Waffle recipes were some of first recorded breakfast foods. Although we know that the ancient Greeks made flat cakes between two metal plates, the word "waffle" actually comes from the Dutch word "wafel." This is probably the origin of the food as we know it.
How to Make Basic Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups milk
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl.
- Add the wet to the dry all at one time.
- Whisk until mixed but just a touch lumpy.
- Pour about a cup of the batter onto the waffle iron and close.
- When the waffle is golden brown, take it out, eat and repeat.
Coconut Waffles Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 4 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups milk
- 4 teaspoons shortening, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix together the flour, shredded coconut, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
- Add milk, beaten eggs, and melted shortening.
- Beat well.
- Cook in a hot, well-greased waffle iron to a golden brown.
Waffle Recipe Tips
Do your waffle recipes turn out too tough? If so, they may be overcooked, meaning that your iron may need more time to get hot before you start cooking. Make sure you follow the directions for your waffle maker. If you want fluffier results, it helps to separate the eggs and beat the whites until they are stiff before adding them to the batter. To spice up your breakfast, add a bit of cinnamon or vanilla to the batter. If you'd prefer a recipe with less egg, try this one.
One Egg Waffle Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1 egg, beaten lightly
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
Instructions
- Blend dry ingredients together.
- Slowly add milk, beaten egg and melted butter, whisking ingredients together as you add them.
- Beat batter for 2 minutes (it may have some small lumps).
- Pour batter into a well-greased, hot waffle iron and close the lid.
- When it stops emitting steam, the waffle is usually done.
- Serve immediately, or keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
Waffle Iron History
Waffle irons are the necessary tool of the trade because they use high heat that cooks quickly and crisps the outside of the waffle while leaving the inside tender and light. Non-electric waffle irons were popular even in Thomas Jefferson's day when waffles were also street food, too. Vendors sold them steaming hot and dripping with maple syrup or molasses. Modern irons made them even easier to create and Belgian waffle recipes, which are a bit thicker than traditional ones and made with yeast, are all the rage at Sunday brunches around the country. Frozen waffles were developed by two brothers, Sam and Anthony Dorsa, in San Jose, California, in the early 1930s. They sold them, as well as a variety of products such as potato chips and mayonnaise, under the label "Eggo."
