100% Whole Wheat Waffles

In college, one of our dining halls had a waffle station set up. And not just for breakfast, it was there all day long. My favorite breakfast for dinner (or even dessert) was one of those giant belgian waffles piled high with strawberries and whipped cream. My 30-something self is very envious of my college metabolism I hear a lot of people complain about college dining hall food, but I loved ours. I moved off campus my senior year and man, did I ever miss the variety of options and the fact that someone else did the cooking and washed the dishes!

When we registered before our wedding, I insisted we scan a waffle maker. I didn’t really cook or bake at the time, but I was confident I would use the waffle maker. Riiiight. The poor thing sat unused for years in the cabinet. When I did finally break it out, I didn’t end up loving it. I could never seem to find that sweet spot where the wells would be completely full without batter spilling out all over the sides of the waffle maker. I started to dread using it because the clean-up was such a nightmare. And while the waffles were tasty, they never really got as crispy as I would have liked.

So for my birthday this year I did a ton of research and asked for another waffle maker. Last week I tested it out, and could not have been happier with the results! In fact, they were so good I tried again the next day just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke No spilled batter and perfectly browned, crisp-on-the-outside waffles. (UPDATED: After a few requests in the comments, I figured it made sense to share this here: my waffle maker is by Presto and is called the FlipSide. It’s definitely available on Amazon, maybe locally too?)

Both times I made this whole wheat waffle recipe, which I am now completely obsessed with. The batter literally comes together in 2 minutes so it’s super simple, and as the title indicates, the waffles are made entirely with whole wheat flour! I always use white whole wheat flour rather than regular – same nutritional benefits, but less bitter, at least to my taste buds. I love the slight nuttiness the whole wheat flour adds here, yet the waffles aren’t heavy at all. In fact, when you bite into the crispy exterior you find a light, fluffy center. There’s just a tiny bit of sugar in the recipe so the waffles aren’t very sweet. Of course that means you’d be totally justified in loading them up with maple syrup! Or butter or strawberries and whipped cream or even ice cream – the possibilities are endless!

100% Whole Wheat Waffles
from King Arthur Flour

{Note: the yield is going to depend on the size/shape of your waffle maker. The recipe made 3 big belgian waffles in mine.}

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1/3 cup canola oil

Preheat your waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you want to keep the waffles warm, preheat your oven to 200 F then place a wire rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and pop in the oven.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the egg, milk and canola oil. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until barely combined (lumpy batter is a-ok!).

Fill the wells of your waffle maker and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions (4 minutes in my waffle maker). To keep the first waffles warm while you finish up the batter, transfer to the wire rack in the oven. Serve with your favorite toppings!