Step aside, any and all other waffle recipes—the new boss is in town!
After a long week of chaos and work, there’s truly nothing quite like a Saturday morning waffle breakfast. While waiting until Saturday to make these waffles isn’t strictly necessary, there’s something about the wait that makes them even more special when the time finally arrives.
Served with a decadent homemade cream sauce and sweet, sunny strawberries, these waffles make you feel like you’re in the fanciest brunch spot in town, but really you’re in the comfort of your own kitchen.
And if you agree with me that this is, in fact, the BEST waffle recipe you’ve ever tasted, do as my mother did when I was growing up, and double the recipe so you can freeze the extra waffles for later! Bring a little weekend cheer to your midweek slump by grabbing a few from the freezer, popping them in the toaster ’til warm and soft, and enjoying them with whatever fresh fruit, sauces, and sweet syrups you have on hand.
Is This Waffle Recipe With Strawberries And Cream Sauce Healthy?
This waffle recipe strikes a balance between indulgence and nutrition. Whole-wheat pastry flour provides extra fiber and nutrients compared to all-purpose flour, and reduced-fat dairy helps cut down on saturated fat. However, the recipe still contains refined sugar in the cream sauce and a generous amount of canola oil in the waffles, which aren’t the healthiest options out there. As with all sweet treats, I recommend enjoying these waffles in moderation.
If you’re interested in making this waffle recipe healthier, you could replace the sugar in the cream sauce with a sugar-free sweetener like monk fruit or use coconut sugar, which has a slightly lower glycemic index. You could also substitute part of the canola oil with unsweetened applesauce to lower the fat content without losing moisture. Or you can use a healthier oil, like avocado oil, for example. Additionally, adding chia seeds or flaxseeds to the batter could boost the nutritional profile while keeping the waffles light and fluffy.
The Importance of Checking Your Pantry Ingredients
It’s easy to forget what’s in your pantry, especially if you don’t bake frequently. But it’s important to always check the dates of whatever you pull from the pantry, and also check it for any uninvited guests, too!
Flour bugs, commonly known as pantry weevils or rice bugs, are small beetles that infest various dry food items in your pantry, particularly flour, rice, and cereals. While these bugs are unable to bite or sting humans, they can multiply rapidly in your pantry and spread to other ingredients.
Always ensure you use airtight containers made of glass, metal, or heavy plastic to keep dry goods sealed. You can also lay out natural deterrents like bay leaves or diatomaceous earth as natural repellents. If you spot any bugs in your flour, discard it immediately and deep clean the pantry with hot soapy water.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store waffles in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, pop them in the toaster from frozen. The cream sauce should be stored separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm it on the stove or in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
If I’m making these waffles for brunch with my friends or family, I always serve the cream sauce on the side with a few additions. This way, everyone can dress their waffles exactly to their liking.
This Watermelon Fruit Salad is ideal for sharing, and it goes great with the cream sauce. Alongside the sauce, I also like to serve this Vegan Caramel Sauce because the two complement each other perfectly.
Though this recipe calls for serving the waffles with strawberries, fruit sauces are also a great idea. In the autumn, I like to serve the waffles with some delightfully sweet Cinnamon Applesauce. Come winter, you can’t go wrong serving these waffles with some Cranberry Sauce. And in spring and summer, top them with this bright and zesty Strawberry Sauce. So many possibilities!
Ingredients
For The Waffle Batter:
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups reduced-fat buttermilk
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup canola oil
For The Cream Sauce:
- 2 1/2 cups 2% milk divided
- 1/2 cup of the waffle batter
- 1 tablespoon whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Fresh strawberries for serving
Instructions
To Make the Waffle Batter:
- Add all waffle batter ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
To Make the Cream Sauce:
- In a large glass or microwave-safe bowl, heat 2 cups of the milk in 2-minute increments, whisking between each increment, until it just begins to boil. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes on high.
- While you boil the milk, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup of waffle batter, whole-wheat flour, granulated sugar, and the remaining milk. Make sure you whisk the flour in slowly to avoid lumps.
- Once the milk is just about to boil, quickly whisk in the waffle batter mixture and continue microwaving in 2-minute increments, stirring between each increment, until the sauce just begins to boil. This will take at least 15 minutes; it does not need to boil for a long time, and you want to stop cooking it when it just starts to boil.
- All microwaves are different, but my milk took 10 minutes to boil, then I added the batter mixture and microwaved for a total of 25 minutes, including cooking the plain milk.
- Be careful when removing the cream sauce from the microwave as it will be hot. Let the cream stand and thicken while you cook the waffles, being sure to stir every few minutes so that the top does not develop a skin.
To Cook the Waffles:
- Preheat your waffle iron, and prep it with cooking spray or a very small drizzle of oil on a paper towel. Pour about a 1/2 cup of waffle batter (depending how large your waffle iron is) into it. Close and cook until crisp and golden brown.
- Keep the waffles warm on a plate under a clean kitchen towel. When ready to serve, top the waffles with the cream sauce and fresh strawberries.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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