Waffles have forever been a special treat in my home – and for good reason. While you can always go the more embellished route with pumpkin spice waffles, brioche waffles, almond flour waffles, and chocolate waffles, I find an old-fashioned waffle hits the spot every time.
And I haven’t even mentioned the best part. This instant waffle recipe is just that – instant – with a little planning ahead. But I promise the extra effort is well worth it.
Why Should You Try This Recipe?
Homemade waffles with yeast are easier than you think and a great one to add to your breakfast recipes repertoire. I know you will love them because:
- The batter is made in advance: Come morning time, all you have to do is heat up the waffle iron and let it do its magic. You can thank yourself later for doing all that prep during the previous night.
- Crispier and lighter: These are the lightest, fluffiest waffles I have ever made.
- Serve it any way you like: Top them off with blueberry puree, maple whipped cream, maple syrup, butter, jam, and fresh fruit – the options are endless.
- Freezes beautifully: Leftovers can be frozen and enjoyed any time the craving strikes. They are so easy to warm in the toaster.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for overnight Belgian waffles is short and sweet. You probably already have most, if not all, of the ingredients for this waffle dough recipe on hand.
Gather together milk, butter, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar (coconut sugar), rapid rise yeast, kosher salt, large eggs, and vanilla extract.
Ingredient Substitutions and Notes
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk versus low-fat or skim milk for best results. Buttermilk would be a good substitute and add a subtle tangy flavor.
- Sugar: Coconut sugar is my preferred sugar, but use your favorite. Since the quantity is so small, a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or honey can be substituted, just make sure to mix it with the eggs and vanilla.
- Yeast: Although rapid-rise yeast granules are a bit smaller than instant yeast, both can be used interchangeably here. If you only have active dry yeast, add it to the warm milk and butter (about 100-110 degrees F), allow it to sit for 10 minutes until frothy, then proceed with the recipe.
How to Make
Once you learn how to make overnight yeast waffles, you’ll never go back. Simply:
- Warm milk and butter: Combine milk and butter in a small pot over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Whisk wet ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
- Make waffle batter: Gradually pour the milk and melted butter mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Then, add the egg mixture and whisk until no lumps remain. The batter should be smooth.
- Cover and chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place batter in the fridge and let sit overnight, or up to 24 hours.
- Prep equipment: Heat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While doing so, also preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and set a wire rack inside a baking sheet, and set aside.
- Cook waffles: Remove the waffle batter from the refrigerator and whisk to combine (the batter will deflate). Spray the preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Place ½ cup of waffle batter into the hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Remove the cooked waffle with a heatproof spatula and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven to keep warm.
Topping Ideas
Go wild and get creative with the toppings for your overnight waffles. You can try:
- Blueberry Puree
- No Butter Chocolate Frosting
- Blueberry Sauce
- Yogurt Fruit Dip
- Banana Rum Topping
- Real Maple Syrup
- Butter
- Maple Whipped Cream
- Coconut Whipped Cream
- Fresh Berries or Seasonal Fruit
How to Serve
Belgian waffles with yeast are one of those recipes that can be served in both casual and elegant fashion. Some of my favorite ways to serve include:
- Weekend Breakfast: Wake everyone up to the fresh scent of homestyle, buttery waffles. They are that bounce-out-of-bed and get the whole family awake on a Saturday morning kind of breakfast recipe. I like to enjoy them with a fresh cup of coffee.
- Sunday Brunch: Make it an elegant meal and serve these waffles with goat cheese quiche and Blood Orange Mimosas to wash it all down.
- Dessert: Top warm waffles with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and fresh strawberries.
How to Store and Reheat
This yeasted waffle recipe stores well in the fridge and freezer. To do so, simply:
- Fridge: Store leftover waffles between layers of parchment paper in a plastic storage bag or airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Store between layers of parchment paper in a plastic freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Reheat in the toaster or toaster oven set to the lowest setting. To reheat a large batch, set the waffles on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet, cover with foil, and warm through in a 350-degree F oven for 5-10 minutes. Add 2-3 minutes to the baking time if reheating from frozen.
Expert Tips
- Cool the milk and butter. It is imperative to make sure that the warm milk mixture is cooled until warm to touch for the yeast to get activated. It will kill the yeast if the mixture is too hot.
- The yeasted waffle batter will bubble and grow. Make sure to use a large bowl to allow room for the dough to rise.
- Keep in mind that yeast is important here. It adds a subtle sweet yeasty flavor to every bite and a more substantial texture than a waffle recipe with baking soda alone.
- If short on time, cook after a 1-hour rest at room temperature. The waffles won’t have as much depth of flavor as the rested and raised waffles, but they will still be delicious.
- Make the waffles crispier. If you allow them to sit in a 200 degree oven for 10-15 minutes before eating, they are crispier.
