Breakfast Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Raised Waffles
Light, crisp overnight yeast-raised waffles served with warm maple syrup.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Crispy
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Put the 3/4 cup warm water into a large bowl and sprinkle in the yeast and sugar. Let stand for about 5 minutes until dissolved and foamy.
- 2
Add the 2 1/2 cups warm water, the milk, melted butter, salt, and flour to the yeast mixture and whisk until smooth and fully blended.
- 3
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature; the batter will rise to double its original volume.
- 4
Just before baking, beat in the eggs, then add the baking soda and stir until well combined. The batter will be thin.
- 5
Heat a waffle iron until very hot. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter onto the iron and bake until golden and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes per waffle.
- 6
Serve immediately with warm maple syrup. For variety, top with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, or sliced bananas, toasted coconut, and sliced almonds dusted with confectioners' sugar.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
73/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving385
Calories
9 g
Protein
62 g
Carbs
11 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Raised waffles are the old-fashioned American version, leavened overnight with yeast rather than the baking powder most cooks reach for today. The technique predates chemical leaveners and was popularized for modern home kitchens by Marion Cunningham in the Fannie Farmer Baking Book. The overnight ferment is what gives them their hallmark crisp shell, airy interior, and faintly tangy depth.
Listahan note
This version leans into the make-ahead overnight batter so the morning is just heat-and-pour. It keeps the yeast amount modest so the flavor stays mellow rather than bready.
Technique cues
- Mix the batter the night before and let it rise at cool room temperature, then refrigerate if your kitchen runs warm so it does not over-ferment.
- Whisk the eggs and baking soda in only at the very end, just before cooking, so the batter foams up and lightens instead of deflating overnight.
- Wait for the iron to fully preheat and the steam to slow before lifting the lid, or you will tear the waffle and lose the crisp shell.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- While the iron preheats, set out warm syrup and butter and beat the eggs so you can stir them in the moment the batter is ready.
- Make-ahead
- The whole batter is built to be made the night before; it sits covered on the counter or in the fridge overnight and is ready to pour at breakfast.
- Leftover move
- Cooled waffles freeze flat in a zip bag and crisp straight from frozen in a toaster for instant weekday breakfasts.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Wipe the iron with a dry brush while still warm and rinse the mixing bowl right away before the batter sets.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
active dry yeast
overnight leavener
Purpose: Yeast is what separates raised waffles from a quick batter, giving the slow flavor and lacy structure.
Handling: Bloom it in the warm milk and water mixture until foamy before adding the flour.
Adaptation: Instant yeast works one-to-one and can be stirred straight in without blooming.
whole milk
liquid and richness
Purpose: The fat in whole milk keeps the interior tender and helps the exterior brown deeply.
Handling: Warm it to lukewarm, around 110F, so it activates the yeast without killing it.
Adaptation: Any unsweetened plant milk works, though the crust will brown a touch less.
melted butter
fat for crisp shell
Purpose: Butter coats the flour and crisps the surface while adding the toasty flavor people associate with great waffles.
Handling: Melt and cool slightly so it does not cook the eggs when combined.
Adaptation: Neutral oil keeps them dairy-free and still crisp, with a cleaner flavor.
all-purpose flour
structure
Purpose: It provides the gluten and starch that hold the airy yeast-risen network together.
Handling: Whisk into the wet base until just smooth, then leave it to rise undisturbed.
Adaptation: A measure-for-measure gluten-free blend works but yields a slightly denser crumb.
eggs
final lift and binding
Purpose: Beaten in at the end, eggs add richness and an extra puff of structure right before cooking.
Handling: Add along with the baking soda just before the iron is hot.
Adaptation: A flax egg works for binding but loses some of the airy rise.
baking soda
morning lift
Purpose: A pinch reacts with the slight overnight acidity to give one last burst of foam and lightness.
Handling: Stir in at the very end with the eggs.
Adaptation: Leave it out and the waffles will be a touch flatter but still good.
Technique notes
- Let the batter rise until it has roughly doubled and looks bubbly across the surface; that visual cue matters more than the clock.
- Pour slightly less batter than feels right, since raised batter expands more aggressively than baking-powder versions and will overflow.
- Hold finished waffles directly on the oven rack at 200F so the bottoms stay crisp instead of steaming on a plate.
Ingredient swaps
- Dairy-free option
- Use unsweetened oat milk and neutral oil in place of milk and butter; the overnight ferment still does the heavy lifting.
- Gluten-free direction
- Swap in a one-to-one gluten-free flour blend with a little extra liquid, expecting a denser but still crisp result.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Mix the dry-and-wet base in the morning with instant yeast and a warm 1-hour rise for a same-day version.
Serve alongside
- Crispy oven bacon
- Macerated strawberries
- Soft scrambled eggs
- Warm maple-glazed apples
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice
- Drip coffee
- Cold whole milk
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate cooled waffles up to 3 days in an airtight container and re-crisp in a toaster or 375F oven rather than a microwave, which softens them. They freeze beautifully for up to 2 months; toast straight from frozen with no thawing needed.
Equipment
- Waffle iron, ideally Belgian-style for deep pockets
- Large bowl with room for the batter to double
- Whisk
- Ladle or measuring cup for even pours
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
Add Raised Waffles to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.
More Breakfast recipes
Breakfast Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Matzo Brei
A beloved Passover-week breakfast: matzo soaked in egg, fried until golden, and served sweet with cinnamon-sugar or savory with salt.
Breakfast Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Avocado Toast with Poached Egg
Crusty toasted sourdough piled with bright, lemony smashed avocado and topped with a soft poached egg that spills its golden yolk on first cut.
Breakfast Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Savory Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Hearty steel-cut oats simmered in savory broth and topped with a soft egg, sauteed greens, and toasted seeds.