These are the best buttermilk waffles! They’re golden brown and crispy on the outside, but soft and cakey on the inside, all thanks to a secret ingredient you already have in your pantry.

stack of buttermilk waffles on plates with whipped cream, berries and syrup

Are you on team waffle or team pancake? I have real trouble picking sides, but if I absolutely had to, I’d probably pick waffles. They’re just a little extra special! And when they’re done right, with crispy edges and soft centers, there’s just nothing better on a lazy morning.

These buttermilk waffles have such incredible flavor all on their own thanks to the vanilla extract and buttermilk in the batter, but I still recommend piling them high with aaalll the toppings. My favorite way to serve waffles is with whipped cream, fresh berries, and maple syrup.

stack of buttermilk waffles with drizzle of syrup

What you’ll love about these waffles

  • Easy to make (no extra steps required)
  • You likely have most or all of the ingredients already in your fridge and pantry
  • They have delicious flavor and aren’t too sweet
  • The waffle edges are crisp while the inside is soft and cake-like

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s everything you need to make these buttermilk waffles, and you can find the full recipe at the bottom of this post.

ingredients for the best buttermilk waffles

The secret ingredient

I never loved making waffles at home— mine always turned out limp and floppy— until I heard about this secret ingredient. Cornstarch! (Heidi of Foodiecrush first clued me in and I owe her so much because of it.)

The cornstarch helps combat the problem of too much moisture, which prevents the waffles from crisping up. But a little cornstarch in the batter and boom! super crispy waffles with soft moist centers.

How to make the best buttermilk waffles

  1. Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Combine wet ingredients & add to dry. In a separate bowl whisk together buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredient bowl and whisk just until no streaks of flour remain.
  3. Cook in waffle maker. Preheat waffle maker according to manufacturer’s instructions and cook waffles in batches.
  4. Keep warm. Transfer cooked waffles to a sheet pan in a preheated 200°F oven to keep warm until ready to serve (or serve them right away as they’re ready).
  5. Serve & enjoy! Add your favorite toppings like butter and syrup, whipped cream, berries, chocolate sauce, etc.

Mixing the best buttermilk waffles
Buttermilk waffles freshly made in a waffle maker with bowls of strawberries and blueberries next to it

Tips for making waffles at home

  • Don’t over-mix your batter! A few lumps in the batter is just fine. Mixing too much develops the gluten in the flour, making the waffles chewy and dense.
  • Adding warm melted butter to cold buttermilk and eggs will cause the butter to harden in little bits and make the batter look curdled. The waffles will still taste great, but if you want to avoid this, have buttermilk and eggs at room temperature. Or add butter separately when combining the dry and wet ingredients.
  • Use non-stick cooking spray as needed to make sure waffles aren’t sticking to the waffle maker. Your waffle maker instructions may also have suggestions for your specific machine.
  • All waffle makers are different so be sure to follow the instructions for how much batter your machine needs and the cooking time.
  • Look for the steam— If your waffle maker doesn’t have a timer for when the waffles are done, watch for when the steam stops. Chances are the waffles will be cooked through and golden brown.
  • Waffles freeze very well! Freeze in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer them to a ziplock plastic bag and freeze for a month or more. To reheat, simply pop them into the toaster for a few minutes.

closeup of stack of buttermilk waffles on a plate with whipped cream, berries and syrup

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Recipe originally published January 2014.

stack of buttermilk waffles with drizzle of syrup
4.43 from 14 reviews

Best Buttermilk Waffles

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
The best buttermilk waffles, slightly sweet and crispy on the outside but soft and caky on the inside.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 ½ cup (180 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (28 grams) cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cup (295 ml) buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , melted and cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Preheat a waffle maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Grease with non-stick spray if necessary. Pour scant 1 cup batter into the hot waffle maker (1/2 cup for smaller waffle irons). Cook until golden brown (this was about 5-6 minutes in my waffle iron.)
  • Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven in a single-layer.

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Calories: 268kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 76mg, Sodium: 199mg, Potassium: 192mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 476IU, Calcium: 100mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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