These Whole Wheat Waffles are crisp on the outside, and deliciously light and chewy on the inside. From Sunday morning brunch to quick weekday breakfast, these waffles do it all!

Why We Love These Whole Wheat Waffles

Do you have any recipes in your repertoire that you feel like you couldn’t live without? Recipes that are so essential to the way you feed your family, that you’re not sure how you would manage, day-to-day, without them?

Best-Ever Whole Wheat Waffles are one of those recipes for us. They are healthy and whole, easy to make, crisp, fluffy, and perfectly basic. I can be assured that everyone in the house, even the picky eaters, will love them. And they store beautifully in the freezer.

Thank you, breakfast gods, for these waffles!

Ingredients for Whole Wheat Waffles:

• whole milk– the extra fat from whole milk helps tenderize and add richness to these waffles, but you can substitute low-fat or dairy free milk.
• egg– flax eggs work well in waffles if you are looking for an egg-free waffle. Use 1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water to replace the egg.
• vanilla– optional, but delicious!
• maple syrup– we think this is the perfect sweetener for waffles, but you can easily substitute honey or sugar here.
• butter– we like using salted butter, but coconut oil or vegetable oil work too!
• whole wheat flour– white whole wheat flour will produce a lighter waffle. Spoon and level when measuring to avoid adding too much flour which will produce a denser waffle.
• baking powder– this will help to lighten your waffles.
• salt

How to Make Whole Wheat Waffles

1. Preheat waffle iron. A nice hot waffle iron is the secret to super crispy waffles.
2. Whisk together wet ingredients.
3. Whisk together dry ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir JUST until combined. Some lumps are okay. Do not over mix!
5. Cook until golden brown and crispy.
6. Sit back and enjoy eating the world’s best waffles ever.

How to Serve Whole Wheat Waffles

These waffles are also real workhorses in a house with kids. Of course, they make a welcome Sunday breakfast, topped with fresh fruit and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. But they taste just as amazing reheated in the toaster oven for a quick weekday breakfast or a new spin on lunchbox sandwiches.

In fact, making waffle sandwiches is one of my favorite ways to use leftover waffles. Try these tasty and nutritious fillings (that each include a protein to round things out!)

• Cottage cheese, raisins, and cinnamon
• Peanut butter and banana slices
• Ham and cheese
• Egg and spinach

The biggest reason these waffles are so versatile is that they freeze amazingly well. I like to double the recipe so you can store the leftovers in gallon-sized freezer bags for quick eats.

Which waffle iron should I use?

I love this Cuisinart model. It’s affordable and compact, and it makes thin American waffles. These waffles are easy to freeze and reheat in a toaster, and work great if using your waffles to make a sandwich. The waffle iron is also super easy to clean!

Belgian waffles are thicker, with deep pockets and have that extra-crispy texture. We love these waffles for company or special occasion breakfasts. We love this Belgian Waffle Iron because it cooks two waffles at once!

Rest assured, though: Best-Ever Whole Wheat Waffles will work in any type of waffle iron.

More Delicious Waffle Recipes to Try:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• Plug in waffle iron to preheat.

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, egg, vanilla, maple syrup, and melted butter.

• In a separate mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.

• Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined. Some lumps are OK!

• Pour batter into the waffle iron, one half cup at a time, and cook until golden brown and crispy.

• Cool leftover waffles completely before storing in freezer bags in the fridge or freezer.

Original Recipe: 

• 2 + 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1¹/₂ teaspoons baking soda
• ¹/₂ teaspoon salt

1. Plug in waffle iron to preheat.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk and apple cider vinegar.
3. Melt the butter in the microwave, then add it to the bowl along with the eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk again until well-combined.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined. Some lumps are OK!
6. Pour batter into the waffle iron, one half cup at a time, and cook until golden brown and crispy.
7. Cool leftover waffles completely before storing in freezer bags in the fridge or freezer.

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 511mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g