Boxed waffle mixes are extremely convenient, you simply have to add water to the ingredients that come in the box, mix everything together and you are ready to make your waffles. The only downside to them is that the taste can be quite lackluster. So let’s see what else we can add to the mix to make the waffles taste better.
Here are 11 ingredients you can add that make boxed waffle mix taste even better:
- Vanilla
- Butter
- Milk
- Buttermilk
- Lemon Zest
- Orange Zest
- Salt
- Yeast
- Cocoa Powder
- Cinnamon
- Eggs
Now, you probably don’t want to add all of them at once, so let’s have a look at each ingredient and see how you should add it to the mix, how it will make the waffles taste better, and most importantly how much you should add.
1. Vanilla
Vanilla is the perfect addition to any waffle mix, whether it’s homemade or from a box.
The addition of vanilla will bring depth of flavor and subtle sweet taste, as well as an incredible pleasant smell.
You can either use vanilla extract or natural vanilla beans. While technically both are vanilla, the added taste will be very different, so it’s up to you to choose what you prefer.
The taste of the vanilla extract is more intense, while that of vanilla beans is smoother and sweater.
In the case of the extract you should add ½ teaspoons for every 5 waffles, and for vanilla beans you should use one inch for every 5 waffles.
2. Butter
As everybody knows butter makes everything better, and waffles are no exception.
The butter will add a richness to the waffle batter, and it will keep them soft once they are cooked. And it will make the waffles remain soft for longer.
I would suggest you use about 1 tablespoon of melted butter for every 5 waffles. If you want you can increase that to two tablespoons per 5 waffles, but going over that will mess up the consistency of the batter.
And make sure to subtract some liquid from the mx. So if you are going to add one tablespoon of batter, remove 1 tablespoon of water or milk. And speaking of milk.
3. Milk
I would recommend you to exchange all the water that the recipe calls for with milk. The milk will give your waffles a creamier texture and a richer flavor.
If you want you can even take this one step further and something other than normal cow milk and use almond milk, or coconut milk. Every type of milk will work and it will be a huge step up from water.
4. Buttermilk
Since butter and milk are great auditions to the waffle mix, why not use buttermilk? Well, you can, and it will make the waffles taste great. But it’s not the same thing as adding butter and milk.
There are two different types of buttermilk, cultured and classic, and while they might seem the same thing at first, they couldn’t be more different.
Traditional Buttermilk
Traditional buttermilk is obtained during the process in which butter is made. It has a rich, buttery taste and only a gently acidic tang. The thin liquid contains almost no fat, as it is removed during the butter-making process.
Cultured Buttermilk
Cultured buttermilk is obtained by adding good bacteria to milk. So unlike traditional buttermilk, this is not a byproduct. And the taste of cultured buttermilk differs from traditional buttermilk. The sour liquid resembles yogurt, with a thicker texture than traditional buttermilk.
Both of them can be a great addition to any waffle mix, or they can easily replace the water in its entirety.
The only thing that you should be careful about is that buttermilk has a creamier texture than water or milk, so if the batter is too thick, you might want to add a few tablespoons of water to make it lighter.
5. Lemon Zest
Lemon zest is not something that you usually see in a waffle mix, and this is a real shame since the added taste can take the waffles to a completely new level, without making any dramatic changes to the taste.
While technically you could use lemon juice instead of zest, I find it that the zest is better for two reasons.
The first one is that it has less acidity. In general acidity is not a bad thing in a batter, but too much of it can make the waffles lose some of their structural integrity (for a lack of a better word), and in most cases you don’t want that to happen.
And the second reason is that the zest and the juice don’t taste the same. The taste of the zest is a lot more pleasant and subtle when mixed with the batter, than that of the juice.
A good amount of zest is one teaspoon for every 5 waffles. But you can add more than that, one teaspoon is the minimum needed to feel the change in the taste.
6. Orange Zest
Unlike lemons, the zest of the orange is actually bitter than that of the juice. And that’s exactly why you should use it instead of the juice.
Most boxed waffle mixes are already sweet enough, adding anything sweet to them will make them too sweet. So, we want to add something that will complement that sweetness.
The zest of an orange has enough bitterness to it to add a little twist to the waffles, and add some orange taste. The juice on the other hand, while it has a more intense taste, it won’t add anything else to the mix, and it will make it too sweet.
And again, one teaspoon for every 5 waffles should be a great place to start.
7. Salt
Salt is sweetness’s best friend, and this is especially true when it comes to waffles.
