I made these buttermilk buckwheat waffles for breakfast last weekend and I’m still thinking about them a week later. Light and fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, hearty and slightly sweet, they’re perfect for weekend breakfast or brunch.

I decided to make the waffles because I found a bag of buckwheat flour in my fridge from a few months ago. I also hadn’t used my waffle maker in a while so I figured, why not break it out of the closet? I slept late on Sunday and then motivated myself enough to get up and make the waffles.

It’s important to note that these waffles aren’t super sweet on their own. They’re basically a good canvas for whatever you want to put on top. I poured on lots of maple syrup and added banana slices, but you could also get creative and put almond butter or peanut butter and jam, or even stewed or fresh berries. Next time I might make a berry compote to put on top.

A key to making the waffles crisp on the outside is cooking them longer than the waffle maker suggests. Once the green light goes on indicating that they’re done, wait a couple minutes until almost all the steam subsides. Then you can take them out.

You can keep the waffles warm and crispy by preheating the oven to 200 degrees F beforehand and putting the waffles in once they’re done. Make sure they’re in a single layer though. If they overlap, they might get a little soggy.

Also, the word “buckwheat” might freak a lot of people out. The flour is actually pretty subtle. When you pair it with the buttermilk it creates a batter that’s tangy and slightly tart. That’s why it’s important to put lots of sweet toppings on the waffle to balance the flavors in the dish.

Here’s a song to get you started on your buckwheat waffle journey.

Buttermilk Buckwheat Waffles

Ingredients

1 cup buckwheat flour
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cardamom
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, shaken
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large egg
banana slices and maple syrup for serving

Directions

Preheat your waffle iron. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and stick a baking sheet inside. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, and egg in another medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth with a few small lumps.

Let the batter sit for 10 minutes (if you can). Five minutes is also fine but the longer the batter sits, the better your waffles will turn out. Pour the batter into your waffle iron and cook a little longer than the iron indicates. You want almost no steam coming out of the iron before you remove the waffle. Lift the waffle out of the iron and place on the baking sheet in the oven. Repeat this process until you use up all the batter.

Serve with banana slices and maple syrup. Enjoy!