Sour Cream Waffles Recipe

Art Smith's sour cream waffle recipe - delicious, light yet structured waffles that cook up golden brown with just the right amount of outside crunch.

Sour Cream Waffles

There are a handful of terribly neglected (and now dusty) appliances in my house; the bread machine circa 1995, the blender (now I opt for the handy immersion blender), the panini grill - and of course, the waffle maker. I secretly want a Belgium waffle iron with deep, golden pockets that cradle the warm butter and syrup - but since I rarely use the standard maker I've got, it is a bit hard to justify. But my quest for a new tasty waffle recipe started on Sunday when I went to a baby shower at my oh-so-crafty friend Whitney's house in Berkeley. Being the smart and practical host that she is - she had a make-your-own waffle bar set up for us. Scoop a cup of batter onto the waffle maker, close the lid, wait for the green light to tell you it is done, and then have your way with a vast assortment of toppings. I was thrilled. Strawberries, warm maple syrup, chunks of chocolate, fruit salad, whipped cream - you could top your piping hot waffle with whatever your fancy.


In the other room Whitney put a big stack of bright, crisp, white onesies alongside a huge assortment of stencils and fabric paints so everyone could paint a onesie for the baby-to-be to wear when he/she arrives (see above picture).

I was inspired to dust off the waffle maker when I got home, and combed through a bunch of my books looking for an inspiring waffle recipe to have a go of. I was a bit stumped for a while - with all the cookbooks I have here you would think I would be awash in waffle recipes, but I actually didn't come across many at all in the first ten or so books I pulled. I sort of stepped back for a minute and asked myself who I thought would make a mean waffle. I immediately yanked my Art Smith book from the bookshelf. Bingo - he has not just one waffle recipe in his book, he's got three - and they all sound delicious. He gives us recipes for Sweet Potato-Pecan Waffles, Coconut Waffles with Mango-Strawberry Compote, and the one I picked, Sour Cream Waffles.

These sour cream waffles are a breeze to make, and if you've got a bit of sour cream leftover from say....fajita or taco night - you probably have all the other ingredients right now in your refrigerator. These are delicious, light yet structured waffles that cook up golden brown with just the right amount of outside crunch (no one likes a soggy waffle). Be forewarned, this recipe is for all you butter lovers out there, and calls for a whole stick. So instead of eating a whole stack of them, enjoy one or two segments underneath a giant scoop of strawberries or fruit salad. Yum.

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Art Smith's Sour Cream Waffle Recipe

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
Maple syrup or jam, for serving

Heat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. Lightly oil the grids. Meanwhile whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to combine and make a well in the center. Whisk the melted butter, milk, sour cream, and eggs in a medium bowl until well combined and pour into the well. Whisk just until smooth; do not over mix.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of each quadrant of the waffle iron and close the iron. Cook until the waffle is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve the waffles hot, with the syrup passed on the side.

Makes twelve 4-inch waffles.

From Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family by Art Smith (Hyperion, 2001) - reprinted with permission.

If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it - tag it #101cookbooks on Instagram!

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Comments

For my upcoming wedding, instead of a wedding cake, I want to make a waffle tower. Does anyone know how to make one or where I can find a book that teaches me how to make one?... to feed 100 people? Thanks Erica

Erica

I noticed you don't have any kids cook books listed. You should really check some out. We have one that has a great recipe for pancakes made with Yogurt. Great with blueberry yogurt.

Derek

Homemade waffles are such a treat. Next time you make them try Mark Bittman's recipe for overnight waffles (in How to Cook Everything). They don't take any more time than regular ones, you just make up the batter the night before instead of the morning of. In the morning, beat and fold in an egg white and throw them on the waffle iron. They bake up crisp on the outside and positively melt in your mouth.

Carry

Please forgive my ignorance, but I really must ask: what exactly is sour cream? I've seen so many recipes with sour cream and I still don't really understand what it is. Mind you, I'm from Portugal and oddly enough, I don't think we have that here. Or maybe we do... I just don't know what it is. Have I said I don't know what sour cream is? Because I really don't. Great site, yummy recipes! :) Thanks!

Joana

I actually made buttermilk pancakes this weekend because it was only after I dusted off my poor waffle iron and poured in the batter did I remember that it needed to be oiled first (or buttered, or whatever) Needless to say the one waffle never came out and the whole silly contraption went into the garage-sale pile. I figure if I hadnt used it for 6 years, I am better off with the cupboard space! LOL.