- The number of waffles will vary based on the size of your waffle iron. This batter makes 7-8 waffles with my waffle maker, which is 6 ½ inches in diameter.
- If you are in need of a new waffle maker, this Cuisineart Belgian Waffle Maker (affiliate link) is my favorite one.
Other Weekend Breakfast Recipes You Might Also Like:
Whether you are a fan of the New York Times’ Raised Waffles recipe, Marion Cunningham’s Yeasted Waffles, or have always loved the popular King Arthur’s Waffle Mix, I hope you give this version a try. I know those famous recipes are favored by many people but I promise you that my version is just as good, if not better.
And if you are in need of next-level weekend breakfast/brunch recipes, here are a few more recipes to try:
- Challah Bread
- Overnight Steel Cut Oats
- Brioche
- Muesli Recipe
- Crunchy Granola
- Can’t get enough? Check out all our Pancake and Waffle Recipes
If you try this Overnight Yeasted Waffles recipe or any other recipe on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
This recipe has been adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine‘s Overnight Yeasted Waffles recipe with minor changes.
Yeasted Waffles Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, (4 ounces) cut into small pieces. Plus, more for greasing the waffle iron
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, (10 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast, (1 package)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool.*
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
- Gradually pour the milk and butter mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Add the egg & vanilla mixture to the batter and whisk until there are no lumps remaining. The batter should be smooth.
- Cover with stretch film. Place it in the fridge and let it sit overnight (or up to 24 houts)
- When ready to make the waffles, preheat the oven to 200 Degrees.
- Heat the waffle iron. Brush it with butter (or you can also use oil spray). Fill a 1/2 cup waffle batter with batter and pour into the waffle iron. Cook until golden brown.* Remove the cooked waffle and place on a baking sheet without stacking. Place in the oven to keep warm.
- When ready to serve, top each waffle with your favorite toppings, and serve.
Notes
- It is imperative to make sure that the milk mixture is cooled until warm to the touch for the yeast to get activated.
- Every waffle iron is different. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for perfect results.
- This batter makes 6-7 waffles in my 6 1/2 inch waffle maker.
- You can store cooked (and cooled) waffles in an airtight container and freeze them. Pop them in your toaster to warm them up before serving. There is no need to thaw them before doing so.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, sounds so delicious- have you tried gluten free cup for cup flour?
Hi Jo,
Sadly, I have never tried this yeasted waffle recipe with gluten free flour. However, from what I understand, Thomas Keller’s cup for cup flour is pretty magical and works in place of all purpose flours in many recipes. If you do try it, please let me know how it turns out.
the waffle is excellent. I really loved it. I ran out of white flour so I used for it whole wheat and it came out amazing. I made the apple juice option and is was good. the waffle recipe though is a keeper!
Hi Asma,
I love the fact that this recipe worked for you. It definitely is a favorite in our house.
Next time, I will try with wheat flour myself. Thank you so much for letting me know.
Cheers!
Aysegul, that was really helpful, thanks a lot I appreciate it :))
I will try it and let you know.
this sounds really good to me. im gonna make them this weakened, however, I don’t do alcohol, can I substitute the rum with something else? since its a whole cup I thought I should ask! 🙂
Hi Asma,
Sure. I understand.
Rum, to me, has such a distinct flavor that I think it would be best if you were to try a different combination that will work with bananas.
Here are some suggestions that you can pair bananas with:
– Chop bananas and mix them with some apple juice and a dash of cinnamon. You can still add pecans to give it a little bit of crunch. I don’t think that you need to cook this combination.
– You can also pair bananas up with flaky coconut, pineapples, and a couple of tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste). Again, you do not need to cook this combination.
I read on a website that some people substitute rum with orange juice, but I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe.
I hope this helps. These waffles are one of my favorite breakfast foods. I hope you and your family will like them as well.
Cheers from the Caribbean Islands.
Aysegul
Waffles are my fave. I would love to try the Banana-rum topping, never had one before. 🙂
Hi Joel,
They are my favorite too. Especially on weekend mornings.
I love the banana rum topping mainly because it is very Caribbean. 🙂
Cheers.
Ice
These waffles are fantastic – finally a recipe that isn’t too sweet!
Thank you my friend! Glad you liked it.
I am not a big waffle eater but I am digging the banana rum topping for my pancakes. Looove it.
Hi Shobelyn,
Yes this topping is really yummy. And if you are not a big waffle person you could always use on top of a toast or even pancakes.
Thank you for stopping by.
Cheers!
Ice
Yeasted waffles are my fave! They really save my life during the school year because I hate cooking first thing in the morning. These look amazing!
Thank you Amanda. I am not a big fan of early mornings myself and these come really handy.
Cheers!
Ice