Liège Waffles

Made with dough instead of batter, these Belgian Liège waffles are crispy on the outside with little pops of sugar throughout. After one bite, this will become your go-to breakfast or dessert!

If given the choice between waffles and pancakes, I choose waffles 9 out of 10 times - from bacon cheddar waffles to lemon ricotta waffles to Oreo waffles. While I like pancakes, I just love the added texture from waffles.

But have you ever had a Liège waffle? Or more importantly, have you ever heard of it? I hadn't until stumbling by Taste of Belgium in Cincinnati. Let's just say, I visited multiple times while I was there. They are smaller than the Belgian waffles you are thinking of so don't judge me.

What really makes these waffles outstanding are little pops of pearl sugar throughout the dough. You even get some on the outside that caramelizes as the waffle cooks! I describe it as a mix between donuts and waffles.

Why This Recipe Works

• Yeast-based dough - The dough used in Liège waffles is made with yeast, allowing it to rise and develop a light and fluffy texture while cooking.
• Pearl sugar - One of the key ingredients in these waffles is the pearl sugar, which is mixed into the dough. When cooked, the sugar caramelizes, creating pockets of sweet, crunchy goodness throughout the waffle.
• Versatility - These can be enjoyed on their own or served with a variety of toppings and accompaniments, such as fresh fruit, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or ice cream. You can also just walk around eating it!

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredient Notes
• Ingredient Swaps
• Step-by-Step Photos
• FAQs
• Topping Ideas
• Equipment
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Other Breakfast Recipes
• Liège Waffles

Ingredient Notes

• Milk - Adds necessary fat but also helps brown the waffles.
• Light brown sugar - Gives a little extra sweetness to the dough but can also be omitted.
• Yeast - What makes these Liège waffles different from other waffles which use baking soda/powder/. It creates a bread-like consistency.
• Eggs - Eggs are essential for binding the dough and adding structure. Use large eggs at room temperature for best results.
• Butter - Unsalted butter is commonly used for its rich flavor and moisture. It is important to use melted butter to incorporate it easily into the dough.
• All-purpose flour - Has the right amount of gluten necessary.
• Pearl sugar - Gives that pop of sweetness and crunch throughout.

Ingredient Swaps

As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients if you want. Some substitutes include:

• I'm partial to whole milk, but you can use low fat or skim milk or even water in a pinch.
• My go-to is light brown sugar, but granulated sugar works too.
• I like active dry yeast, but if you are short on time or only have it, instant yeast works. You just don't need to let it bloom in the milk.
• If you don't have pearl sugar, you can make your own, or use sugar cubes in a pinch.

Step-by-Step Photos

Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.

Add warm milk and yeast to bowl of stand mixer and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, butter and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Add 2 ⅔ cups of flour and salt and knead with dough hook until smooth.

Add the remaining cup of flour and mix until the dough is starting to pull away, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap for 30 minutes.

Use your hands to fold in the pearl sugar.

Divide the dough into 10-12 balls. Cook the waffle in the waffle iron according to manufacture's instructions.

FAQs

Topping Ideas

Liège waffles are honestly meant to just eat on its own. They are that good. With that said, you can add toppings of your choice, including:

• Fruit
• Nuts
• Nutella
• Whipped cream
• Curd

You can also add some flavorings into the dough such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or lemon zest to add a subtle twist to the waffle's taste

Equipment

The equipment you use is important to how the recipe turns out. What is needed is the following:

• Stand mixer - Helps make it so much easier to knead but you can also knead by hand.
• Waffle Maker - You want a Belgian-style waffle maker as it is deeper and helps create a crispy exterior.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• If you use instant yeast, you don't have to wait for it to sit in the milk for 5 minutes.
• If the dough isn't pulling away from the bowl after adding the flour, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it does.
• Avoid opening the waffle iron too soon. It's tempting to peek at the waffles as they cook, but avoid opening the waffle iron too early. Opening it prematurely can cause the waffle to tear or stick to the iron, resulting in an unevenly cooked waffle.
• Keep the waffles in a 200°F oven while making the others to keep warm.
• Clean your waffle iron while it is still warm with a damp cloth or paper towel.

Other Breakfast Recipes

If you’ve tried this Liège waffles recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.