By Yewande Komolafe
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- 4(99)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Waffles topped with something sweet are special, but the deep, rich notes from unsweetened cocoa and sweetness from dark brown sugar in this dessert cosplaying as breakfast may please chocolate lovers even more. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream, and fresh berries for color and texture, or take them a step further with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. The waffle batter can be prepared ahead and stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and cook as directed in Step 3. The cooked waffles can be tightly wrapped and stored in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. To serve, toast a frozen waffle in a toaster, toaster oven or an oven set to 375 degrees.
Featured in: 3 Quick Breakfast Waffles That Meet You Where You Are
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Ingredients
Yield:4 waffles
- 1¼cups/164 grams all-purpose flour
- 3tablespoons/20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or Dutch process)
- ¼cup plus 1 tablespoon/70 grams dark brown sugar
- 1teaspoon baking powder
- ¼teaspoon baking soda
- ½teaspoon coarse kosher salt (such as Morton)
- 2large eggs, room temperature
- 1cup/240 milliliters whole-milk buttermilk
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2tablespoons/30 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for waffle iron
- Sweetened whipped cream, for serving
- Chocolate sauce, for serving (optional)
- Fresh berries, such as strawberries and raspberries, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
450 calories; 13 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 73 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 37 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 571 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Separate the egg yolks from the whites and put the whites in a medium bowl. Drop the yolks in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract and stir together gently to form a batter. Do not overmix.
Step
2
Beat the whites to medium peaks using a whisk or a hand held mixer. Add the whipped whites to the batter and, using a rubber spatula, fold them in by gently scooping up some batter from the bottom and folding it over the whites on the top. Rotate the bowl and repeat until just incorporated. Fold in 2 tablespoons melted butter.
Step
3
Heat a waffle iron and, using a pastry brush or paper towel, lightly coat with melted butter. Cook waffles (using about ⅔ cup batter per waffle) until golden and crisp. Butter the iron between batches as needed.
Step
4
Serve waffles immediately as they are ready, or keep them warm in a 200-degree oven until ready to serve. Top with sweetened whipped cream, chocolate sauce or berries, or a combination, if desired.
Ratings
4
out of 5
99
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Cooking Notes
Debbie
I always use a neutral oil instead of butter for waffles for crispness.
Megan
These were very cake-y, and didn’t crisp up like good waffles do. I bet this batter would make a tasty pancake though!
Sue
A fast cake-fix! I like it! No more sad microwave mug “cake”
Katie
Such an amazing article, thanks for sharing I will try it this weekend ;)
MC
I thought these were deliciously chocolatey but not overwhelming. I made them according to the recipe and had with whipped cream on top. Perfect for a Sunday morning breakfast.
AS
I would say these waffles are okay, but not worth the effort.
buffaloboro
Really not worth the effort and clean-up. As others stated, the mixture is too thick. Disappointing
LL
These were tasty! We reduced the sugar by half and added mini chocolate chips instead. I also did not bother separating and whipping the eggs (as my children rise before the sun....). As others noted, these don't crisp up when first made. However, they do nicely being reheated in the toaster, similar to Melissa Clark's waffles.
tby
These weren’t as chocolatey as expected, chocolate sauce would have helped. Topped with sunflower butter/vanilla yogurt mixture, sliced bananas and whipped cream. Nice change from standard weekend pancakes.
Elisabeth
I would not cook these again. They came out dough-y, not crisp as other waffles do. Even leaving them in the waffle iron longer did not help.
Phxaz
Tasty waffle change up. They are not crisp. We do think they’d make a nice pancake. Don’t be surprised the batter is very thick.
Debbie
This was like chocolate cake for breakfast - in other words, perfect for Mother’s Day or any special occasion. I didn’t have cream to whip, so I warmed maple syrup to drizzle on top of blueberries and strawberries. Fellow gluten-free chefs: Cup4Cup works nicely here.
mary
Very tasty! A perfect combination of cocoa and sweetness. I agree, a little more soggy than the usual waffle.
Judy
My store doesn't have full-fat buttermilk, so should I use the lowfat and add more butter, or just go with it, using the same amount of butter, and rationalize that it's slightly less unhealthy?
Alexandra Crisafulli
What if you don't have a waffle maker? Can use these recipes as if they were pancakes?
Dots
maybe if you add more liquid (milk//water// neutral oil)
nancy
Do you need the acid in the buttermilk or can I just use whole milk?
Sue
It adds a nice tang that goes well with chocolate. You can easily add 1-2 T of vinegar to the whole milk for a great substitute.
Raindrop
I really like what buttermilk brings, and I think a bit of yogurt or sour cream mixed with milk makes a better substitute than vinegar or lemon juice in milk.
Debbie
I always use a neutral oil instead of butter for waffles for crispness.
Megan
These were very cake-y, and didn’t crisp up like good waffles do. I bet this batter would make a tasty pancake though!
Dan
I haven't tried it yet but thanks for the review, I may make a batch from the recipe to experience the cake-like batter you describe and throw a bit on the griddle to make pancakes and then make a second batch with 20% of the flour replaced with cornstarch to see if that adds enough crisp.
Sue
A fast cake-fix! I like it! No more sad microwave mug “cake”
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