I have been looking for years for the perfect waffle recipe for my traditional (non-Belgian) waffle iron. Just because I don’t have a Belgian waffle iron, doesn’t mean I don’t still deserve waffles that are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and somehow equal parts fluffy and dense. A waffle that is hearty and firm and can hold up to all the creative, fun things I want to do to it.

Every time I’ve made waffles in the last 3 or 4 years (since I got said non-Belgian waffle iron) I have tried a different waffle recipe, happy enough when my waffle was buried beneath maple syrup but still not satisfied. I kept Googling and kept going to different blogs, thinking someone would have the answer. Again and again, they were not disappointing but also not the perfection I sought.

I tend to obsess. And latch onto things. Ask my mother, she’ll tell you all about it.

But in all certainty, it was Martha’s fault. I sought out on a similar pancake quest once and found my perfect foolproof pancake recipe within weeks (thanks Martha!) and have never looked back. When I want to have sour cream pancakes or blueberry pancakes or apple cinnamon pancakes, I generally start with Martha and go from there. And I needed that for waffles. I should have known only one man could come close to Martha in his mastery of making commonplace foods feel special. Sir, Alton Brown, why did I not think of you as someone to turn to on my quest for the perfect waffle?!

After finding it, I’m actually not even sure how I never stumbled upon this recipe before. Today when I Googled, Alton was the first recipe that popped up. I made a couple adjustments (because I didn’t have wheat flour on hand and a few tablespoons were missing from my carton of buttermilk, not because I had any doubt in Alton). What was created could only be defined as perfection. The waffle of my dreams. At long last. (Mom, stop rolling your eyes).

I hope it brings you as much joy as it did me. And if you want to have a little extra fun, toss a handful of diced pecans and a couple pieces of chopped bacon into the batter. Spread peanut butter on top before adding your maple syrup. It’s always been my go to waffle and it finally feels right with the perfect waffle.

Happy daylight savings! Happy it sucks to wake up an hour earlier but it’s so worth it for the extra sunlight! Happy it’s-almost-Monday!

Hope you ate as much yummy breakfast food as I this weekend,
-Leek

P.S. Like this breakfast recipe? You’ll love my post on Apple & Pear Baked Maple Oatmeal!

THE PERFECT WAFFLE (without embellishments)
Courtesy of Alton Brown

Takes 30 minutes
Makes 6 standard 8-inch round waffles

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 7/8 cups buttermilk
3 eggs, beaten

Plug in and preheat waffle iron.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center. Add butter, buttermilk and eggs. Stir until just combined. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Pour 1/3 cup of batter into waffle iron (for standard 8-inch waffle iron). Close lid and cook for 3-5 minutes until nicely browned. Remove and continue with the remaining batter. Eat immediately or keep them in a 200 degree preheated oven until ready to eat! This will help them keep their crispy exterior.