Name: Vegan Belgian Waffles
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour; 3 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 tablespoons organic sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 cups plant-based milk , room temperature; ¼ cup coconut oil , melted and cooled; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Why This Recipe Works

There are different styles of waffles, but our ideal version is the Belgian waffle—nice and thick, with deep pockets, plus a crispy, browned crust and a rich, custardy interior that soaks up liberal pours of maple syrup without becoming soggy. We were able to create a vegan waffle that not only met this ideal but surpassed other nonvegan waffles we've had. Ours owe their custardy interior in large part to a key ingredient: cornstarch. Without cornstarch, the waffles had an airy, hollow interior, while too much cornstarch yielded a dense and doughy interior. A moderate amount, however, produced a delicate yet pleasantly chewy, nearly soufflé-like texture—without eggs. To achieve a crisp, golden, slightly lacy exterior, we opted for coconut oil over vegetable oil, which yielded a tougher, chewier crust. We also found that a small amount of baking soda helped our butter- and dairy-free waffles brown like conventional versions. The final step in getting a golden, crisp crust was nailing the cooking time; we needed to cook our waffles for 5 to 6 minutes, significantly longer than for many other waffle recipes.

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe using our winning waffle maker, the Waring Pro Double Belgian Waffle Maker. While this waffle maker has an indicator light and an audible alert to tell you your waffle is done, we always suggest following the visual cues to determine doneness.

Instructions

Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven.

Whisk flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk milk, melted oil, lemon juice, and vanilla together in second bowl. Make well in center of flour mixture, add milk mixture to well, and gently whisk until just incorporated with few lumps remaining (do not overmix).

Spray preheated waffle iron with vegetable oil spray. Add scant 1 cup batter to waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's instructions until crisp, firm, and golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately or transfer to wire rack in oven. Repeat with remaining batter.