These chocolate chip waffles are perfectly fluffy and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Serve them with syrup, fruit, whipped cream or ice cream for the perfect indulgent breakfast for any special day!

I’m a definite breakfast fan, and when it comes to waffles — I don’t mess around. I’ve got a recipe for any day, season or holiday. From my classic buttermilk waffles to my Belgian liege waffles, you can make these waffles for Sunday, birthdays, or just a normal Tuesday. Spice things up for the holidays with my gingerbread waffles and pumpkin waffles, and make Valentine’s day, birthdays or anniversaries special with my red velvet waffles!

A stack of Chocolate Chip Waffles on a white plate.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Using cornstarch in this waffle recipe ensures a crispy exterior.
  • Beating the egg whites until soft peaks makes the waffles interior light and airy, but also taller and more tender.
  • This recipe uses mini chocolate chips to ensure the chocolate is fully melted and evenly dispersed.
  • This recipe is easily customizable — switch out the chocolate chips for blueberries for some delicious blueberry waffles.
  • This is an easy chocolate chip waffles recipe that you can use for special days or even normal weekdays! The batter is easy and simple to mix up, making it a stress-free breakfast recipe.

Ingredients

Ingredients used to make chocolate chip waffles.
  • Cornstarch: This gives the waffle a crispy exterior.
  • Butter: The higher fat content in waffles helps the crispy caramelization of the waffle exterior. I use unsalted, if you want to use salted butter you can just remember to reduce the amount of salt used in the recipe. 
  • Chocolate Chips: Mini chocolate chips are recommended and preferred because they are smaller and melted into the batter more readily and easily. If you don’t have mini chocolate chips feel free to cut up a chocolate bar into small chocolate chunks, or use regular sized chocolate chips. Just know you’ll get different results from what the recipe was intended for. 
  • Buttermilk: This reacts with the baking soda, giving us a fluffy texture. Buttermilk is also a great source of flavor for waffles so we add it to the batter to create not only to contribute to the overall texture of the chocolate chip waffles, but flavor as well. See “Recipe Tips” section below for tips on how to make your own buttermilk.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Whisk the dry ingredients (minus the chocolate chips) in a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Whisk the wet ingredients (using the egg yolks and reserving the eggs whites in another bowl for later) in a medium bowl until fully combined. 
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until partially combined. 
  4. Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form (soft peaks are when the peaks fold over at the top but still hold shape fairly well). Add the brown sugar and beat on medium/high speed until the sugar has been fully mixed in. 
  5. Using a rubber spatula partially fold the egg whites into the batter. You don’t want to over mix!
  • A hand mixer beating egg whites in a glass bowl.
  • Chocolate Chip Waffle batter in a glass bowl.
  1. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Again, don’t over mix!
  2. Let the batter sit while you preheat the waffle iron.
  • Mini chocolate chips in waffle batter.
  • A spatula stirring mini chocolate chip studded buttermilk waffle batter.
  1. Prep your iron (whether you grease it with butter or cooking spray). When hot and greased, scoop 1 cup (or enough to fill your waffle iron — waffle irons differ in size so you may need more or less batter). Cook until golden brown.  
A square waffle iron with raw Chocolate Chip Waffle batter scooped onto the plates.
  1. Serve with syrup, yogurt, whipped cream, fruit etc.
A stack of square Chocolate Chip Waffles on a white plate with syrup in the background.

Recipe Tips

Buttermilk: I prefer real buttermilk whenever I make my pancakes and waffles. However, when in a pinch, you can make a buttermilk substitute with one of the following:

  • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to measure 1 cup. 
  • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to measure 1 cup. 

Batter: Separating the eggs and beating the egg whites will give a much fluffier texture to the waffles. Also, it’s important you don’t over mix your batter or else you won’t get fluffy and light waffles.

Cooking: Make sure your waffle iron is preheated and greased before adding the batter in.

Toppings: Make it a dessert by adding a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream and a sauce like homemade raspberry sauce or hot fudge sauce. Add fresh fruit on top with a dollop of my Greek yogurt whipped cream or my coconut whipped cream.

This recipe makes about 3.5 cups worth of waffle batter, 7 square waffles in my waffle iron. 

Storing: Store cooked waffles in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for 3 days.

Freezing: Freeze cooked waffles in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. 

Reheating: When ready to eat pop a waffle in the toaster until warmed. You can also microwave the waffle for 30 seconds or so until fully heated through. The toaster is the best approach if you want to get it nice and crisp again. Can also heat in the oven. Place waffles on a parchment lined baking sheet or cooling rack lined baking sheet and heat in a 350°F preheated oven for 10 minutes or until heated through. 

Do NOT put your cooked waffles in a container with a lid, a ziplock bag or a covered plate or else the heat from the waffles will create condensation in the closed or covered container and your waffles will turn soft! Best practice is to put the crispy waffles on an oven-safe plate in the oven at a warming temperature to keep the waffles warm without losing any crispy perfection. If you want to go even further to make sure your waffles stay crispy, put an oven-safe cooling rack on a cookie sheet and place the waffles on that inside the oven. This will keep the bottoms of the waffles crispier since they aren’t resting on one another or on a plate.

