined.
3. Stir the foamy mixture and butter into the dry ingredients until smooth; cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, 60–75 minutes.
4. Separate the eggs; beat the whites to soft peaks, whisk the yolks into the risen batter, then gently fold in the whites until no streaks remain. Let the batter rest 10 minutes.
5. Heat a Belgian waffle iron to medium-high and lightly brush with oil.
6. Pour 0.5–0.75 cup batter per waffle; close and cook until deep golden and crisp and steam largely subsides, 3–5 minutes per waffle. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing the iron lightly as needed.
7. Serve hot, dusted with powdered sugar.
Belgian waffles are tall, crisp-edged, and tender within, with deep grids that cradle a snowfall of sugar or a drizzle of syrup. The yeast-raised batter develops a subtle, buttery tang and an airy crumb, while the hot iron sears the outside to a delicate crunch. Their lightness and contrast of textures make them equally at home as a simple street treat or a sit-down breakfast centerpiece.
Originating in Belgium, these waffles trace to the Brussels waffle (gaufre de Bruxelles), a yeast-based batter waffle traditionally served with a dusting of powdered sugar. They gained global fame after being showcased at mid-20th-century world fairs, where vendors popularized the term “Belgian waffle” and the pairing with strawberries and cream. Distinct from the caramelized, brioche-like Liège waffle, the Brussels style set the template for the lofty, grid-deep waffle associated worldwide with Belgium.