Rachael

I made the sour cream waffles from the Chronicle on Saturday. When I found out it was Swedish National Waffle Day, I knew I must celebrate. I cooked them in my Belgian waffle iron--deeper holes than regular waffles--and they were so fabulous! Crisp on the outside, and almost custardy on the inside. Truly decadent. The recipe was a little different--no eggs and no sugar. I'd like to hear how they compare.

Julie

Whenever I'm in the mood for something really homey like waffles, I turn to the good old Joy of Cooking. The buttermilk waffle recipe is outstanding - crunchy and golden-brown on the outside, custardy inside. It's especially delish (for the non-vegetarians out there) with crumbled-up bacon added to the batter!

Florrie

Great site, and lovely waffles. You are an inspiration for amateur cooks everywhere!

Michael

I never had fond memories of waffles- Mom would make them for dinner and scrape them off the non teflon griddle. My husban however was quite smitten with them and I bought him an iron one father's day. Voila!! waffle memories!! My favorite is a yeasted waffle from Marion Cunningham's Breakfast cookbook. I have seen it other places. It is made the night before with an addition of eggs the day you cook them. The batter is thin and delicious!

artoeat

My husband sprinkles chopped pecans in the waffle maker as it heats up, then pours in the batter. The result is toasted pecan waffles...delicious with sliced strawberries, bananas, blueberries and whipped cream. We once owned eight waffle makers we aquired at various thrift shops. Then one Saturday morning we held a waffle maker test, and returned all failed makers to the thrift store. The older ones are already seasoned and produce great "crunch." Thanks for getting everyone excited about waffles!

Susan

These sound good. My favorite cafe, Linnaea's in San Luis Obispo, CA, used to have waffle night. They only had 2 waffle irons so it would take a long time to get your order, which was part of the charm...plenty of time to hang out and chat before your warm wonderful creation came to you. The waffle bar idea sounds fabulous!

Suebob

I, too, will dig out the waffle maker tomorrow and whip up a batch of these. Sound super. I like to make a batch and freeze them - easy heat up in the toaster and they sure beat the 'store bought' brands!

Joyce

I stumbled across your site last week and I love it! Thanks for the waffle recipe...my husband and I often make waffles on the weekends when we're home so I will certainly have to remember this one.

heidi

These look so good and remind me of my Norwegian grandmother's sour cream "vaffler" as she said it. She served them from a stove top mold that allowed 4 heart shaped sections to come out hot and steaming, and doused them with fresh strawberries and whipped cream in spring and early summer. In winter, we spread her homemade current or raspberry jelly on them and still added the whipped cream. Many of the Scandinavian adults around me at that time (50's and 60") used to spread theirs with butter, sprinkle sugar over and roll up and eat. Nannny believed all milk products were good for children and neccesary for that desirable chubby red cheek look so we were never deprived of cream in any form. Lucky us! Thanks for the post :)

Laurel

i love your blog and am always exicted when i open it and - new food, new beautiful photo. thanks so much! i also have many many cookbooks. so many recipes,so little time! linchan

linda

Say, I'm dying to hear more about these rice waffles.... I tried a recipe once for fritters made out of a soft yeast dough containing leftover rice. Delightful. Rice waffles sound just as delightful... Oh, and I love Art's cookbook (Back to the Table, right?)... there are some great recipes in there.

Jen

Hi Heidi Which Art Smith book did it come from, just out of curiousity?

rachel

Lulu, I was talking with a friend yesterday about waffles, and she also mentoned the leftover rice waffles. Do you have a good recipe that you would send me? -h

Heidi

I'm inspired that you dusted off your waffle maker. I'll have to do the same this weekend... in the shadow of those cute onesies!

Heather

I bet a sour cream waffle without eggs would be super dense. Whenever my mom makes waffles, she beats the egg whites to soft peaks and folds them in right at the end, so the waffles are really high and light. Waffles, and not the belgian kind, are my favorite breakfast food. How can pancakes ever compare to the light crispy deliciousness? My particular favorites are rice waffles (with leftover cold rice), corn waffles, which cook up lacy, and vegan waffles made with homemade nut milk and ground flax seeds.

Lulu

Oh dear, author is Dorie Greenspan, not Georgeanne Brennan (I do like them both!)

Cory

By far, one of my favorite cookbooks in my collection is Waffles: From Morning to Midnight by Georgeanne Brennan. I highly recommend it (and all of her books). Waffles and assorted toppings which reflect the season, are my standard entertaining brunch dish. Thanks for the additional recipe!

Cory

The Chronicle food section also published a sour cream waffle recipe this week. Something about March 25th being waffle day in Sweden? Another excuse to make them I guess! The recipe in the Chron didn't have eggs in it. I wonder how it would compare?

Amy

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