Buttermilk Whole Wheat Waffles

Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet, so it never hurts to include them into your recipes when possible. These Buttermilk Whole Wheat Waffles are made with white whole wheat flour, which makes them a better choice for your daily breakfast than some other waffle recipes. Despite their high whole grain content – something that might make you worry that these waffles with be dense instead of delicious – the waffles still bake up to be crisp on the outside with a fluffy interior!

The batter for this recipe is easy to put together and can be made up in just one bowl. It uses white whole wheat flour, along with a generous dose of buttermilk, vanilla, melted butter and a bit of sugar.

Whole wheat flour is made using the whole grain of the wheat, including the outer bran. The bran is typically brown or reddish, which gives whole wheat flour its brownish color. White whole wheat flour is made from a variety of flour where the bran is extremely light in color and has a much milder, sweeter flavor profile than that of traditional bran. This means that the flour itself is lighter in flavor and, though it packs in a generous serving of whole grains, it looks and feels more like all purpose flour in most recipes.

The waffles have a hint of whole wheat nuttiness, but you primarily get tangy buttermilk and vanilla in each bite. They’re very slightly sweet and perfect when topped off with maple syrup and fresh berries. The number of waffles that you get from this recipe will vary by the size of your waffle iron. If you have a Belgian-style iron, you may find that you get fewer waffles than you would with a flatter waffle iron (however they will probably be crispier due to the larger surface area of each square). If you have a mini waffle iron, cut the recipe in half and you’ll get about 8 mini waffles.

Buttermilk Whole Wheat Waffles
2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 large eggs
3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2 cups buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in eggs, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla extract and whisk until batter is smooth and uniform.
Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturers’ directions and, if it is not a nonstick iron, lightly grease with cooking spray. Fill waffle maker with batter (typically from 1/2-cup to 1 cup, depending on the size of the iron) and cook until golden on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 large waffles.