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Light and Crispy Waffles

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 9, 2012

Yield

Makes 8 waffles (Each 7-inches round)

Light and Crispy Waffles

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup Rice Krispies ¾ cup cornstarch ¼ cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon table salt 2 large eggs, separated1 ½ cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup vegetable oil

Before You Begin

All waffle irons are not created equal. If your first waffle comes off the iron too pale or too dark, adjust the heat as necessary. Make sure to fill the waffle iron as directed; if you don't use enough batter, the Rice Krispies can scorch. Serve with syrup (see related recipes).

Instructions

  1. Preheat traditional waffle iron to medium. Meanwhile, stir flour, Rice Krispies, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk egg yolks, milk, vanilla, and oil together in medium bowl.
  2. With electric mixer or balloon whisk, beat egg whites in bowl to soft peaks. Pour milk mixture over dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Whisk in beaten whites until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of whites should be visible.
  3. Pour 2/3 cup batter into center of preheated waffle iron and use back of dinner spoon to spread batter toward outer edges (batter should reach about 1/2 inch from edges of iron before closing lid). Close lid and cook until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.
  4. keeping them warm

  5. Our waffles are best served right off the waffle iron, but they can be reheated so everyone can eat at once. Transfer the cooked waffles to a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet in a 400-degree oven and bake until crisp and hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
  6. keeping them frozen

  7. Like the convenience of frozen waffles but don't like their stale flavor? Our waffles freeze beautifully. After cooling the waffles, wrap each in plastic, then freeze in a zipper-lock bag for up to one month. To serve, place the waffles on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven until crisp and hot, about 5 minutes.
Light and Crispy Waffles

Light and Crispy Waffles

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Makes 8 waffles (Each 7-inches round)

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Rice Krispies
¾ cup cornstarch
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs, separated
1 ½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Rice Krispies
¾ cup cornstarch
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs, separated
1 ½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Rice Krispies
¾ cup cornstarch
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs, separated
1 ½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil

Why This Recipe Works

Waffles should be crisp on the outside and light on the inside, but too many recipes produce soggy versions. In our Light and Crispy Waffles recipe, we replaced flour with cornstarch and the butter with vegetable oil, which reduced the moisture in the batter and made for crispier waffles. We also found that an unexpected ingredient—Rice Krispies—gave our recipe an extra boost of crispiness and lightness.

Before You Begin

All waffle irons are not created equal. If your first waffle comes off the iron too pale or too dark, adjust the heat as necessary. Make sure to fill the waffle iron as directed; if you don't use enough batter, the Rice Krispies can scorch. Serve with syrup (see related recipes).

Instructions

  1. Preheat traditional waffle iron to medium. Meanwhile, stir flour, Rice Krispies, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk egg yolks, milk, vanilla, and oil together in medium bowl.
  2. With electric mixer or balloon whisk, beat egg whites in bowl to soft peaks. Pour milk mixture over dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Whisk in beaten whites until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of whites should be visible.
  3. Pour 2/3 cup batter into center of preheated waffle iron and use back of dinner spoon to spread batter toward outer edges (batter should reach about 1/2 inch from edges of iron before closing lid). Close lid and cook until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.
  4. keeping them warm

  5. Our waffles are best served right off the waffle iron, but they can be reheated so everyone can eat at once. Transfer the cooked waffles to a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet in a 400-degree oven and bake until crisp and hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
  6. keeping them frozen

  7. Like the convenience of frozen waffles but don't like their stale flavor? Our waffles freeze beautifully. After cooling the waffles, wrap each in plastic, then freeze in a zipper-lock bag for up to one month. To serve, place the waffles on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven until crisp and hot, about 5 minutes.

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