For the fluffiest waffles, don’t trust just any buttermilk waffle recipe. Our expertly-tested recipe has been tweaked to perfection, ensuring diner-quality, homemade waffles every time. Buttermilk helps add moisture, tangy flavor and airy lift to these fluffy waffles, making it one of the absolute best ways to make waffles from scratch.

How to Cook Buttermilk Waffles Like a Pro

Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately: As is the case with most simple waffle recipes, you’ll want to mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and whisk the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. This helps prevent the dry ingredients from clumping together and leaving pockets of flour in the wet batter.

Fold gently: Once the two sets of waffle ingredients are thoroughly mixed, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Gently mix (and be sure not to overmix) until the ingredients are completely incorporated into a smooth, glossy waffle batter.

Preheat the waffle iron: For the most fluffy waffles from scratch, be sure to preheat your waffle iron before adding the batter. Preheating the waffle iron ensures that the exterior will be crunchy and crispy and the interior will be tender and thoroughly cooked through. Preheating the iron in advance also helps make sure homemade waffles don’t stick to the surface.

If I Don’t Have Buttermilk, Can I Still Make Buttermilk Waffles from Scratch?

You can absolutely still make buttermilk waffles from scratch, even if you don’t have store-bought buttermilk at home. To make a buttermilk waffle recipe without actual buttermilk, create a buttermilk substitute. Simply grab milk (any type will work) and add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar for every one cup of milk. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for about five to ten minutes until it begins to curdle — then it’s ready to go! The combination of milk and acid creates a buttermilk-like substitute that works just as well as the real thing.

The Best Homemade Waffle Variations

Looking to switch up your standard homemade waffle recipe? There are a ton of fun toppings you can incorporate to liven up any basic waffle recipe. Try adding some fresh berries, bananas, or chocolate chips to your batter. To add more texture and toothsome bite, you can even add oats or chopped nuts.

How to Store and Reheat Waffles

To store waffles, cool them completely and place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can reheat them by warming them in a pan on the stove or even popping them in your toaster oven.

Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

The Best Buttermilk Waffles

Level: Easy

Total: 40 min
Active: 40 min

Yield: about 6 waffles

In creating this recipe, we tried out many different methods—folding in egg whites, milk versus buttermilk, a yeasted batter. But at the end of the day, this simple dump-and-stir was our favorite by far. Someone in the test kitchen may have even said this was the best waffle they'd ever eaten! The buttermilk makes this waffle ultra-light while the generous amount of butter makes for a super crispy exterior, leaving the inside custardy and soft. Finally, we kept the sugar to a minimum, making these the perfect foil for sweet toppings like maple syrup, berries or jam.