Imagine it: one of those glorious mornings, your family gathered around the table, happily chattering and enjoying themselves. It might be the weekend, or maybe even a school day when everybody just seems particularly cheerful … but all is right with the world. You laugh along with the kids as dad tells a funny story between sips of coffee. Your youngest spills the orange juice (because we need to be realistic, here). A heaping platter of waffles gets passed around the table once, twice, then a third time, because explain to me again how teenagers can eat their body weight at every meal, please?!?

The whole crew finishes breakfast and scatters to the four winds, calling out “Thanks!” and “That was awesome, Mom!” as they disappear to face their day.

Pretty close to a perfect morning.

Then you turn around and realize the KITCHEN. IS. WRECKED. Is it possible to use every bowl you possess to make one meal? Yes. Yes, apparently it is. Between separating eggs, beating the whites, mixing wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another, a batch of waffles has turned your kitchen into a war zone. And suddenly, the morning seems just a tad less sparkly and perfect.

Now, I know that a messy kitchen is a blessing. It means we have food on the table, a roof over our heads. But the truth is, when we have so many other things to accomplish over the course of the day—which is true of every mom I know—it’s hard to get excited about cleaning up after a labor-intensive breakfast. And that, in turn, means we just don’t do it. We don’t make the waffles (or the banana-stuffed French toast, the homemade blueberry scones, the ham and egg strata … insert your family’s favorite). Time is limited, we have to prioritize, and we remind ourselves that precious memories can just as easily be made over a bowl of oatmeal.

But sometimes, even Mom wants waffles.

If I had a dime for every waffle recipe I’ve tried out and discarded over the years … well, you know the saying. And I’m not going to pretend I don’t still test a new one on occasion—because how could I resist a version that calls for seltzer water and buttermilk powder, after all?—but I consistently come back to this one. Why? Because the waffles taste fantastic, and (with the exception of the plates and utensils my kids use at the table) the only dishes that end up in the sink are a whisk and spatula, a few measuring cups / spoons, and one mixing bowl. Yes, ONE.

Try these, and homemade waffles just may become part of your regular breakfast rotation.

ONE-BOWL BUTTERMILK WAFFLES (makes a family-sized batch, approx. 18 waffles)

Supplies:  waffle iron, large mixing bowl, 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk, spatula, and assorted measuring spoons

Ingredients:
7 eggs
4 ½ c. buttermilk
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter + more for serving, if you want
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. sugar
6 c. flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
a pinch of freshly-ground nutmeg (optional)

Preheat your waffle iron and gather your ingredients.

If you do not keep buttermilk in the house on a regular basis, you can create your own. For each cup of buttermilk, simply add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to a measuring cup, then fill with enough regular milk to equal 1 cup. (You can also use white vinegar instead of lemon juice.) Mix beforehand, then set aside and let stand for 5-10 minutes before you start combining ingredients. In a large bowl, beat the 7 eggs until they are a light yellow color, then add the buttermilk and mix thoroughly.

Place the butter in the glass measuring cup, cover and microwave to melt the butter. Set aside to cool.

Add the vanilla extract and sugar to the egg/buttermilk mixture; mix well. (For variety, we sometimes substitute lemon or almond extract in place of the vanilla in the recipe. The lemon is especially good if you’ve made your own buttermilk with lemon juice.)

Next, measure the baking powder, and using your fingers, sprinkle it over the wet ingredients, then whisk vigorously until you do not see any lumps. Do the same with the baking soda and salt. Scrape the sides of the bowl and whisk again.

Grate in the nutmeg, if you are using it, then add the flour 2 cups at a time, whisking well and scraping the sides of the bowl between each addition. Finally, add the melted butter and stir until it is incorporated. Allow the batter to rest until the waffle iron is ready.

This makes a thick batter. The amount you put in each section will depend on the size of your iron, and whether it makes classic or Belgian waffles. My waffle iron holds a bit less than 1 cup per section. Yours may be different and it’s better to err on the side of using too little batter until you get a sense of how much to add, because it’s no fun to clean up batter that overflows your iron!

If you want to make a few batches of waffles ahead of time so everyone can eat at once, just preheat your oven to 225° and transfer waffles to a baking sheet to stay warm while you prepare more. Serve with butter and syrup, jam or apple butter. To store leftovers, cool the waffles completely, place in a plastic zipper bag, and reheat at 350° for 5-8 minutes before serving. These also freeze well in a plastic zipper bag.

I hope your family enjoys these as much as mine does … and I know you’ll be a fan of the easy clean-up. Please let us know in the comments if you try the recipe!

 

Download a printable copy of this recipe:
One-Bowl Buttermilk Waffles

 

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