Today’s a special day, a holiday! It’s International Waffle Day! I thought I’d celebrate with Marion Marion Cunningham’s Overnight Yeasted Waffles. I’m somewhat of a Waffle freak aficionado, something few people know. That’s because waffles are a bit of a pain to make and I’m not a morning person.
Marion Cunninham’s Waffles – good waffles but need a standard maker
That means I’m not making waffles a the buttcrack of dawn (usually) even if all I have to do is pull the bowl out of the fridge and go to town like with these waffles. And it means I don’t invite people over for waffles! Even if they’re a savory type of waffle smothered in my Creamed Chipped Beef & Artichokes – which could qualify for dinner waffles but still.
About Marion Cunningham’s Overnight Yeasted Waffles:
By the way, I’d sooner shoot myself as eat an Eggo or a waffle at some mediocre pancake house. For me, waffles are a family thing; a lazy weekend morning thing, and a waffle is one item that should be made at home with love and care.
I have a favorite recipe I was planning on making but got distracted by Marion Cunninghan’s waffles. That’s Marion Cunningham from Fannie Farmer (the cookbook) fame, not from the television show, Happy Days.)
I was also thinking about my Belgian Liege Waffles but realized the special sugar in my cupboard was Swedish Pearl, not the proper sugar to make Liege Waffles with. Maybe later, now that the waffle iron is out and my sugar is coming from Amazon. Any day, now. They’re late! So back to these waffles.
So on I went with the Cunningham recipe, which promised crispy, airy waffles, has an overnight rise (bonus, because that means there’s not much to do in the morning), and has been described as having a not very sweet, yeasty taste. That was all I needed to hear. I have to tell you I was disappointed – because I made these in my Belgian Waffle maker and they did not work. In the first place, only one side crisped up and they immediately started to become soggy.
I do research before I post a recipe; I like to see who else might be making it and what they’ve come up with. Many bloggers have made these waffles in a Belgian Waffle Maker, but it wasn’t until my failure that I took a closer look at their photos; every single blogger I had looked at showed partial waffles with what appeared to be the good side showing. I hadn’t initially noticed! Lies, lies, and more lies! Jheeeze. 🙂
Making Marion Cunningham’s Overnight Yeasted Waffles:
I don’t generally post a recipe that I don’t think is perfect, but I think it’s worthwhile to post this absolutely Classic Recipe “as is” – with the caveat to make these in a standard, not a Belgium-style waffle maker. If you want to use a Belgium waffle maker, see my adapted recipe.
Reviews on this recipe (done in a standard waffle maker) were divided – people either loved them or hated them and that’s due to the barely sweet, yeasty taste. You are gonna have to be your own judge.
If you do decide you’d like a sweeter waffle and you’d like to add more sugar, do it in the morning right before making them. Increasing the sugar before the batter rises overnight will change the timing of the rise. You can always make the first waffle and then decide to add more sugar for the remainder of them. Keep in mind how sweet of a topping you’ll be using, too.
A short stay in the oven is mandatory for these waffles. Within minutes of removing the waffles from the waffle maker, all of the waffles (including my modified one) in the photos began to soften alarmingly, even while being eaten. When placed in a 200 degree oven for a few minutes, all the waffles crisped right up and stayed crisp even after cooling. (They were still crisp when I packed the remainder up for my son to take home an hour or so later.)
What to Top Your Waffles With:
I am a non-traditionalist. I like good maple syrup now and then but I’m likely to use a little butter and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. If I want to go fancier, I might use a little jam, fresh fruit, or a dessert sauce.
One of my favorites is my Rum, Whisky, or Vanilla Sauce, and in this case, I’ve added raisins. An extract can be used instead of the actual alcohol. By the way, you’d be surprised at how easy and inexpensive a simple little dessert sauce is!
Marion Cunningham’s Waffles
How to Store & Reheat:
Store finished waffles covered in the fridge for three to four days or freeze. For best results, reheat in a toaster, a toaster oven, or on a rack in a moderate oven to re-crisp.
Freeze tightly wrapped for a month or two. If frozen, do not thaw first and heat as above.
Saving Money on Marion Cunningham’s Overnight Yeasted Waffles:
I think people often think they have to pay whatever price is at the store for their baked goods or else be stuck with a generic item; know the sales cycles, stock up on the low, and store at home in enough quantity to last until the next great sale. See Win at the Grocer and scroll to the bottom of the page for links to each holiday.
Yeast: The two types of yeast most commonly used are Active Dry & Instant Yeast. The first is mixed with warm liquid and allowed to “proof” while the second is normally added to dry ingredients. Although they can be bought in packets the best price is in jars. Buy before Easter & the Winter Holidays when they’ll be on sale; keep in the freezer indefinitely.
Flour: The lowest prices are pre-holiday sales, especially before Easter & the Winter Holidays. Larger bags can be less expensive unless the smaller bags are on sale. For comparison, a five-pound bag is about 17 cups, unsifted. Freeze flour for three days to avoid issues with peskies.
I’d love to hear what you think about these iconic waffles (when done in a standard waffle maker.) Do find them too yeasty, too sweet, or just right? What do you do to counteract any perceived flaws?
Mollie
Marion Cunningham’s Waffles, adapted, with Rum Raisin Sauce
Marion Cunningham’s Overnight Yeasted Waffles
- Prep Time: 30 minutes plus overnight
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 8 waffles 1x
- Category: Breakfast or Brunch
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water (between 90 and 110 degrees F.)
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 2 cups warm milk
- 1/2 cup melted and slightly cooled butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
Use a rather large mixing bowl — the batter will rise to double its original volume. Put the water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand to dissolve for 5 minutes. Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour to the yeast mixture and beat until smooth and blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.
Just before cooking the waffles, beat in the eggs, add the baking soda, and stir until well mixed. The batter will be very thin. Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into a very hot waffle iron. Bake the waffles until they are golden and crisp. This batter will keep well for several days in the refrigerator.
My notes:
- Use a standard, not Belgian waffle maker for best results.
- If you wish your waffle to stay crispy, allow for a few minutes in a 200 degree oven, on a rack.
- Most waffles freeze very well. Reheat in toaster, toaster oven, or oven, directly on a rack.
- I have adapted this recipe for a Belgian Waffle Maker!
- Related Posts:
- Marion Cunningham’s Yeasted Waffles
- La Times Yeasted Raised Waffles – This makes 8 regular, not 16 Belgian
- Marion Cunningham’s Raised Waffles
- Yeasted Waffles with Caramelized Bacon
- Best Waffles Ever but be Patient
- Marion Cunningham’s Yeast Waffles
- Waffle my World
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