Crispy Overnight Sourdough Waffles

Sourdough waffles that you can make with fresh, bubbly starter, OR your discard. They're soft and airy on the inside, crisp on the outside, and the tangy flavor the sourdough gives them cannot be beat! They're not overly sweet, so they're equally good for sweet or savory applications.

Well I've had this recipe written and on the docket of blog posts for close to 2 years, but could never get a good picture because they disappear as soon as I make them. They're that good!

But I strategically timed making them last week to get some pictures and it worked! So, without further ado: my favorite waffles ever.

I've been on the hunt for the perfect waffle recipe for years now and have been mostly unsatisfied (well, as unsatisfied as one can be while still enjoying homemade waffles) until I tried these!

Soft and spongy on the inside, perfectly crisp on the outside, with the most delicious sourdough flavor.

These are excellent as your regular breakfast waffles topped with syrup and whipped cream and fresh berries, but would be so good in savory applications like chicken + waffles or breakfast sandwiches.

The sponge

These waffles start with a sponge - a pre-ferment of sorts made up of flour, starter, milk, yogurt, and sugar. You'll mix it all together in the evening and then leave it to ferment until the morning.

The sponge is what allows you to use either fresh, bubbly sourdough starter, OR sourdough discard.

I've done it both ways many times, and while the waffles are really good either way, I slightly prefer them with discard. Maybe even particularly sour discard - the tang with a heavy maple syrup pour is so good!

In the morning

In the morning, your sponge will look something like this:

Puffy, bubbly, and it will have a pleasantly sour aroma. You'll have no doubt it's fermented!

Then, add in the egg, oil or butter, salt, and baking soda and mix it until it's well combined.

Making waffles

Preheat your waffle iron when you start adding the morning ingredients to the waffle batter. It should be ready by the time you're done.

I love using my cookie scoop to get even amounts of batter into the iron with (mostly) clean transfers. I also tend to under-fill the molds to prevent spillage as the waffles cook.

A note about waffle irons

How many waffles this recipe makes for you and how long it takes depends almost entirely on your waffle maker. I have a 40+ year old waffle maker that was from my parent's wedding registry that takes like 10 minutes to make a crispy waffle.

I also have a newer waffle maker that can churn out four at a time, in 5 minutes. (It's this waffle maker.)

I find this recipe has enough oil in it that I don't need to spray my waffle iron, but you may need to if yours isn't non-stick.

Check your waffles when they stop steaming - the lid should open easily. I like mine to be on the darker side of golden brown and crispy, but remove yours whenever they're done to your liking.

Keeping waffles warm

If people aren't hovering around you to grab waffles as they're taken off the waffle maker, you can keep them warm on a baking pan in a 200-degree oven. I like placing them on a wire rack for optimal crispiness.

I do find the more well done these waffles are, the better they keep their shape. So, if you plan to make them ahead of time and hold them in the oven for a bit, you'll want to make sure they're very crisp when they come off the iron. Otherwise, they can flatten as they cool.

Leftovers + Reheating

Keep leftovers in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these in a single layer to prevent sticking and then transfer them to a ziplock bag once frozen through.

You can't beat a toaster for reheating a waffle. It will re-crisp the exterior and warm it perfectly.

PS - You should also try these sourdough discard pancakes!