Simple Sourdough Waffle Recipe That Is Delicious

Sourdough waffles are absolutely amazing and I have a simple sourdough waffle recipe for you that you will love! Sometimes things aren’t all that they are cracked up to be, but these sourdough waffles are! I started out making them on the weekends, but now I find myself making them during the week as well. 

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How do you make this simple sourdough waffle recipe?

You need to make a sponge the night before, which is a combination of sourdough discard (leftover starter) and other ingredients. I let mine sit out on the counter overnight. You mix in a few more basic ingredients the next morning, and then cook them in the waffle iron.

What are the recipe steps?

1. You will need to feed your starter the morning before. You will use 25 grams of starter, 125 grams of water, and 125 grams of food. I use a rye and bread flour mix. I mix 100 grams of rye with 900 grams of bread flour for my starter’s food. You can use discard for this recipe.
2. Make a sponge the night before. You will mix 240 grams of sourdough starter or discard with 120 grams of all-purpose flour, 20 grams of brown sugar ( you can use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar), and 224 grams of buttermilk. I make my own buttermilk by mixing 1 teaspoon of vinegar with 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes. I stir it about half way through. Cover the sponge with cling wrap and leave it on your counter overnight. You can refrigerate it instead of leaving it on the counter if you would like.
3. The morning of, plug in your waffle iron and let it heat up while you are adding in the ingredients to the sponge.
4. Take your sponge and mix in 1 egg, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. baking soda.
5. You may need to spray your waffle iron with a non-stick spray. Pour the batter into your waffle iron and let it cook until the steam starts slowing down. This usually takes 3-5 minutes. You can check it at this point to see if it is to your liking. Some like their waffles soft, some prefer crispy, and some like them somewhere in between.
6. Top them with anything you would like or nothing at all. You will find that they are even delicious plain. You can eat them later in the day as a grab and go snack without the toppings. Some of our favorite toppings include powdered sugar, butter, maple syrup, strawberries, and blueberries.

Does the batter last more than one day?

The batter does well for two days. We rarely have enough for a second day, but it still cooks up just as well the second day as it does the first day.

Can you freeze them?

Yes, however, that is not my preference. I just don’t think you can beat them when they are fresh. You can put wax paper between them and freeze them in a gallon size bag. Reheat them in the microwave for around 10-15 seconds or in the toaster.

How long does it take to make this sourdough recipe?

It takes me right around 10 minutes to mix up the sponge the night before. I make my own buttermilk, which involves mixing one cup milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar and letting it sit for 5 minutes.  It takes around 5-10 minutes to mix in the final ingredients on the morning that you plan to make them. The cooking time will vary, but plan on 3-5 minutes per waffle. My waffle iron makes one large waffle.

Can you mix them up the morning you plan to make them?

Yes! That doesn’t give them time to ferment and digest the grains, but it is doable. The sour fermented taste is hard to beat. Also, the fact that they are more easily digested since they ferment overnight is an added perk.

What is the hardest part of this sourdough waffle recipe?

Honestly, probably getting a starter or making a starter for this recipe. A starter is a combination of flour, water, and air bacteria that has fermented.  Also, if you don’t have a waffle iron, you won’t be able to make waffles.  My waffle iron is around 22 years old. We received it as a wedding present and it is still going strong! You could use this recipe to make pancakes instead if you don’t have a waffle iron, but want to still try out this recipe.