The Best Waffles Are Crisp on the Outside and Creamy on the Inside

The secret is buttermilk. America's Test Kitchen/TNS

We wanted a waffle recipe that produced crisp-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside waffles. We found that a thick batter lets the outside of the waffle become crisp, while the inside remains custardy. Buttermilk made our batter extra thick.

Because crispness is so important in waffles, we tried substituting cornmeal for a bit of the flour in our waffle recipe and found that 1 tablespoon per cup of flour adds extra crackle.

The extra effort of separating the egg and then whipping the white and folding it into the batter proved worth the trouble. The waffles turned out fluffier inside; we could actually see pockets of air trapped inside when we cut into a cooked waffle.

Classic Buttermilk Waffles

Makes 3 to 4 waffles

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, separated
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Heat waffle iron. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Whisk yolk with buttermilk and butter.

Beat egg white until it just holds a 2-inch peak.

Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients in a thin steady stream while gently mixing with a rubber spatula; be careful not to add liquid faster than you can incorporate it. Toward the end of mixing, use a folding motion to incorporate ingredients; gently fold egg white into batter.

Spread appropriate amount of batter onto the waffle iron. Following manufacturer’s instructions, cook waffle until golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately. (You can keep waffles warm on a wire rack in a 200-degree oven for up to 5 minutes.)

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