Sesame Street Waffles

This is our family favorite waffle recipe, and trust me, I've tried a ton!  I've been making these for about two years and have adapted and scaled the recipe for our family of five (with usually a few leftover waffles the kids like for weekday breakfasts).  I heard about these all over the internet and finally found the original recipe, Waffle of Insane Greatness, at foodnetwork.  It is scaled down from a restaurant version for home use.  I have a few waffle makers and have them all heating up at once so I can make a big batch quickly for my hungry family.

The kids love fun shaped waffles, like these Elmo and Cookie Monster Waffles.  I have to admit I'm a sucker for shaped waffles too, they are just so much fun! I've had the Sesame Street waffle maker since my kids were babies and it has proven to be very useful.  They are pretty much out of the Sesame Street years (they are almost 7, 6, and almost 5 -- sniffle, sniffle) but they still get excited about Elmo and Cookie Monster on a waffle :)

My husband on the other hand will only eat a big, thick, crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside Belgian Waffle...so I have to have the Belgian waffle maker heating up for him.   I like waffles any way you make them just about, and am not nearly as picky about them as picky husband.  I tend to like mine a little softer than picky husband.  

Family Favorite Waffles

adapted from foodnetwork

makes about 6-8 servings, depending on the size of your waffle maker

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cornstarch

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups buttermilk

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar (you can use less but don't use more or it will stick in your iron)

3 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional, but I love it)

Whisk together all dry ingredients.  Add in wet ingredients and whisk together until well blended, it may be a touch lumpy but most of the big lumps should be broken up. Let batter sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.  After 15 minutes, plug in and heat up waffle maker.   Pour batter into ungreased and unsprayed waffle maker and cook following manufacturers directions.

Wait a few minutes at least, until it stops steaming. If you do not "know" you waffle maker you will need to find out the perfect time to pull out to waffles to your liking. Don't open too early or it will be a big stuck on sticky mess.  Don't wait too long or they will be hard and too dark.  This all is so variable to your specific waffle maker, so expect to have a few mess-ups before you get to know your maker.  One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you do not grease or spray the waffle maker with cooking spray, which I used to always have to do. This provides a nice and crispy exterior with a fluffy interior.

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If you give these a try I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does.  They are kind of waffle snobs and this one is really enjoyed by everyone. Make sure to serve these warm (if you are making a big batch, for best taste serve them ASAP after they come off the iron) with butter and lots of Grade B maple syrup. Grade B is thicker than the Grade A that you can get at most supermarkets and has a more intense maple flavor. If you are a maple syrup fan once you try Grade B you will never go back.  Happy waffle making :)