Yeasted Crispy Waffles

You can start the night before, or make in the morning. Choose your own adventure!

These are delicious waffles.  When I need to up my mom game midweek, I make these waffles the night before and whip up beautiful waffles on a random weekday.  However, here is a secret.  Sometimes, on the weekends, I decide I want these waffles that very same morning.  No problem!  I just make them (and maybe up the yeast to 3 teaspoons) and do my sneaky let them rise near a warm oven trick.  They take about an hour, and the flavor isn’t quite as tangy, but they still hit the spot for when I totally forget to prep ahead.

These are Marion Cunningham’s Raised Waffles, as I first came across them here.  If you follow the link to the lovely smittenkitchen blog, you can read all about the great debate about leaving a milk-based batter out overnight (it will be fine!).  I am with smittenkitchen on this one–just try it and see for yourself!  Please note that this batter keeps well in the fridge for a few days. I have been known to make a double batch in order to have waffles a few days during the week (aka Mom for President!).

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Yeasted Crispy Waffles

Ingredients

  • ½ cup warm water
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast (one packet)
  • 2 cups milk warmed (best if not nonfat, but it will work..I say begrudgingly)
  • 1 stick or ½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla my addition and totally optional!

Instructions

  1. Pour the water into a large mixing bowl and stir the yeast into the water. Let stand to dissolve and proof for 5 minutes.

  2. Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour, and stir until well blended and smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it stand overnight (or if doing the quick method, for about an hour).

  3. Pre-heat your waffle maker to your desired setting. In my house, the kids are opposite ends of the spectrum (naturally!), so I careen wildly back and forth between 3 and 7. I prefer mine on the darker side, so no son, I cannot in good conscience go lower than a 3! You do not need to grease your waffle iron. Repeat, you do not need to grease your waffle iron. If you have a nonstick waffle iron (I am pretty sure 99% of them come that way now), it is better if you don't, as that leads to the impossible to clean up gunk.

  4. Just before cooking the waffles, add the eggs and baking soda, and stir to mix well, add vanilla and stir that in too and then cook in your waffle iron to desired done-ness level (higher than a 3 if you are making them for me please!). The batter will be very thin, and that is totally okay--they will rise beautifully into the most crispy and yeasty waffles. Almost a croissaffle if you will. ENJOY!