This sour cream waffles recipe has been perfected for over a decade's worth of weekends at our house. What started as a way to use up leftover sour cream has become a special Saturday tradition.

sour cream waffles on plates topped with berries and maple syrup

The magic of using sour cream is that it activates the rising action in this recipe so you end up with light and fluffy waffles with a crispy exterior every time!

Plus the richness of sour cream makes them extra tender and satisfying.

Ingredients

Cake Flour (All-purpose works, too! See the note in the recipe card if using AP)
Baking Powder
Sugar
Salt
Cinnamon (optional)
Eggs
Sour Cream
Milk
Vanilla
Melted Butter

See recipe card below for measurements.

The Best Flour for Waffles

I love a really light and fluffy waffle with a little bit of crisp to the outside. To help make that happen, I use cake flour. Cake flour has less protein in it which means it will not create as much gluten. Don't get me wrong, I love gluten. It's what gives sourdough bread and other baked items their signature chewiness.

That said, I have tested this recipe with all purpose flour and it still works great. Just add ½ cup less flour and be careful to not over-mix it when you add the dry ingredients to the wet.

Visual Instructions

Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients

whisking wet ingredients together a glass bowl

Step 2: Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla

wet and dry ingredients combined in a glass bowl

Step 3: Whisk together the dry ingredients with the wet

Step 4: Whisk in the melted butter

Step 5: Scoop the batter onto your waffle iron and cook

Step 6: Let the waffles cool on a cooling rack to keep them crispy on the outside

Choose Your Topping

These are great all-purpose waffles and the addition of sour cream gives them a little tanginess. That means they're great for breakfast paired with sweet berries and cream. But, they're also perfect for savory options like fried chicken and waffles.

We've also used them with our stuffed waffle maker with great success.

How Do You Know Waffles Are Done Cooking?

You can't always trust your waffle iron to know the exact moment when your waffles are golden brown and cooked through. The secret to knowing when waffles are done is to watch for the steam to stop flowing out of the sides of the waffle iron. During the cooking process, steam will start getting released from the waffles. Once they're cooked through they give off a lot less steam, giving you indication that they're done.

Avoiding Soggy Waffles

My favorite trick for avoiding soggy waffles is to put them on a cooling rack after I pull them out of the waffle iron. When they're piping hot, they give off a lot of steam. If they're on a plate, there's nowhere for the steam to escape so the evaporating water is trapped under the waffle making it soggy on the bottom. Putting them on a cooling rack allows the steam to escape and you end up with perfect, crisp waffles.