Sunday mornings were made for Sourdough Waffles - they might take a few hours extra prep but this is one breakfast that is well worth the wait! Get the recipe below.
Slow and steady wins the race
I'll be honest, these aren't the kind of waffles you wake up and decide you're going to make. They are a weekend long love affair that will have you waking up early on a Sunday morning because you are so excited about finally getting to eat them. Everything about sourdough is a labour of love. Nurturing a starter is something that brings me so much joy. It just seems pure magic that a mixture of flour and water can become a living, breathing thing that makes the tastiest bread and other treats.
My starter is called Ryan (a bit of a play on words because he's made from rye flour). For most of the week he lives in the fridge; sleeping. On a Friday night I get him out, give him a feed and let him come back to life overnight. On Saturday morning he will have grown up the sides of his jar, bubbling away and just begging to be baked with. You'll want to do the first step of this recipe on Saturday morning. You make a [sponge] - just starter, flour and water mixed well - which is then left to ferment for 12 hours. Saturday night you'll want to do step 2; adding flour and milk to your sponge. When you wake up on Sunday morning you'll be greater with a sour batter, bubbling away. Step 3 is to enrich this with eggs, vanilla a little oil and some sugar. It's then ready to turn into waffles!
Put your spin on it
I've left this recipe as simple as I can. I've suggested adding vanilla as that's a pretty good base for whatever you want to top these with but you could add in any spices you like. In the winter months I will definitely be adding cinnamon and nutmeg for a little warmth. You can also make these savoury by leaving out the vanilla/sugar and adding a little salt and pepper instead.
My favourite thing is to serve these for breakfast with fresh berries, banana and maple syrup. That being said, they work equally well as pudding with salted caramel ice cream and hot fudge sauce. If you decide to go down the savoury route, why not top with smashed avocado, a poached egg and some chilli flakes. This recipe really is that versatile!
However you decide to top these waffles one thing never changes - these are some of the lightest, fluffiest waffles you will ever make thanks to the delicate bubbles of your sourdough starter. They also have that characteristic slightly sour taste that you get with all sourdough bakes.
The recipe
Hopefully you've not been put off by the long wait from taking your starter out of the fridge and these waffles landing on your plate. The good news is that depending on the size of your waffle iron you should get between 12 and 16 waffles out of this batter. Not planning on feed 6-8 people in one go? Don't worry, these freeze really well. You can find the full instructions in the recipe notes.
Sourdough Waffles
Equipment
- Waffle iron
Ingredients
- 50 grams sourdough starter
- 110 grams water room temperature
- 375 grams self-raising flour
- 500 ml milk
- 3 medium eggs
- 50 ml vegetable oil
- 50 ml maple syrup optional
- 1 vanilla pod seeds only, optional
Instructions
- The morning before you want to eat these waffles, mix your sourdough starter, water and 110 grams of the self-raising flour in a large bowl to form your "sponge". Cover this with clingfilm and let it rest at room temperature for 12 hours.
- During those 12 hours the mix will have begun to ferment creating bubbles throughout. Add the rest of the flour to your bowl and whisk together with the sponge. As it starts to come together in a thick batter, slowly start adding the milk and whisking until you have a smooth, slightly runny consistency. Cover the bowl with clingfilm again and place in the fridge overnight (roughly 12 hours).
- When you're ready to make your waffles, lightly brush your waffle maker with vegetable oil and leave to pre-heat according to it's instructions.
- In the meantime, add the eggs and vanilla to the batter and whisk well (ideally using an electric whisk), until you have a light and frothy batter.
- Once the waffle maker is ready, pour in roughly a cup of batter (the exact amount will depend on the size of your waffle iron) and cook for 3-4 minutes. The waffles are done when they are crisp on the outside and a shade of golden brown.
- Enjoy immediately (or follow the instructions in the notes to freeze).
Notes
Freezing instructions
If you don't want to enjoy these waffles immediately, place them on to a wire rack and leave them to cool completely. Place into freezer bags and lay flat.Cook from frozen
To cook from frozen, simply pop in the toaster and cook until piping hot and crispy on the outside.Nutrition
More breakfast inspiration
If you like this recipe the head straight over to the Breakfast Archives for more tempting breakfast and brunch dishes like this epic stack of chocolate and raspberry pancakes!
Jess says
This recipe sounds amazing! I'm jealous of anyone who gets to eat this in the morning! YUM!
Mirlene says
Waffles look amazing. Perfect breakfast to serve a large family. I am curious to try sourdough starter as I have never used it before.
Natalie says
I love homemade waffles! These look so delicious and perfect for weekend brunch!
Emily Krill says
Great recipe! Your friend Ryan sounds like a keeper.
Pam Greer says
I make sourdough bread every week, but I never thought to make sourdough waffles! What a great breakfast recipe, they come out perfect and are so worth the effort!