Cornbread waffles are buttermilk cornbread batter cooked in a waffle iron instead of a pan. This batch uses 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal, 1 cup flour, eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter, makes 6 waffles, and takes about 30 minutes, with each waffle cooking for 4 to 5 minutes.
You get crisp, golden edges and a tender corn middle. Two things decide it: an iron that is fully hot before the first spoonful, and a batter stirred only until the flour disappears.
Following a special diet?
Every recipe on this site can be converted to gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, keto, nut-free or egg-free with adjusted ratios so nothing falls flat.
Try the Recipe Converter →The Cornmeal to Flour Ratio for Waffle Cornbread
Equal parts cornmeal and flour, one cup each, gives the waffle enough structure to lift out of the iron in one piece while it still tastes clearly of corn. More cornmeal, and they crumble. It is the same balance I use in my cornbread muffins with a sour cream center.
Two tablespoons of sugar keep the batter lightly sweet, so these go with maple syrup or with a bowl of chili. One tablespoon of baking powder is the only leavener. That is a lot. It is on purpose: the hot plates set the outside fast, and the baking powder needs to puff the inside before that happens.
What Goes Into Cornbread Waffle Batter
Fine yellow cornmeal bakes into a soft, even crumb. Coarse or stone ground meal stays gritty in a waffle that cooks this fast, so keep it for skillet buttermilk cornbread. All purpose flour holds everything together, as it does in my honey cornbread. Spoon it into the cup and level it, because a packed cup makes the batter stiff.
Buttermilk adds tang and tenderness, and the splash of whole milk loosens the batter so it spreads across the plates. No buttermilk? Stir 1¼ tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1¼ cups of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Melted butter brings the flavor and most of the browning on those ridges, so do not swap it out. Eggs bind. Vanilla rounds out the sweetness.
Mixing Without Making It Tough
Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until the color is even. In a second bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the buttermilk, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Let the butter cool until it is just warm first. Too hot and it cooks the eggs. Too cold and it sets into little flecks.
Pour the wet into the dry and stir gently with a spatula. Stop as soon as you see no big streaks of flour. Lumps are fine. Overmixing is not, because it makes the waffles tight and dense. The batter should be thick but spoonable. Same rule as my sweet potato waffles: waffles forgive lumps but punish a beaten batter.
Cooking Cornbread in a Waffle Iron
Heat the iron completely, until the ready light comes on, and grease the plates lightly. Spoon enough batter into the center to cover most of the surface once the lid closes. Close it. Now leave it alone for 4 to 5 minutes.
Watch the steam, not the clock. When the steam slows to a thin wisp, the inside has set. The waffle should be deep golden with crisp edges and lift off with a fork. Pale and soft? Give it another minute. This batter browns faster than my pumpkin waffles, so check early on your first one and adjust the amount of batter from there.
Set each cooked waffle on a wire rack. Never stack them. To serve them all hot together, put the rack on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish the batch.
Can You Make Cornbread Waffles From a Box Mix?
Yes. A boxed corn muffin mix cooks well in a waffle maker, and it is the fastest route to waffle cornbread on a weeknight. Mix it with the egg and milk the box asks for, then stir in 2 tablespoons of melted butter. The extra fat helps the waffle brown and release from the plates.
Grease the iron well. Mixes are sweeter, and sugar sticks. They also brown faster than the scratch batter, so check at about 3 minutes. One box makes fewer waffles than this recipe, so plan on two boxes for a family breakfast.
Sweet and Savory Cornbread Waffle Ideas
- Blueberry: fold ½ cup fresh blueberries into the finished batter.
- Honey: stir 2 tablespoons honey into the wet ingredients for a deeper, rounder sweetness.
- Brown butter: brown half the butter until it smells nutty, cool it, and use it with the rest.
- Savory: leave out the vanilla and fold in ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar with a chopped jalapeño or two sliced scallions.
The savory version is the one for chili, fried chicken, or pulled pork, with the waffle soaking up the sauce the way a wedge of cornbread would. For a softer, spoonable cornbread breakfast, try my cornbread pudding.
When Cornbread Waffles Stick or Turn Out Dense
- Waffle tears when you open the lid: it was not set yet. Close the lid for another minute, then lift it with a wooden chopstick or silicone spatula.
