I’ve been cooking with buckwheat a lot lately, partly because I have a big bag of it that I need to use up, and partly because it’s really good.

Buckwheat isn’t like traditional flour. It’s made from grain-like seeds, which accounts for its slightly nutty and complex flavor. It’s tangy, rich, and hearty, making it the perfect addition to most breakfast dishes.

Sunday morning, I decided to use buckwheat flour instead of regular flour to make waffles. I’m not a big fan of waffles because I think they’re kind of superficial. They look great but there’s not a lot going on beneath the surface. Still, I like to make them once in a while when I have some spare time. They’re a good foundation for toppings.

I used almond milk instead of regular milk or buttermilk to make these waffles. I was a little nervous about subbing in almond milk because it tends to mess with the consistency of baked goods.

Luckily, that wasn’t the case here. The waffles turned out light and fluffy, even though they had an intense flavor from the buckwheat. I sent a picture to my boyfriend and he thought they were chocolate waffles. I didn’t add any cocoa powder but I might do that next time. I think a chocolate/raspberry combo would be delicious.

I topped the waffles with blackberries and banana slices but feel free to get creative. I bet a strawberry/mint combo would also be good.

Also, it kind of goes without saying but these waffles (like most waffles) benefit from a healthy pour of maple syrup. I’d also recommend spreading a little salted butter on top when they’re still warm. It will get melty and mix with the syrup and slightly coat the fruit. It’s a win-win situation.

If you want to keep your waffles warm while you make a batch, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F ahead of time and place a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper inside. You can transfer waffles to this sheet as you finish them and it will keep them crispy and warm. Just don’t stack them because then they’ll get soggy. I can think of few things worse than soggy waffles (even the name sounds gross).

So yeah. Make these waffles on a weekend morning when you have a little extra time. If you make a big batch, you can freeze some and have breakfast for the rest of the week. I didn’t do that but I wish I did. I guess there’s always next time.

Here’s a song to get you started on your waffle-making journey. I just heard it this morning and thought it was beautiful. That string section though…

Buckwheat Waffles with Blackberries

Ingredients

1 cup buckwheat flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 ¼ cups almond milk
¼ cup (4 Tbsp) melted butter
1 large egg
blackberries, banana slices, maple syrup, and butter for serving

Directions

Preheat your waffle iron. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and place a parchment paper-lined baking sheet inside.

Whisk together the buckwheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. In a separate bowl or a large liquid measuring cup, mix the milk, melted butter, and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once and whisk to combine. Whisk the batter until it’s smooth with very few to no lumps.

Pour batter onto the waffle iron to fill the squares. Close the waffle iron and cook according to your machine’s directions. I usually let mine sit for 30 seconds to a minute after the machine says it’s done. Remove the waffle and place it on the baking sheet in the oven.

Once your waffles are done, top them with blackberries, banana slices, maple syrup, and butter. You can also set some aside to freeze so you have breakfast for the rest of the week. Enjoy!