The Best Way To Avoid Dense Waffles

Whether you've been craving classic chicken and waffles or want something a little sweeter, there's nothing quite like a well-made waffle. Its distant cousin, the pancake, might come in at a close second. When you want a waffle's perfectly crisp exterior and fluffy interior, though, it's hard for anything else to match up.

One of the problems that some home cooks might encounter is a waffle that turns out too dense. The Kitchn says that the contrast between its fluffy insides and sturdier outer walls is the key to any good waffle. An interior that turns out too dense and is more heavy and mushy than light will ruin this contrast and leave you most likely unsatisfied. Chatelaine claims that overly dense batters are the nemesis of many cakes and baked goods — too much liquid is usually the culprit in this case. For waffles, though, the solution isn't to omit oil or milk but to approach the batter differently.

The easiest way to avoid dense waffles is to lighten your batter. Bon Appétit says that starting with the lightest possible batter will ensure your waffles won't turn out like bricks. One method is using a leavening agent, such as yeast when constructing your batter. Yeasted waffles also tend to have a more tangy flavor and crispier crust but may require a little more work. If you don't want to get into fermentation and plan ahead, there are other methods. 

Bon Appétit recommends separating your eggs when adding them to the batter. Add the yolks in normally, but whip the whites into a frothy mix, and then fold them gently into the batter. According to Egg Farmers of Canada, the complicated protein structures of egg whites allow them to trap air inside when they are whisked. When folded carefully into a batter, this bubble-filled structure then adds lightness and can adapt to many different recipes.

A similar method is to whip unsweetened cream and fold it into the batter, per Bon Appétit. This accomplishes the same task by trapping air within the whipped cream and adding it to your batter. This process will allow you to easily add lightness without making any major changes or substitutions.