- Stuck to the plates: grease before every waffle, not just the first. Cornmeal and sugar grip harder than a plain flour batter.
- Dense or flat: the batter was overmixed or the baking powder is old. Check the date.
- Pale and soft: the iron was not fully hot. Wait for the ready light, every time.
- Edges went soft after cooking: the waffles were stacked. Cool them in one layer on a rack.
Freezing and Reheating Cornbread Waffles
Cool them first. Then keep the waffles in an airtight container at room temperature for one day or in the fridge for up to three days. To freeze, set them in a single layer on a tray until firm, then stack them with parchment between and freeze for up to two months.
Reheat straight from the fridge or freezer in a toaster or toaster oven until the edges crisp again. They soften a little in the fridge, and the heat brings the crunch back.
Cornbread Waffle Questions
Can you make cornbread waffle bowls?
Yes, if you have a waffle bowl maker. Use less batter than for a flat waffle, cook until firm and golden, and let each bowl cool on the rack so it holds its cup shape. Fill with chili or with berries and yogurt.
Can I make the batter ahead?
It is best cooked within about 30 minutes, while the baking powder is at its strongest. To get ahead, cook all the waffles and freeze them instead.
Should cornbread waffles be sweet or savory?
Both. With only 2 tablespoons of sugar, this batter sits right in the middle. Top it with berries and maple syrup for breakfast, or add cheddar and jalapeño and serve it with chili.
Toppings I Reach For
Breakfast is easy. I go with fresh strawberries and blueberries, a pat of butter, and a thin drizzle of honey or maple syrup. A spoonful of yogurt on the side keeps it from feeling too sweet.
Cornbread Waffles Recipe
These cornbread waffles are buttermilk cornbread batter cooked in a waffle iron, made with fine yellow cornmeal, flour, eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. The recipe makes 6 crisp, golden waffles with tender corn centers in about 30 minutes, about 4 to 5 minutes each. A fully preheated waffle iron and a batter stirred only until the flour disappears give waffle cornbread that lifts out cleanly. Serve them with butter, berries, and maple syrup or honey for breakfast, or add cheddar and jalapeno for savory cornbread waffles with chili or fried chicken. A box corn muffin mix also works in the waffle maker. Freeze for up to 2 months and reheat in the toaster.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Optional Toppings
- Fresh strawberries
- Fresh blueberries
- Butter
- Maple syrup or honey
Instructions
PREHEAT THE WAFFLE IRON: Turn on the waffle iron and allow it to heat completely. A fully heated iron creates crisp edges and even browning. Lightly grease the plates if needed to prevent sticking.
MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS: Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to distribute the leavening and ensure an even texture in the finished waffles.
COMBINE THE WET INGREDIENTS: Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and whisk until lightly beaten. Add the buttermilk, whole milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is smooth and fully blended.
PREPARE THE BATTER: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Stop mixing once no large streaks of flour remain. A few small lumps are acceptable and help maintain a tender crumb.
COOK THE WAFFLES: Spoon enough batter onto the center of the preheated waffle iron to cover most of the surface when closed. Close the lid and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions, about 4 to 5 minutes. Cook until the waffles are golden brown with crisp edges.
KEEP WARM AND SERVE: Transfer cooked waffles to a wire rack to maintain crispness, or place them in a 200°F (95°C) oven while finishing the remaining batter. Serve warm with butter, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, and maple syrup or honey.
Notes
Use fine yellow cornmeal for a softer texture; coarse cornmeal gives a grainy waffle. Let the melted butter cool until just warm before adding it to the eggs and buttermilk. Do not overmix the batter, as excessive stirring makes dense waffles. Grease the plates before every waffle and keep the lid closed until the steam slows. Place waffles on a wire rack instead of stacking to keep them crisp. No buttermilk: stir 1 1/4 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar into 1 1/4 cups milk and rest 5 minutes. Store 1 day at room temperature, 3 days in the fridge, or freeze up to 2 months; reheat in a toaster.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 526Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 12gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 110mgSodium 576mgCarbohydrates 73gFiber 4gSugar 8gProtein 12g
