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.
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
- Step 2: Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla
- 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.
Joanie's Balanced Bites: What to Serve with Waffles
These are what I call a "worth it" weekend tradition. Light, fluffy, crispy on the outside. Soul satisfying. The sour cream adds richness and a subtle tang, plus the butter and eggs bring fat and protein to the batter. With only about 3 grams of sugar per waffle (before toppings), the batter itself isn't overly sweet.
How to Pair It
Of course, being more carb forward, it can benefit from some mindful pairings:
- Add protein to the plate — Serve alongside eggs, bacon, or sausage. Starting your morning with protein helps keep blood sugar steadier, even when you're enjoying waffles.
- Balance out the syrup — Feel free to use real syrup if you love, it, but be mindful of how much you use as it is liquid sugar. But also adding fresh berries (fiber), a dollop of Greek yogurt (protein), or nut butter are all great additions, too. If you use maple syrup, a light drizzle goes a long way or go for my favorite alternative zero sugar syrup.
- Savory works too — These waffles are great with fried chicken and hot sauce. Bonus that the chicken adds protein!
Browse ➡️ Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes
Description
Sour cream waffles are light, fluffy, and tender with a touch of creamy richness. An easy way to make special weekend memories.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour (240g) *see note
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon *optional
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream
- ½ cup (120g) whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 Tbs (71g) butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Combine 2 cups cake flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoon sugar, a pinch of salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (if using) in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Whisk together 2 eggs, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup whole milk, and 2 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl, then whisk in the dry ingredients.
- Slowly whisk in the melted butter until mostly smooth (some lumps are normal). The batter should be fairly thick, but still pourable. If the batter seems too thin and watery, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until a good consistency is reached.
- Once the waffle iron is preheated, add your waffle batter and cook according to the waffle iron's directions. Look for the steam to dissipate as an extra indication of when your waffles are done.
- Place cooked waffles on a cooling rack to keep them crispy until you're ready to serve.
- Enjoy topped with butter, syrup, berries, or your favorite waffle toppings!
Notes
If substituting all-purpose flour adjust the amount to 1 ½ cups (195g)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 295
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 439 mg
- Fat: 16.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7.5 g
- Cholesterol: 99.8 mg
Sarah Schulte says
Make these all the time for my son and he LOVES them, plus my husband and I love them too! Joanie is a kitchen genius!