Belgian Waffles

By Samantha Seneviratne

Published April 30, 2025

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(273)
Comments
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These waffles tick all the boxes. They’re light, crisp, delicately sweetened and will make your kitchen smell like heaven as they cook. Belgian waffles are thicker than standard waffles and are often leavened with yeast. This version uses baking powder and whipped egg whites to make it easy to cook up big, crisp fragrant waffles without a lot of foresight. There are two important factors that ensure the lightest, crispiest waffles. First, make sure that your waffle iron is very hot and that the waffles are cooked through completely and well-browned. Secondly, when ladling batter into the waffle iron, make sure to completely fill the wells. Crisp edges can only develop if the batter makes contact with all of the grooves.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 waffles

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2 cups/480 milliliters whole milk

  • ½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 

  • ¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • Cooking spray, if needed

  • Powdered sugar, maple syrup or whipped cream, or serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

56 grams carbs; 133 milligrams cholesterol; 509 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 26 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 490 milligrams sodium; 11 grams protein; 16 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a Belgian waffle maker until very hot.

  2. Step 2

    Separate the eggs into two medium bowls (reserve bowl with whites for the next step). To bowl with yolks, whisk in milk, melted butter, granulated sugar and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk gently to just combine. Do not overmix; some lumps are OK. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Using a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the egg whites to the batter and, with the whisk or a large rubber spatula, fold into the batter by gently scooping up some of the batter from the bottom and folding it over the whites on the top, rotating the bowl and repeating until no streaks are visible.

  4. Step 4

    If your waffle iron is not well-seasoned, lightly coat with cooking spray. Pour 1 to 1½ cups of batter into the well of the waffle maker (making sure to fill the well completely) and spread it out evenly. Cook according to the manufacturer’s directions until the waffle is a deep golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately with powdered sugar, maple syrup or whipped cream, if desired.

Tip

  • Cool leftover waffles completely on a wire rack, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, toast frozen waffles on medium until warmed through and crisp, about 6 minutes.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
273 user ratings
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Comments

Marjorie Rose

My husband is Belgian. He makes great waffles. Maybe I will share his recipe, which was his great grandmother’s. It contains yeast, gobs of eggs, and cognac, and takes a few hours rising time.

Chuck

Most manufacturers of nonstick waffle irons have a recommendation on whether or not to use a cooking spray - recommend you read those directions. Some sprays can, over time, create a coating that makes the nonstick surface sticky. Or, if you make your first waffle and it sticks, use a spray or brush with oil. But it shouldn't be a problem with a 4:1 ratio of flour to butter.

Newhill

Yes, there are technically two main categories of Belgian waffles: the fluffier Brussels vs denser, sweeter Liege with pearl sugar. However, it’s been my experience with US recipes that any waffle baked in an iron with the larger indentations is referred to as “Belgian” and typically Brussels style in texture. I can’t get too worked up about semantics, but I have to admit that nothing I’ve ever made or eaten here in the US compares to a fresh warm Bruges House of Waffles Brussels-style waffle with strawberries and whipped cream. Worth braving the crowds if you have the chance. If anyone out there has that recipe….

Wordsworth from Wadsworth

A big factor is a waffle iron itself. Even before seasoning, you gotta purchase a good one. Most middling waffle irons have holes of insufficient depth. Mom had an old one from the 1950s, well-seasoned from years of use, that was perfect. Atas, it went away with Dear Old Mom.

Candace

Fantastic! I subbed buttermilk for milk and didn’t bother to separate eggs, and let it sit while the iron heated. As others commented the buttermilk provides sufficient lift. I switched from a non-stick waffle press to a cast-iron old-fashioned one last year. TEFLON is evil! I was struggling though with the waffles sticking, but not with this recipe. Nice crisp edges, light soft centers. This is a keeper!

Daniel

Alternately, instead of toasting to re-heat, you can just pop the leftover waffle back on the iron to crisp it right back up!

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