Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles

t even tell they are made with whole wheat flour Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles

Ok, speak up. When’s the last time you had a truly phenomenal, omg-I’m-going-to-cry-these-are-so-good waffle?

Wait, don’t you talk like that?

But seriously. Name your last great waffle. I don’t even think I can remember it. Maybe last year when I made my recipe for buttermilk waffles again? But I honestly don’t think I’ve used my waffle maker in our new house. In fact, I had to search boxes in the basement for it to test this recipe.

WAFFLES ARE UNDERRATED! Why don’t we make them more often??

t even tell they are made with whole wheat flour Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles

Face it– they’re better than pancakes. Waffles have nooks and crannies for maximum melted butter and maple syrup storage. You don’t have to stand there and flip each individual one; the waffle maker does all the work for ya. When done right, waffles are a texture freak’s dream; they’re crisp on the edges, but soft in the centers. I don’t even want to dream about a “crispy” pancake. I think that just means burnt. A burnt pancake.

So yeah, waffles vs pancakes. There’s really no contest.

I suppose the reason I don’t make waffles often is because they aren’t the healthiest way to begin the day. And aren’t those the rules? Always start healthy? ish? And if I’m going to splurge before 12pm, it’s going to be a plate of big giant cinnamon rolls or frosted donuts with enough rainbow sprinkles to make a unicorn jealous.

But that all changed last month. I had a hankering for waffles one weekend. Didn’t feel like starting my day with a plate of empty calories, so I worked on a whole wheat version.

t even tell they are made with whole wheat flour Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles

Turns out, it’s pretty difficult to produce a whole wheat waffle that’s not only crisp on the edges, but soft and airy in the centers. Not too dense, not too heavy. Light and fluffy like the white flour version. It’s a tall order, but the secret lies within the ratio of ingredients. You see, whole wheat flour is much heartier than all-purpose; it weighs down anything it touches. To keep things springy, I used enough baking powder for lift. Buttermilk prevents the waffles from drying out (as whole wheat flour does to everything!) and melted butter keeps it all so very… yum.

(Seriously, don’t leave out the butter. They’ll taste bland! They’ll taste dry! They’ll taste… blah! While these are definitely healthier waffles, we don’t want them to taste healthy. We want them to taste like you’re indulging.)

t even tell they are made with whole wheat flour Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles

So all super basic ingredients, but like I said– it’s the ratio that matters. Make sure you add a dose of cinnamon for flavor and for a little necessary sweetness, a little brown sugar. If an unrefined sugar sounds better to you, I’ve tried these with coconut sugar, honey, and maple syrup over the past several weeks (yes, baby’s been getting A LOT of whole wheat waffles in the 3rd trimester). All verrrrrry good. Especially the maple syrup– you get extra extra maple flavor in your stack!

t even tell they are made with whole wheat flour Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles

And now? It’s your turn to enjoy waffles for breakfast. Because we all know it’s been too long!