In the opinion of my kids: waffles are great, but chocolate waffles are the absolute best! After experimenting with many waffle recipes, I have come to the conclusion that the very best results are achieved by adding the sourdough starter. The sourdough feeds on the starches from the flour overnight, creating massive air pockets and resulting in the most fluffiest, lightest, and crispiest waffles! Ever. My European waffles recipe is a winner for sure if you are not using sourdough. The light and fluffy texture is achieved by whipping egg whites and adding them at the end. As I was building up my resurrected starter, I was on a mission to find an efficient way to use the discard. Adding the discard to my waffle batter the night before cooking the waffles was a great solution to my problem. In addition to using my sourdough discard, I also found that the chocolate flavor was greatly enhanced by using teff, buckwheat, and rye flours. The best part about this recipe is that most of the batter gets mixed the night before. Next morning, all that is left to add is a few more ingredients and fresh waffles are ready to be served! This system even worked for us during busy school weekdays!
- 2 cups (8 oz) flour *see notes for multi-grain
- 4 Tablespoons Cocoa powder
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed
- 2-3 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 4 Tablespoons (2 oz) butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, buttermilk, sugar, and starter. Cover and set overnight in the fridge.
- The next morning add eggs, melted butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add baking soda and mix.
- Preheat your waffle maker. Do not set it to the darkest setting as chocolate waffles tend to brown more.
- Cook waffles according to your waffle maker's directions.
- Enjoy hot with whipped cream and fresh berries! To reheat, toast in your toaster on the lowest setting.
For Gluten-free waffles: use 2 ounces rice, 2 ounces oat, 2 ounces teff and 2 ounces buckwheat. Adding ½ teaspoons guar gum helps bind the batter better but is not necessary.
To make and serve waffles the same day: Mix all the ingredients except the baking soda and let the batter sit, covered at room temperature 1-2 hours or until airy and bubbly. Add baking soda and cook immediately.
Photo Step-By-Step
In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, buttermilk, sugar, and starter. Cover and set overnight in the fridge.
The next morning add eggs, melted butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Add baking soda and mix.
Preheat your waffle maker. Do not set it to the darkest setting as chocolate waffles tend to brown more.
Cook waffles according to your waffle maker’s directions.
Enjoy hot with whipped cream and fresh berries! To reheat, toast in your toaster on the lowest setting.
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