Homemade waffles are a snap if you have a waffle maker and this simple recipe! It takes a little practice but soon you'll be making fancy waffle breakfasts in minutes!
I remember sampling some truly outstanding waffles on a “Trends Walk” trip in Brooklyn, NY, years ago. We explored a variety of waffle styles and, of course, made a stop at the legendary Waffles & Dinges food truck—still a benchmark for texture and flavor in my mind.
I find it surprisingly difficult to get the right texture when ordering waffles out—too often they’re soft, pale, or steamed rather than crisp. My children, however, love breakfast at several local spots in Philadelphia. I’m admittedly picky, so I’m rarely impressed.
On our most recent visit, I ordered waffles myself. I could see one of the two cooks working the waffle iron through the kitchen pass, so I assumed mine would arrive fresh, hot, and crunchy. My daughter also ordered waffles—and as anyone in the business knows, when there’s only one waffle maker and two orders…
Homemade Waffles
Waffles trace their origins to medieval Europe, where flat cakes were cooked between two metal plates over an open fire. These early irons, often decorated with religious symbols or heraldic designs, produced wafers—thin, crisp cakes that were more about portability and ritual than indulgence.
Waffles evolved into a leavened batter, enriched with eggs and dairy, particularly in Belgium, the Netherlands, and northern France. As sugar became more accessible through trade, waffles went from simple sustenance to delicious snacks at street markets and festivals.
The waffle continued to evolve as it traveled, taking on regional identities—from yeast-raised, deeply pocketed Belgian styles to thinner, crisper versions found across Europe. In the United States, waffles gained popularity in the 19th century with the introduction of cast-iron waffle makers and later electric irons, becoming a breakfast staple rather than a street food. Today waffles are enjoyed throughout the day, often served with fried chicken for lunch or dinner and even as an ice cream sandwich dessert.
Preparing Breakfast Waffles
Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients
1 ea Egg whisked
1/2 C AP flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Butter, lightly salted, melted
1/2 C Milk
1/4 tsp Vanilla
(optional)
1 C Chocolate chips, blueberries, walnuts, bananas, etc...
How to Prepare Breakfast Waffles
Step 1
Crack the egg into a bowl, add the flour & whisk gently until there are no lumps. Add the remaining ingredients, lightly whisk to incorporate.
Step 2
Heat a waffle maker or waffle griddle pan, add a very small amount of butter or spray and ladle batter into the pan-the amount you ladle will dictate the size of the waffle-be careful not to overfill!
It's ok to use a little less batter-
When there are bubbles in the waffles, carefully flip using a plastic spatula. Repeat, keeping the waffles warm to enjoy.
If you are using a waffle maker, there is usually a light which goes on when the waffles are perfectly cooked.
Best serve fresh and hot with maple syrup, butter, fresh fruit etc...
Chef Tom's Cooking Class Minute: Week 3 Cooking Pork Spare Ribs
Years ago I traveled around the south for a few weeks researching some of the amazing foods of each region. In Charleston, I was introduced to a local pig farmer, Tank Jackson who manages Holy City Hogs. Tank and his wife raise heritage breed pigs and distribute the pigs around the country. He offers on-site cooking whole pig roasts, primal cuts and sausages, and I believe he produces the best pork in the country.
Years ago, while working as a chef in a busy continental restaurant, we featured grilled, fresh swordfish on the menu—finished with a generous spoonful of herbed compound butter and capers. It was popular and delicious. One afternoon, a seafood purveyor stopped by with a sample of frozen swordfish steaks, fully thawed and ready for evaluation. Curious, we grilled it side by side with the “fresh” swordfish we had been serving—fish we believed to be of high quality. The result was surprising. The frozen swordfish was superior—firmer, cleaner in flavor, and more consistent in texture. In contrast, our “fresh” fish, likely several days out of the water, lacked the same integrity. It was a defining moment and an important reminder: in many cases, properly handled and quickly frozen seafood can offer better quality than fish labeled as fresh. For chefs, understanding sourcing and handling is just as critical as technique—especially with a product as prized as swordfish.
Chef Tom's Cooking Class Minute: Week 2 Cooking Rice: creating socarrat—
Chef Tom's Cooking Class Minute: Week 1 The Biggest Mistake People Make When Cooking Scallops
The name "caponata" itself has a fascinating origin story. One popular theory suggests it derives from capone, the Sicilian word for mahi-mahi. Historically, wealthy Sicilian aristocrats enjoyed a sweet-and-sour fish dish. Because seafood was too expensive for the working class, local home cooks substituted fish with affordable, meaty eggplant. Over time, this creative peasant food evolved into the beloved antipasto we celebrate today, often rounded out with celery, olives, and capers.
From Talk to Action: A Chef’s Challenge for School Lunches
The legendary New York-style cheesecake was famously popularized by Lindy’s Restaurant , an iconic Theater District deli opened in 1921 by German-immigrant Leo "Lindy" Lindemann and his wife Clara . A NY-style cheesecake has a dense but velvety cream cheese base, citrus zest, and a distinct cookie-dough pastry crus t. For years, I took the bus into NYC to work in amazing restaurant kitchens. On one bus ride I met and became friends with a manager at the legendary Lindy’s Restaurant. One day, he did the ultimate honor: he shared the closely guarded, original cheesecake recipe with me. This new recipe is directly inspired by that legendary Lindy’s classic, capturing its iconic velvety richness and signature flavor profile, but re-engineered for a modern, protein-packed lifestyle. Why This Recipe Delivers High-protein swap : Cottage cheese provides a clean, protein-packed base that replaces heavy fats without sacrificing richness. Silky texture : Blending the batter thoroughly ensures a velvety smooth consistency that rivals any NY-style cake. Savory-approved : Simple, foolproof assembly that requires no pastry-chef precision to get a perfect bake every time.
One of the great pleasures of my career is spending time each year working as a Culinary Educator aboard a cruise ship alongside my wife. She teaches baking & pastry while I focus on savory cooking and culinary techniques. Our travels take us to fascinating ports around the world, providing opportunities to explore local markets and study regional cuisines. I have a particular affection for the Mediterranean and always make it a point to seek out local variations of pesto, one of the world's great culinary treasures. One evening aboard ship, the pasta station served rigatoni with a choice of pesto, marinara, or Alfredo sauce. The cook prepared each order by reheating the pasta in hot water and then finishing it briefly in a sauté pan with the selected sauce. I watched in disbelief as he prepared to heat the pesto exactly the same way. "Horror!" flashed through my mind. Pesto is not a cooked sauce. Heating it aggressively dulls the fresh basil aroma, darkens its vibrant color, and diminishes the delicate flavors of basil, garlic, pine nuts, and extra virgin olive oil that make pesto so special. I may have startled the cook when I quickly called out, "Please don't cook my pesto!" Instead, I asked him to simply toss the hot rigatoni with the pesto off the heat, allowing the warmth of the pasta to gently release the fragrance and flavor of the basil. The result was exactly as pesto was intended to be enjoyed—fresh, vibrant, aromatic, and unmistakably Mediterranean.
As chefs, we spend years mastering sauté work. I remember my early days working the sauté station for lunch in a French restaurant in NYC. We served over one hundred guests in an hour-and the food was excellent — a dozen hot pans on the flat top, stocks simmering, mise en place of freshly chopped herbs, minced shallots, butter for mounting into sauces à la minute. There is rhythm to good sauté cooking. You learn quickly that great sauté work is not about rushing — it is about organization and control .