Perfected Southern Oatmeal Waffles

Why This Recipe Works

• Tested & Perfected Recipe: I have tried my absolute best to create the best waffle batter recipe in the world. It was hit or miss at first, but after testing and modifying and eating copious batches of waffles (my Dad was the lucky sampler here in this punishing task), my go-to batter was born.
• Right Ingredients for Perfect Texture: Rolled oats and wheat germ provide both texture and stability, while the use of either buttermilk or 2% milk can be used.
• Secret to Thicker Batter: The secret to this recipe is to stir up your batter, then refrigerate for about 15 minutes to allow it to firm up and to thicken up. This will allow for more even and managed ‘pour’ onto the waffle iron’s surface.
• Freezer Friendly: You can freeze these guys! Seriously, they reheat from freezer to toaster brilliantly and that makes creating multiple batches worth the effort.

A Hale & Hearty Breakfast You’ll Love

Why spend so much time perfecting an oatmeal waffle batter? Because it’s worth it! I get nostalgic for the unpretentious foods I grew up with, like my aunt’s Norwegian waffles made every Christmas. Hers were heart-shaped, lightly spiced with cardamom, and always topped with brunost, sour cream, or lingonberry jam. While my recipe isn’t her traditional version, these buttermilk oat waffles are my healthier, whole-grain nod to that heritage: crispy at the edges, fluffy inside, and flavored with a hint of cardamom.

Ingredients

Curious what simple ingredients you need to make this Southern oatmeal waffle recipe? Grab these key ingredients, along with a few others, and you’ll be ready to start!

• Rolled Oats: These add a wonderful texture to the waffles and give it a hearty feel and lots of fiber. (If you love oats, make sure to try my apple strawberry crisp with oatmeal crumble!)
• Wheat Germ: This adds extra fiber to the waffles, so don’t leave it out! Substitute with wheat bran if you can’t find wheat germ.
• Buttermilk: Buttermilk delivers a great flavor profile, not to mention way less fat than whole milk. (Use up any extra in this homemade buttermilk bread!) Here however, 2% milk (which I always have on hand) is easily exchanged. Use whichever your family likes best or that which you have on hand.

Variations & Substitutions

• Using Self-Rising Flour: To use self-rising flour, omit the baking powder altogether and use it in exchange for all-purpose flour in equal measure. Use up any leftover self-rising flour in my 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits.
• Dairy Free: Use oil in place of the melted butter, and use dairy free milk instead of the 2% milk.
• Spices: If cinnamon or cardamom aren’t to your taste, tweak the spices if you like! Experiment with adding other sweet, warm spices, like ginger or nutmeg.

How to Make Southern Oatmeal Waffles

1

Combining Dry Ingredients

Whisk the flour with the oats, sugar, wheat germ, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom and salt in a medium bowl.

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

These hale and hearty Southern oatmeal waffles are wonderful with fried chicken, maple syrup, jam, honey, boozy macerated strawberries, or any topping you love. The day before I prepare waffles, I gather a good amount of seasonal fruits and toss them into my slow cooker with some port or sweet red zinfandel. I allow the fruits to cook down for several hours, then I refrigerate overnight. Then, I re-heat it gently in a non-stick pan before serving, adding vanilla, sugar, or real maple syrup as needed for flavor.

Serve these waffles with a wide variety of breakfast dishes! Try these waffles alongside Ham Gravy with Biscuits and Eggs, Asparagus and Ham Frittata, or Spinach Bacon and Bleu Cheese Quiche. Enjoy baked goods like Berry Cornmeal Streusel Muffins or Huguenot Church Blueberry Coffee Cake on the side.

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