FAQs

What’s the difference between pancake batter and waffle batter?

Buttermilk waffles have a more sugar than pancake batter, not only to add flavor but it helps aid in the browning and caramelization of the exterior. Waffles also contain more fat than pancake batter which also aids in a crisp exterior.

Can you freeze waffles?

Yes! Freeze cooked waffles in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

How long do I cook waffles in a waffle maker?

This varies depending on your waffle iron. And some waffle irons have a cook time functionality. It also depends on your preference of done-ness. I think a good rule of thumb is 2 minutes and then open the waffle maker and check if it’s cooked to your liking.

Chocolate Chip Waffles on a white plate with syrup in the left corner.

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Chocolate Chip Waffles on a white plate with a fork to the right of the plate.
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5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Chip Waffles

Making Chocolate Chip Waffles is easy and delicious and only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish! These Chocolate Chip Waffles are studded with delicious mini chocolate chips giving you a small piece of chocolate in every bite. Serve these waffles when you want to make your mornings exta special.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 7 waffles

Ingredients
 

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter - melted
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs - whites and yolks separated
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar - light or dark brown sugar is fine
  • 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips - mini chocolate chips preferred

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt. 
  • In a medium bowl combine butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and egg yolks. Whisk until fully combined. 
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, gently whisking until just combined. 
  • In a separate bowl add the egg whites. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium/high speed until sugar has been fully mixed in. 
  • Using a rubber spatula partially fold the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the mini chocolate chips. Don’t overmix. 
  • Let the batter sit while you preheat the waffle iron. Prep your iron (whether you grease it with butter or cooking spray). When ready, scoop 1 cup (or enough to fill your waffle iron… waffle irons differ in size so you may need more or less batter). Cook until golden brown. 
  • Serve with syrup, yogurt, whipped cream, fruit etc. 

Notes

Storing: Store cooked waffles in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooked waffles in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. 
Reheating: When ready to eat pop a waffle in the toaster until warmed. You can also microwave the waffle for 30 seconds or so until fully heated through. The toaster is the best approach if you want to get it nice and crisp again. Can also heat in the oven. Place waffles on a parchment lined baking sheet or cooling rack lined baking sheet and heat in a 350°F preheated oven for 10 minutes or until heated through. 
Chocolate chips: Mini chocolate chips are recommended and preferred because they are smaller and melted into the batter more readily and easily. If you don’t have mini chocolate chips feel free to cut up a chocolate bar into small chocolate chunks, or use regular sized chocolate chips. Just know you’ll get different results from what the recipe was intended for. 
Buttermilk: I prefer real buttermilk whenever I make my pancakes and waffles. However, when in a pinch, you can make a buttermilk substitute with one of the following:
  • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to measure 1 cup. 
  • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to measure 1 cup. 
Butter: I use unsalted, if you want to use salted butter you can just remember to reduce the amount of salt used in the recipe. 
Batter: Separating the eggs and beating the egg whites will give a much fluffier texture to the waffles. Also, it’s important you don’t over mix your batter or else you won’t get fluffy and light waffles.
Cooking: Make sure your waffle iron is hot and greased before adding the batter in.
Toppings: Make it a dessert by adding a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream and a sauce like homemade raspberry sauce or hot fudge sauce. Add fresh fruit on top with a dollop of my Greek yogurt whipped cream or my coconut whipped cream.
Do NOT put your cooked waffles in a container with a lid, a ziplock bag or a covered plate or else the heat from the waffles will create condensation in the closed or covered container and your waffles will turn soft! Best practice is to put the crispy waffles on an oven-safe plate in the oven at a warming temperature to keep the waffles warm without losing any crispy perfection. If you want to go even further to make sure your waffles stay crispy, put an oven-safe cooling rack on a cookie sheet and place the waffles on that inside the oven. This will keep the bottoms of the waffles crispier since they aren’t resting on one another or on a plate.
This recipe makes about 3.5 cups worth of waffle batter, 7 square waffles in my waffle iron. 

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcal (20%)Carbohydrates: 47g (16%)Protein: 7g (14%)Fat: 20g (31%)Saturated Fat: 12g (60%)Trans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 89mg (30%)Sodium: 364mg (15%)Potassium: 235mg (7%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 21g (23%)Vitamin A: 582IU (12%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 140mg (14%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Belgium, French
Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating and review on the blog post letting me know how you liked this recipe! Take a picture and tag @saltandbaker on Instagram and Facebook so I can see what you’re making!

National Waffle Day

Dust off that waffle maker, Audrey from That Recipe is hosting a Waffle-Fest for National Waffle Day. We’ve got sweet waffles savory waffles, breakfast waffles, waffle sandwiches and dessert waffles. So many delicious ways to enjoy!

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