Marion Cunningham’s Overnight Raised Waffles

A couple of weeks ago, I included these waffles in my weekly menu. They are, truly, the best waffles I have ever eaten. No restaurant fancied-up pumpkin-pecan-praline-with-caramel waffle towering with whipped cream can beat these (sorry, Real Food Café).

In The Breakfast Book, Marion Cunningham of Fannie Farmer fame says, “It’s so drab to just buy a frozen waffle and put it in the toaster, compared to the satisfaction you can get from lifting your own homemade waffles out of a steaming waffle iron.”

I completely agree with her, even though I do sometimes do just that with a frozen waffle on a weekday.

If you’ve never had a raised waffle made with yeast, you simply must try these. Whereas most waffles err on the heavy side, these are light and airy with a crispy exterior. The yeast does this, creating tiny pockets of air in the batter as it works overnight.

Yes, overnight. But don’t worry – it isn’t complicated. You simply stir together the majority of the ingredients the night before, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and in the morning just prior to cooking them, add eggs and baking soda. That’s it.

It’s very possible that I may never make another waffle recipe as long as I live.

Marion Cunningham’s Overnight Raised Waffles
adapted from The Breakfast Book

1/2 cup warm water (not hot, or it can kill the yeast)
1 package (about 2-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 cups milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher or fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to stand five minutes, to get the yeast working.

While the yeast is working, warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. Take care not to let it get hot.

As the milk is warming, melt the butter in a small pan over low heat or in a bowl in the microwave.

Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour to the yeast mixture, whisking until fully blended.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to stand overnight at room temperature.

In the morning, the batter will be full of air bubbles.

Preheat your waffle iron, greasing it with a small amount of oil or butter if necessary.

Uncover the waffle batter, and beat in the eggs and baking soda.

Pour the batter onto the waffle iron and cook, according to the manufacturer’s instructions (for example, my waffle iron takes 2 full cups of batter and makes 4 waffles at a time – yours may very well be different).

The waffles should be golden and crisp when they’re done.

Serve with more butter and warm maple syrup.

Makes about 8 waffles.

Here’s the printable recipe. Enjoy!