Homemade Waffles with Pancake Syrup

Name: Homemade Waffles with Pancake Syrup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 1 tablespoon (13 g) granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon (13 g) baking powder, fresh, not expired; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt; 1¾ cups (420 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; nonstick cooking spray or extra vegetable oil, for greasing the waffle iron, as needed; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; ½ cup (105 g) light or dark brown sugar, packed; 1 cup (240 ml) water; 1 tablespoon (20 g) light corn syrup; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) maple extract (optional); fine salt, a small pinch, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp-edged, tender-centered waffles made from a simple pantry batter, served with a quick buttery brown sugar pancake syrup you cook in minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: 6 round 7-inch (18 cm) waffles, plus about 1½ cups (360 ml) syrup

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the waffles
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
1 tablespoon (13 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (13 g) baking powder, fresh, not expired
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
1¾ cups (420 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
nonstick cooking spray or extra vegetable oil, for greasing the waffle iron, as needed
For the pancake syrup
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (105 g) light or dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 tablespoon (20 g) light corn syrup
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) maple extract (optional)
fine salt, a small pinch, to taste

Equipment (9)

Waffle iron (standard 7-inch / 18 cm round, or similar)
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl or 4-cup (1 L) liquid measuring cup
Whisk
Medium saucepan (2–3 quart / 2–3 L)
Rubber spatula
½-cup (120 ml) measuring cup or ladle
Baking sheet with wire rack
Pastry brush or paper towel for greasing the iron

Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs and milk out of the fridge 20–30 minutes ahead so they mix smoothly. Cold milk can make the oil clump.
Waffle irons vary. This recipe assumes a standard 7-inch (18 cm) round iron that takes about ½ cup (120 ml) of batter. Check your manual and adjust the amount for larger or smaller irons.
Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and set a wire rack on a baking sheet inside. This keeps finished waffles warm and crisp while you cook the rest.
The syrup thickens as it cools. It will look thin when you take it off the heat.

1
Heat oven and ironOven 200°F / 95°C
- Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and place a wire rack set on a baking sheet inside.
- Plug in the waffle iron and heat it to a medium-high setting (or the setting your manual suggests for classic waffles).
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Ready when: The iron's ready light comes on or the indicator signals it is hot.
Tip: A fully preheated iron is what makes the outside crisp, so don't rush it.
2
Make the syrup
- In a medium saucepan, combine the white sugar, brown sugar, water, corn syrup and salt.
- Stir over medium heat until the sugars dissolve.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 5 minutes without stirring, until slightly thickened and glossy.
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Ready when: Syrup coats the back of a spoon lightly. It will still look thinner than store-bought.
Tip: Use a pan with plenty of room. The syrup foams up as it boils.
3
Finish the syrup
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the butter until melted, then stir in the syrup vanilla and the maple extract if using.
- Set aside to cool and thicken while you make the batter.
- Serve warm.
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Ready when: Butter is fully melted and no streaks remain.
Tip: Add the extracts off the heat so their flavor doesn't cook away.
4
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, waffle sugar, baking powder and salt for 20 seconds, until evenly combined with no lumps of baking powder.
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Ready when: The mixture looks uniform and pale.
5
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the eggs until the yolks and whites are blended.
- Whisk in the milk, oil and waffle vanilla until smooth.
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Ready when: No streaks of egg or pools of oil are visible.
6
Combine and rest batter
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Whisk gently just until the flour is moistened, about 10–15 strokes.
- A few small lumps are fine.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Batter is pourable, like thick heavy cream, with a few small bubbles on top.
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough, chewy waffles.
7
Cook the first waffle
- Lightly grease the hot waffle iron with cooking spray.
- Pour about ½ cup (120 ml) batter into the center, spreading it close to the edges if needed.
- Close the lid and cook for 4–5 minutes.
- Don't open the lid for the first 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Steam slows to a thin wisp, the waffle is deep golden brown, and it lifts away from the grids easily.
Tip: The first waffle is your test. If it is pale, turn the iron up. If it is dark before it's set, turn it down or use less batter.
8
Cook and hold the restOven 200°F / 95°C
- Transfer the waffle to the rack in the oven in a single layer.
- Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the iron lightly every second waffle, to make 6 waffles total.
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Ready when: Each waffle is golden and crisp on the outside and tender inside.
Tip: Don't stack waffles. Stacking traps steam and makes them soggy.
9
Serve
- Rewarm the syrup gently over low heat for 1–2 minutes if it has cooled too much to pour easily.
- Serve the waffles hot, with the syrup passed at the table.
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Ready when: Syrup is warm and pourable.

Good to know

Tips

Don't press down on the lid or open it early. Cutting the cook short tears the waffle apart.
For extra-crisp waffles, leave each one in the iron an extra 30 seconds, or add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in place of 1 tablespoon of flour.
Spread batter with a spatula only up to about ½ inch (1 cm) from the edge. It expands as it cooks.
If the syrup crystallizes, return it to the pan with 1–2 tablespoons water and warm gently until smooth.

Make ahead

The dry ingredients can be whisked together up to 1 week ahead and stored airtight at room temperature. The syrup can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerated. Cooked waffles can be frozen (see storage).

Storage & reheating

Waffles: cool completely, then keep airtight at room temperature for up to 4 hours, in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer, layered with parchment, for up to 2 months. Reheat from fridge or frozen in a toaster or a 375°F (190°C) oven for 5–8 minutes until crisp and hot. Syrup: keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Warm it gently on the stove or for 20–30 seconds in the microwave before serving.

Substitutions

whole milk → buttermilk or unsweetened plant milk. Use the same amount. Buttermilk gives a tangier waffle. Plant milks work but browning may be a little lighter.
vegetable oil → melted unsalted butter, slightly cooled. Use the same amount for a richer, buttery flavor. Let it cool a little so it doesn't scramble the eggs.
light corn syrup → honey or golden syrup. Helps prevent crystallizing. Honey adds a slight floral flavor.
maple extract → an extra ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. Or leave it out. The syrup will be more caramel-flavored than maple-flavored.