By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 22, 2023

Looking for the best waffle you’ve ever eaten? These gluten-free sourdough waffles start with a quick buckwheat sourdough ferment. It’s the perfect way to add richness and balance the natural sweetness of maple syrup.

I always test my recipes at least 3 times to make sure they’re really reliable. So, my neighbors got to enjoy a few of my extra gluten-free sourdough waffles. Even though none of them are GF, they all declared these to be the best waffles they’ve ever eaten!

WHY START WITH SOURDOUGH?

I’ve been gluten-free since 2009. I don’t know if anyone else remembers what GF bread was like back then… but let me tell you, it was AWFUL.

I very quickly learned how to bake gluten-free bread and have been baking with gluten-free sourdough starter ever since!

I don’t just use it for bread and pizza, but for all sorts of baked goods. Everything from granola bars and muffins to cookies!

Here are a few reasons why I LOVE sourdough for my gluten-free baking:

1. Gluten-free baked goods typically rely on starches and binders for structure. Unfortunately, starches are dry and flavorless. Starting with buckwheat sourdough reduced the amount of starch needed in this recipe.
2. Sourdough starter helps to break down the complex carbs in gluten-free flour, improving the texture of gluten-free baking.
3. Sourdough adds a ton of richness and flavor, which perfectly balances with the sweetness in these gluten-free maple waffles.

Want to become a sourdough master? Consider this Gluten-Free Sourdough Masterclass.

GF SOURDOUGH IS EASY

Did you know that gluten-free sourdough is really easy?

As a food writer, blogger, and cookbook author, I have had to bake my share of wheat-based sourdough bread.

Unfortunately, you can’t publish a book on fermentation without some traditional sourdough bread recipes. (I know?!!) However, other than the required chapter on sourdough, the rest of the book is GF and includes a chapter on GF grains and sourdough.

The book is available in most online bookstores.

All this is to say that I know with absolute certainty that the easiest sourdough starter is gluten-free!

Buckwheat naturally contains sourdough yeast. So as long as you are using a natural brand, they only take about 24 hours to ferment into sourdough starter!

It’s so easy, that I usually start my sourdough starter from scratch whenever I want to do a bunch of baking. Then I don’t have to worry about feeding or maintaining the starter whenever I’m too busy to bake.

It’s that quick and easy to make a GF sourdough starter!

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Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Gluten-Free Sourdough Waffles

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The perfect gluten-free sourdough waffles blend the richness of sourdough starter with the sweetness of maple syrup. These waffles are delicious for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 12 hours

Total Time 12 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup light buckwheat flour
• ⅔ cup filtered water
• 2 cups of milk
• ¾ cup of melted unsalted butter
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup of maple syrup
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 2 cups gluten-free flour blend
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda

Instructions

1. Mix the buckwheat flour and water in a glass bowl or measuring cup. Cover with a tea towel and leave it somewhere warm to ferment and sour. For a strong sourdough flavor let it ferment for 24 to 48 hours. Otherwise, overnight is fine for a mild sourdough flavor.
2. Stir the buckwheat starter every twelve hours to bring air into the mixture.
3. When you are ready to cook the waffles, preheat your waffle iron.
4. Beat the milk, melted butter, eggs, maple syrup, and extract into the sourdough mixture.
5. Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Continue to beat everything together until it is well-mixed.
6. Cook the waffles according to the directions for your waffle iron. I find these waffles require slightly longer to cook than other types of waffles.

Notes

• If you already have a sourdough starter going, skip the buckwheat ferment and use 1 cup of sourdough starter instead.
• If your flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, add 1 ½ tsp to the flour to improve the texture of these waffles.
• Gluten-free maple waffles freeze really well. Let them cool completely before storing them in an air-tight freezer container for homemade “instant” waffles!

Recommended Products

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  Pyrex Smart Essentials 3-Piece Prepware Mixing Bowl Set
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  Waffle Maker

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

5
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 596Total Fat: 33.7gSaturated Fat: 19.6gCholesterol: 179mgSodium: 874mgCarbohydrates: 62.2gFiber: 6.4gSugar: 14.5gProtein: 13.6g

AUTHOR BIO

Emillie Parrish is a writer and cookbook author. You can find her recipes and articles on her blogs: Fermenting For Foodies and Berries And Barnacles.

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