We have a weekend routine around here since we bought the house. Every Saturday Zach makes breakfast (including his amazing buttermilk biscuits) to fuel us for whatever house or yard or landscaping related project we’re tackling. There’s always something to be done; rocks to haul, mulch to spread, seeds and bulbs to plant, a shed to build – the list is long! Sundays are for recovering and so we sleep in and enjoy a leisurely, relaxed brunch with waffles, bacon, fruit, and strong coffee.
Having waffles every Sunday has definitely allowed me to perfect my waffle recipe: The waffle itself is crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and has a nice nutty flavor from the cereal. It holds up well to any add-ins you may want to include. We usually add chopped pecans to each waffle, but we’ve also tried frozen blueberries and chocolate chips, and both came out great. You can also vary the “grain” aspect – I like the Bob’s Red Mill 10 grain cereal, but any whole grain “hot cereal” mix will work.
The only thing that is 100% unchangeable about this recipe is the buttermilk – please don’t try to make this with a buttermilk substitute (like the recipe where you add lemon juice or vinegar to whole milk – or even worse, low-fat milk). The buttermilk is what gives the waffles a tangy, yeasty flavor (despite not having any yeast) and what allows them to rise to their fluffiest. I promise you that it’s worth it to buy a small container of buttermilk for these waffles!
Finally let’s talk waffle makers. This is the one we use now: Bella Classic Rotating Belgian Waffle Maker.
Every waffle iron is a little bit different and depending on the size of your waffle maker, you may get fewer or more waffles than I indicate in the recipe. We started off using the waffle plates that came with my Cuisinart Griddler and they worked fine, although the waffles were a little thin and didn’t have the nice deep pockets for holding butter and syrup that I think a waffle should have. Eventually I splurged a little and bought a dedicated waffle maker and I think it makes a huge difference. The waffles we make now are thick enough to be crispy on the outside and still fluffy in the middle, evenly browned, with the nice deep squares for holding syrupy, buttery goodness. Even though Alton Brown rails against unitaskers, we eat waffles often enough that I felt it was worth buying.
Ok, that’s enough lead in – on to the recipe!
Whole Grain Buttermilk Waffles
Trust me when I say you want to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately before bringing them together. It does make a difference in the final waffle!
Dry Ingredients
- 100g whole wheat flour
- 100g all purpose flour
- 70g Bob’s Red Mill 10 grain Hot Cereal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp sugar (brown or white)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups buttermilk (get the best quality buttermilk you can find)
- 3 large eggs
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
Add Ins
- 1 cup – Pecans, blueberries, chocolate chips, whatever you feel like using
Preheat your oven to 200°F to keep the waffles warm while making a full batch. Also plug in/turn on your waffle maker and let it get nice and hot.
In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk and the eggs and set aside.
In a larger bowl, mix all the dry ingredients well and then add the buttermilk and egg mix by folding it in gently. You don’t want big pockets of dry mix, but it’s ok if it’s a little lumpy.
Once the batter is mixed, add in the melted butter and stir until it’s just incorporated.
Set the batter aside for a good 15 mins. This allows the buttermilk to react to the leavening and get nice and bubbly. It also gives the whole grains some time to absorb the liquid and soften up some. Take this time to maybe pop some bacon in the microwave, or set the table, or slice some fresh fruit. Or just enjoy sipping on a cup of coffee or tea while you wait.
Follow your waffle maker’s instructions from here on out. For the Bella waffle maker, I use a little over 1/2 cup of batter for each waffle and we like pecans as an add in, but frozen blueberries work great, too! Once each waffle is ready, move it to the oven, directly on the rack, to keep warm and stay crispy
We get 6 large waffles from this recipe which is more than enough for 2 of us with leftovers for Zach to have for breakfast throughout the week. However, you can easily cut this recipe in half; if you do so, use 2 whole eggs and halve the rest of the ingredients
Nutritional Information: Calories: 330 | Fat 13g | Carbs 41g | Fiber 4g | Protein 12g (per 1 waffle based on 6 to the recipe)