While I do nearly all the cooking and baking in our home, my husband John is the Waffle Master.  He’s an engineer by training, and has dialed in the perfect waffle recipe.  I’m trained in nutrition, and am always looking for ways to make my food the most delicious and nutritious it can be.  So these waffles can be made with 100% whole oat flour and are da bomb delicious – possibly even better than with wheat.  They also need less butter to keep them tender and tasty.  And a bonus?  When made with all oat flour they’re naturally gluten free for my celiac/gluten avoiding readers.

John’s hot tip:  let the prepared batter sit, at room temp, for at least 30 minutes before baking the waffles.  We allowed the batter to sit for 2 hours last weekend, and they were fabulous.  This is because the grains in the flour have an opportunity to fully hydrate prior to baking, making the waffles moist and with great texture.

Why buttermilk rather than regular dairy or nondairy milk?  It’s because the acid naturally made by the bacteria responsible for the delicious tang and thickened texture of the buttermilk also slightly weakens the protein structures in milk.  This allows for more tenderness in the baked waffle.  Buttermilk also contributes excellent flavor and leavening power to the batter.

I make whole oat flour by whirling old fashioned oats in my Vitamix blender until a flour forms.   3 cups whole oats makes a tad over 2 cups oat flour.  Enjoy!

Buttermilk Waffles
(makes about 4 large waffles)

2 cups flour (whole oat*, whole wheat, or white wheat flours all work)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt, fine
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 TB butter, melted for whole oat flour (use 4 TB for wheat flour)
2 cups buttermilk

At least 30 minutes prior to baking, mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Cover and set aside.  Heat waffle iron, and bake to order.  Serve with butter and maple syrup or topping of your choice.

*for celiac friends, choose certified gluten free oats.  Oats are naturally gluten free, but certified gluten free oats are prepared in wheat free facilities.