She Strengthens

Cozy Up with a Delicious Winter Waffle Recipe

As the winter chill sets in, there’s nothing like a warm and comforting breakfast to start your day off right. This seasonal waffle recipe is the perfect treat to indulge in on a lazy weekend morning.

Aromatic Spices and Sweetness

The star of this recipe is the combination of warm gingerbread spices and rich brown sugar, which infuse the waffles with a cozy, wintery flavor. The addition of dark molasses adds a deep, robust note that complements the sweetness of the maple syrup perfectly.

Easy to Make, Delicious to Eat

This recipe yields about 8 Belgian waffles, making it a great option for a family breakfast or brunch. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to make, requiring just one hour of your time. Simply whip up the batter, cook the waffles in a Belgian waffle iron, and serve with a pat of creamy vanilla-orange butter and a drizzle of warm maple syrup.

Tips and Variations

For an extra-special touch, try using high-quality ingredients like fresh vanilla beans and real orange zest. If you’re short on time, you can also freeze the waffles for up to a week and toast them for a quick weekday breakfast.

Ingredients

For the Vanilla-Orange Butter:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt

For the Waffles:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 large eggs
• 3 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup dark molasses, such as Grandma’s Robust
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Warm maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the Vanilla-Orange Butter: Mash the softened butter in a medium bowl until it’s very spreadable. Add the vanilla seeds or extract, zest, and salt, and mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
2. Prepare the Waffle Batter: Whisk together the flour, sugar, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and cloves in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, molasses, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
3. Cook the Waffles: Heat a Belgian waffle iron to medium-low according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fill the iron with batter, close the lid, and cook until the steam starts to diminish. Transfer the waffle to a wire rack on a baking sheet in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
4. Serve and Enjoy: Serve the waffles hot with a pat of vanilla-orange butter and a drizzle of warm maple syrup, if desired.