Waffles are the paramount weekend breakfast enjoyed by many across the globe. If you are one of that household that loves waffles for breakfast, you can hear the kids bouncing out of bed and dashing down the stairs to the smell of those deliciously cooked waffles. The joy on your children’s faces boosts your urge to make the best homemade waffles ever.
You may be thinking, why are my waffles dry? Revising your baking method in the back of your mind, you must have realized there are a lot of factors that could contribute to dry waffles. Perhaps you did not preheat your waffle iron. Over mixing or adding the wrong ingredient could also be it.
Why Are Your Waffles Dry (Best Way To Prevent It)
You dive into that hot plated waffle with delicious toppings, but as soon as you take your first bite, you get a mouthful of dry waffle. You see the excitement drain from the faces of your overly enthusiastic kids, replaced with dismay. Now the only thing you can do is dump syrup to counter that dry waffle of yours.
Let’s go through the reasons why waffles become dry. Learning from your missteps is the first step towards making crispy and fluffy waffles
Perfect Batter Consistency
The waffle batter consistency should be perfect. It should not be too thin or too thick. If it is runny, this means you are going to end up having pancakes for breakfast.
You have to understand that your waffle batter consistency needs to be perfect. If the waffle batter does not slide out of your mixing bowl, even if turned upside down, this means it is way too thick. A thick waffle batter will result in dry waffles. They do not cook or spread properly.
A quick fix to your overly densified waffle batter is to pour in a bit of wet ingredient, like oil or milk. Add it gradually, mix it well, and inspect the consistency. If it is still dense, keep adding oil or milk in small doses, mix the batter, and check again. You need to add small amounts so that the waffle batter does not become runny.
What Kind Of Flour Are You Using?
All-purpose flour is the best ingredient because it makes the waffles fluffy from the inside. If you are using another kind of flour, bread flour, for example, a typical alternative used by home chefs, your waffles will be dry.
Bread flour has a higher protein level and causes your waffles to become dry and tough. Replace it with all-purpose flour. If you still want to make waffles using bread flour, you need to combat this problem by adding a tablespoon of cornstarch. Cornstarch will make waffles crispy and tender to eat. Other ingredients such as sugar and dairy products will help improve the texture.
Over Mixing The Batter
Over mixing the batter is a common problem done by almost everyone, and the worst part is many do not know that their poorly cooked waffles are because of this nuisance. A bad cooking practice that I do as well. If this is what you do, you need to stop yourself. A waffle batter over mixed is a waffle ruined. An attempt to make a waffle with such a batter is pointless.
I was a true believer in mixing the waffle batter to the very end. I brutally whisked the batter, fully committed to removing the lumps, making the waffle batter as smooth as it could be.
So, what happens to the batter when you over mix it?
1.) Air gets incorporated into the batter, which compromises the structure of the waffle.
2.) It increases gluten protein causing waffles to be dry and chewy.
Using Too Much Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a delicious ingredient that will destroy your waffles if you cannot add the correct quantity. It adds flavor to your waffles, but if you can’t get a handle on the exact measurement, then your waffles will not turn out as anticipated.
If you are thinking about replacing buttermilk with regular milk, go right ahead but don’t blame if your waffles lose that special taste.
So, you have to choose between the two, and you can’t decide which one to pick hey? An easy solution is to combine both of them. Buttermilk will add flavor, and the milk is for the crispy exterior.
Over Cooking the Waffles
The average cooking time is around 6 minutes unless you have a Belgian waffle maker, which may take a bit longer because of the deep pockets it creates. If you are cooking classic waffles, the estimated time should not exceed 6 minutes.
If you have left your waffles in the waffle maker longer than intended, then it will become dry. To overcome this problem, purchase a waffle maker with a timer. You can set your time on how long you want your waffles to cook, and when the time expires, open the lid and take your waffles out.
Preheat Your Waffle Iron Before Use
A rookie mistake is to pour the batter into a cold waffle maker, close the lid, and plug it in. Preheat your waffle maker before you pour in the batter.
The concept is just like frying. When you deep fry chicken, for example, the oil should reach a required temperature before you can fry your chicken pieces. The same goes when making waffles. When the batter gets poured into the waffle maker, you should hear that beautiful sizzling sound.
Don’t Keep Them In The Oven For Too Long
If you store cooked waffles in an oven to keep them warm and crispy, make sure it is for 20 minutes or less. The longer the waffles are in, the harder they will become. In short, the waffles will be overcooked.
Time management is important here, and I am not talking about the waffles. I am trying to explain that you should know the best time to prepare waffles for breakfast. Everyone should be present at the table 5 minutes before so that you can serve those crispy and fluffy waffles.
Conclusion
Now that you understand why your waffles are dry, retrace your steps and figure out what you did wrong. Treat yourself and your kids to waffles again, and keep on going till you get them right.
