Chocolate Chip Waffles are crispy on the outside, tender and cake-like inside, with melty pools of chocolate throughout.
These waffles make the best breakfast, and BONUS: the batter can be prepped the night before!
Table of Contents
Chocolate Chip Waffles
I like to make a fun breakfast for my family once a week, usually on the weekend. I often make French toast, crepes, or waffles, along with eggs, bacon, and breakfast potatoes.
It’s fun to mix things up with different flavors of waffles or pancakes. Lately, we’ve been enjoying blueberry pancakes and banana waffles on repeat. A few weekends ago, I added chocolate chips into the waffle batter, and now my kids now think chocolate for breakfast should happen every time!
Make Batter The Night Before
Making waffles is perfect for busy mornings or holidays like Christmas or Easter. Mix the batter the night before, then cook it in the morning—easy and stress-free!
Letting the batter rest overnight makes waffles softer and more flavorful, as the flour absorbs the liquid and the flavors deepen, similar to overnight bread dough.
Ingredients
- Flour: Regular white flour makes waffles soft and fluffy.
- Salt: Even a pinch adds so much flavor! Don’t skip it.
- Baking Powder: Makes waffles rise. Check freshness: mix 2 tsp with hot water—bubbles mean it’s good.
- Cinnamon & Vanilla: Optional, but they add a sweet flavor.
- Whole Milk: Makes waffles creamy, avoid low-fat options.
- White Vinegar: Mix with milk to make buttermilk for tender waffles.
- Brown Sugar: Keeps waffles moist and adds sweetness; use soft sugar.
- Eggs: Hold the ingredients together and shape the waffles.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps waffles soft; canola works too.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds flavor and fat; let it cool after melting.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: Melt into chocolatey spots—so tasty!
How To Eat Chocolate Chip Waffles
- Syrup: Pour some pure maple syrup (or pancake syrup) over them.
- Homemade Sauce: Try buttermilk syrup or blueberry syrup on top.
- Whipped Cream: Add a spoonful of whipped cream on top.
- Fresh Fruit: Top with berries like strawberries or blueberries, or add banana slices.
- Nut Butter: Spread some peanut or almond butter.
- Powdered Sugar: Sprinkle some powdered sugar over them.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Waffles
- Prep Ingredients: Bring all ingredients to room temp.
- Make Buttermilk: Combine milk and vinegar, and let it sit.
- Dry Ingredients: Put all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, vanilla, sugar, and oil to the dry mix. Stir just until combined.
- Add Butter: Slowly mix in the cooled, melted butter. Then fold in the chocolate.
- Cook Waffles: Heat the waffle iron, pour in the batter, and cook until golden.
Variations
Double Chocolate Chip Waffles: Use two types of chocolate, like semi-sweet and dark, for extra flavor. Or, try my double chocolate waffles found in this Waffle Cake recipe!
White Chocolate Chip Waffles: Swap semi-sweet chips for white chocolate chips. You could even add in some dried cranberries and orange zest for an extra-tasty waffle.
How To Keep Waffles From Getting Soggy
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
- Set a cooling rack on a large sheet pan. As soon as you take a waffle out of the waffle iron, place it on the cooling rack in a single layer.
- Keep the sheet pan in the oven until you’re ready to eat.
Storage
Freezing Chocolate Chip Waffles
- Let the waffles cool completely at room temperature (on a wire cooling rack).
- Place them on a tray lined with parchment paper.
- Freeze the tray for about 1-2 hours until the waffles are fully frozen.
- Transfer the waffles to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, pop them in a toaster.
Top Two Chocolate Chip Waffle Tips
- Good Waffle Maker: A good waffle maker really helps! This is the one I use and love—it’s worth it.
- Let Batter Rest: To get fluffier waffles, chill batter in fridge overnight or leave it out at room temp for 10 mins (up to an hour) before cooking. Stir gently and cook in a hot waffle maker.
More Tasty Breakfast Recipes:
- Breakfast Toast a Jamba Juice copycat!
- Golden Milk Smoothie with cinnamon
- Healthy Waffle Recipe made without refined sugars or flour
- French Toast Sticks coated in Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
- Protein Breakfast Cookies with a quick glaze
Chocolate Chip Waffles
Chocolate Chip Waffles are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and absolutely full of melty chocolate through and through.
Equipment
- Waffle Iron
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2-1/4 cups flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon optional
Wet Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar lightly packed, or granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, room temperature
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Syrup see note 1
Instructions
- Get all the wet ingredients to room temperature before you begin (see note 2). Whisk together milk and vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes to slightly curdle.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add all the wet ingredients except the butter. Whisk until combined. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the melted butter. Whisk until smooth. Don't over-mix. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes (see note 3).
- Preheat your nonstick waffle maker according to the model's instructions. Once heated, add 1/3 cup of batter per cavity. Cook until each waffle is nicely crisped on both sides and cooked through in the center.
- Keep cooked waffles warm in the oven while finishing the batch (see note 4) or serve immediately with your choice of toppings.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: To make my favorite syrup, combine 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and a pinch of salt in a medium pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and syrup slightly thickens, about 5–8 mins. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
Note 2: Make sure all wet ingredients are the same temperature or batter will get clumpy. Melt the butter and set aside to cool to room temperature. Warm the milk slightly in the microwave or let it reach room temperature naturally. Run un-cracked eggs under warm water to bring them to room temperature.
Note 3: Waffles turn out best when the batter rests for a while. I like to make the batter the night before and then cook it the next morning! Cover the batter tightly and store it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, give it a quick stir and cook it in a preheated waffle maker. It’s great having the batter ready to go for breakfast, and the waffles taste even better!
Note 4: To keep waffles crisp, place them on a cooling rack set over a large pan. Put the pan in a 200°F oven to keep waffles warm as you continue cooking.
Storage: To store the waffles, let them cool completely on a wire rack, then arrange them on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 1–2 hours until fully frozen. Transfer the waffles to a freezer-safe bag or container, where they can be stored for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply pop them in a toaster.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.1g | Protein: 5.6g | Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 41.7mg | Sodium: 158.2mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 6.9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Chelsea, I am excited to make these tomorrow! Have you tried freezing and reheating leftovers?
Yes! I let them cool completely on a wire cooling rack then freeze on a lined sheet pan until solid (1 hour) then transfer to an airtight container/bag. I pop them straight from freezer into a toaster!
Thanks, Chelsea! The waffles were great! Very dessert-like and decadent. I found out after making them that my husband prefers his without chocolate chips (what?!) so next time I will do half with and half without!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment Briana! 🙂