Make every Sunday breakfast one you’ll remember with our crisp and fluffy waffle recipe. Adding cornstarch helps lighten the batter and ensures a crispier result.
Senior Food Editor Amy Traverso first learned the trick of adding cornstarch to waffle batter from the cookbook author Pam Anderson. Because cornstarch contains no gluten, it helps lighten the batter and ensures a crispier result. Using a mild olive oil instead of butter also improves the texture and actually enhances the flavor. And beating the egg whites separately, then folding them into the batter, produces the fluffiest of waffles.
From “Good As Gold,” March/April 2020
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
5 tablespoons mild olive oil
Cooking spray (preferably coconut oil spray)
Maple syrup and salted butter
Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Preheat the oven to 180° and have a large sheet pan at the ready.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk and olive oil. Add to the dry mixture and use a spatula to just combine. The mixture should be mostly smooth, but a few lumps are fine.
In a large bowl, using a handheld or standing mixer, whisk the egg whites with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar to form soft peaks. Working in two batches, gently fold the whites into the batter with a spatula.
Spray your heated waffle iron with cooking spray and cook the waffles in batches according to the manufacturer’s instructions. At a setting of 375°, the waffles take about 5 minutes to cook. As the waffles are done, lay them on the sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Serve with maple syrup and salted butter.