Buttermilk Waffles – How Does Buttermilk Affect a Waffle Recipe?

buttermilkingredient-selection

A lot of waffle recipes call for buttermilk and some claim its addition makes superior waffles. Apart from thickening the batter and giving it a slightly acidic flavour, does its addition do anything else?

Best Answer

The role of buttermilk in most recipes, including waffles, is to provide acid into the reaction with baking soda to cause it to 'rise' more. The thickness helps the batter retain the air pockets that the acid + baking soda creates when heat is applied, resulting in a 'lighter fluffier' waffle.