While salty and sweet are two very distinct tastes that don’t have anything in common, they somehow manage to make an amazing combination. And this is mostly due to the fact that salt, before anything else, is a flavor enhancer. So while salt has its own taste, the main thing that it does is to enhance the taste of anything that it comes in contact with.
Overall you don’t need to add too much salt to make your waffles taste better, I would recommend adding ¼ teaspoon for every 5 waffles that you are making.
8. Yeast
Yeast, while not considered by many a staple ingredient in waffles, it actually is one in traditional Belgian waffles.
Yeast gives waffles a lighter texture and a subtle fermented flavor that isn’t achievable by using baking powder alone.
The only downside to yeast is that, unlike baking powder, it needs some time to fully do its job. Ideally you will mix the batter and let it sit overnight, but you can also obtain great effects by letting it sit for one or two hours.
To add the yeast to the mix properly you have to first mix it with the liquid, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then mix it with the rest of the ingredients. This will distribute the yeast evenly, and keep it away from the salt, which can stop the yeast from developing properly.
After you mix all the ingredients, cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm spot. I usually let it sit in the microwave or the oven, since there are no fluctuations in temperature.
As for how much yeast you should use, it depends on how long you are going to let the batter sit. If you are going to let it sit overnight, one pinch of yeast should be enough. But if you will only let it rest for one or two hours, you can speed up the process by adding one teaspoon of yeast.
9. Cocoa Powder
Chocolate lovers in your household will delight at the addition of just a little bit of cocoa powder to batter.
I would recommend using no more than one teaspoon of cocoa powder for every 5 waffles that you are making. While cocoa powder can give your waffles a great chocolaty taste, it can also make them taste bitter if you use too much.
10. Cinnamon
Some people like cinnamon, some not so much. For those who do, I would strongly recommend you to add it to your waffle mix.
As for how much you should add, it really depends on how much you like cinnamon. If you are a huge fan, you can add up to ½ teaspoon for every 5 waffles. If you just want to have a little taste of cinnamon a small pinch should be enough, but not too overpowering.
11. Eggs
A lot of boxed waffle mixes already have eggs mixed with the batter, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t add some more, in order to make your waffles better.
While eggs do contribute to the taste of the waffles, their taste is barely noticeable. But where they really make their presence felt is the texture. To put it simply, eggs make waffles fluffier.
When you beat the eggs, they will create thousands of small air pockets that will remain there even after you cook the waffles, and this will give your waffles an amazing fluffy texture.
On average I would recommend you to use one egg for every 5 waffles that you are making.
Bonus Tips
And here are a few short bonus tips that will also make your waffles taste better.
Let your batter rest for 10 minutes after you are done mixing. This way the ingredients will have time to settle in, and small air pockets will form in the mix, which will make the waffles lighter and fluffier.
Don’t add sugar. If you want to make your waffles taste better don’t add any extra sugar. The mix already comes with all the sugar that it needs. Adding any more won’t make them taste better, it will just make them sweater, which is not the same thing as better.
Don’t overmix the batter. Batter is in a way the same thing as dough, it just has more water in it. And when you knead the dough too much it becomes rubbery, so you can’t shape it properly and the final product will be impossible to bite. The same things happen to batter to some extent, if you mix it too much, the waffles will be hard or even rubbery, and you will have a hard time eating them. So, when you see that all ingredients are mixed together you can stop mixing.
Make your own topping. No matter how tasty the waffles are, they will always be at their best when they are covered with a topping. And while a lot of store bought toppings are great, I’ve never eaten one that is as good as the homemade ones. Which you can make in 2 minutes on your own. All you need is a pan, sugar, butter, fruits and water. Simply add some sugar to the pan, when it starts melting add the fruits (I usually use a frozen fruit mix) and some butter. And if needed a little bit of water. And that’s it. As I said it should take you about 2 minutes to make and it’s tastier and healthier than store bought ones. And as a note you can use any liquid that you want instead of water, so if you are feeling adventurous you can try some wine or some cherry.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, 11 things that you can do to make your boxed waffles taste better.
All of them will improve the taste of your waffles, and if you want you can even combine some of them. The only thing that you should be careful about when combining 2 or 3 of those tips is the consistency of the batter.
For example, if you use milk, cocoa powder and cinnamon, you might want to add some extra milk, or even some water to make the batter more liquid, otherwise the waffles might not turn out the way they should have. So in general for every extra teaspoon of solid ingredient added, you should also add one extra teaspoon of liquid, this way everything should remain in balance.