Crispy Belgian Waffles with Yeast

This Belgian waffle recipe, leavened with yeast makes homemade Belgian waffles that are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.

Before we dive into this Belgian waffles recipe, know that there are two main waffle types you can find in Belgium - Brussels Waffles and Leige Waffles. 

This crispy Belgian waffle recipe is for making the light and airy Brussels waffles.

What’s the difference between Brussels Waffles and Leige Waffles 

Brussels waffles (Brusselse wafels) are light and airy. They are leavened with yeast, are traditionally rectangles and feature deep pockets in which to hold powdered sugar and other fillings. The batter for this waffles is like a pourable cake batter that fills up all the grooves in the waffle iron. 

Liege waffles (Luikse wafels) are very different. They are also known as sugar waffles. Though they have a similar grid waffle pattern to Brussels waffles, Liege waffles are denser and very sweet, almost like sweet pastry or bread. They often have sugar pearls throughout the waffle for a sweet crunch. The batter for liege waffles is more like a sticky dough that is pressed into the waffle iron. Liege waffles aren’t even rectangles like Brussels waffles are, they are shaped rustically when the dough is pressed into the waffle iron.

The Best Recipe for Belgian Waffles Made with Yeast 

The best belgian waffle recipe has yeast as the rising agent. Yeast gives an airyness to the waffle, it creates a crispy outside and it adds a lot of flavor.

The batter for the waffles is best prepared the evening before and placed in the refrigerator overnight.

This long and cool ferment lets the batter rise slowly and increases the flavor the following day.

How To Make Belgian Waffles 

Preparing the batter the night before not only increases the flavor in the waffles, it also means that making waffles for breakfast is nice and easy since the work of preparing the batter has been done the night before. 

The Night Before - In a saucepan combine the milk and cubes of butter. Warm it over low-medium heat until the butter has melted. Leave it to cool slightly, then pour it into a large bowl.

Add to this the yeast, sugar, salt, flour and eggs and whisk it together until combined. It will be a bit lumpy and that is fine. Cover the bowl with a lid or a plate and place it in the refrigerator overnight. 

For faster waffles, the waffle batter can also ferment on the bench instead, for 2 hours or until doubled. This way is much quicker but they won't be as flavorful.

The Following Morning - Take the batter from the refrigerator and stir it with a fork to deflate it. Add in 2-3 Tbsp more of milk to create a pourable cake batter consistency.

Heat a waffle iron. Once hot, pour in approximately ½ cup of batter per waffle, though this will depend on the size of your waffle maker. Bake them for 3-4 minutes until browned and crispy.

Serve them immediately.

Serving Belgian Waffles 

To keep belgian waffles crispy, serve them the moment they come from the waffle iron. If they sit and cool down they will lose their crispiness. You can get it back by placing them back in the waffle iron on low heat to crisp up again

Serve the waffles with your favorite toppings. Brussels waffles are often served purely with powdered sugar and eaten by hand, however you can add many more toppings such as: 

• Chopped berries or berry compote
• Maple syrup or Apple syrup
• Whipped Cream
• Sliced Banana

What Waffle Maker is best For Belgian Waffles 

A rectangle waffle maker with deep grooves will make the most traditional belgian waffles. If you have one that can flip upside down, this will create a much more even bake

Flipping Waffles Upside Down 

Pour the waffle batter in, close the machine and flip it upside down for a minute, before flipping it back the right way round and continue baking. This allows the batter to coat the top of the machine evenly. 

Have you made these? Tag me and let me know!

Love waffles? Why not try sourdough waffles too! Or for another yeasty sweet treat try these buttermilk donuts.

You can also create this homemade apple syrup to pour over the waffles or serve these orange and cardamom homemade scones alongside the waffles for brunch.