Marion Cunningham’s Raised Waffles

This recipe for Marion Cunningham’s Raised Waffles starts out with simple ingredients: yeast, milk, butter, flour, sugar and salt. Mixed together the night before, these waffles are light and fluffy with a a subtle tangy flavor. You’ll be making them every weekend!

These delicious yeasted waffles could be adapted to make totally dairy-free.

My kids never really loved a bowl of cereal or oatmeal for breakfast. Perhaps it's my fault that I spoiled them from when they were little.

My kids LOVE my homemade pancakes and my homemade waffles. I admit, I really love them too!

Besides Marion Cunningham's Yeasted Waffles, these vegan overnight yeast waffles are also what we make pretty often!

Originally posted July 20, 2011 and updated December 5, 2020. These days you may be creating more in the kitchen with yeast. This overnight yeast waffle recipe is just what you need to make a cozy and comforting breakfast.

I usually make Mark Bitman’s recipe. My mom handed it down to me a couple years back and that’s all we’ve been using to make waffles. Every once in a while, I like to make this recipe. We came across it years ago in our The Cake Bible book.

This recipe was only supposed to be made for special occasions. Then something happened this summer. I got addicted to this recipe.

Maybe it’s all the extra time I have. Maybe it’s because I love to bake with yeast. Maybe because I like waking up to something almost ready to make fresh in the morning. Maybe it’s all of these reasons.

This recipe has been around for ages. Marion Cunningham (not the mom from Happy Days) made this recipe popular. I read it’s from an old Fannie Farmer cookbook. How cool is that?

What I love about the recipe is your prepare most of it the night before.

The yeast renders a delicate and crispy waffle and the flavor is incredible. I really love them!

My mom was at my house yesterday with the kids while I ran errands and she made some waffles. She called to tell me they were the best waffles I’ve ever made.

Thanks, mom. I had batter leftover and made some today and Gabriella was not thrilled with the yeast flavor Day 2. I happened to love it.

What ingredients are needed to make Marion Cunningham’s Raised Waffles?

Here is what you need to gather the night before to mix together:

• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 cups warm milk (I used just slightly over 1 cup so would not be runny)
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl (the batter will rise to double its original volume) sprinkle in the yeast over the warm water. Let stand to dissolve for 10 minutes. Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour and stir to blend. Mix on low speed with handheld mixer. Just mix until it is nicely combined. You don’t want to over mix and you don't want any lumps.

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature. *I also covered the plastic wrap with a dish towel.

This is how it will look the next day.

Now don’t forget to LEAVE OUT the eggs and the 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda until the next day. I forgot to warm my milk and the batter was still just fine. Probably because I didn’t cool the butter before adding it to the batter…it all evened out I think.

It should be left to rise for at least 8 hours. You could even let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. I’ve done that once or twice and it seems to make the batter a little less yeast tasting.

If you do let it rise in the refrigerator, let it warm up on counter in the morning before adding the eggs and baking soda.

Next morning the final step is to whisk in the eggs and the baking soda. If you use full 2 cups of milk the batter will be thin. I used less milk than recipe calls for to get a thicker batter. I have used a FULL 2 cups of milk, and found it too liquidy.

Once you whisk in the melted butter and baking soda, you get this silky waffle batter.

So I adjust and add a little over 1 cup. But you make it with whatever amount of milk you prefer. I wanted a little bit of thicker waffles.

Let it sit a while while you heat the waffle maker...it will all start to magically bubble again.

Depending on the size of your waffle iron, pour about 1/3 to 1/2 cup batter onto the hot iron (use a light hand at first and check your progress--this waffle batter expands rather impressively. Bake until golden and crisp.

How long will raised Marion Cunningham’s Raised Waffles batter stay fresh?

This yeasted waffle batter will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Keep it covered tightly in your storage container.

Hope your week is fun. Make these waffles when you get a chance. If you have a favorite waffles recipe, I want to hear about it! Send me the link in your comment!!

Adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible

More Easy Breakfast Recipes: 

• Vegan Orange Marmalade Muffins
• Blueberry Banana Streusel Muffins
• Oven-Baked Strawberry Pancake
• Banana Scones with Maple Espresso Glaze
• Sourdough Banana Bread

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Marion Cunningham's Raised Waffles

This recipe for Marion Cunningham’s Yeasted Waffles starts out with simple ingredients: yeast, milk, butter, flour, sugar and salt. Mixed together the night before, these waffles are light and fluffy with a a subtle tangy flavor. You’ll be making them every weekend!

Prep Time12 hours hrs

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: waffles, yeast

Author: Lora

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 cups warm milk* I used just slightly over 1 cup so would not be runny (use your favorite dairy-free milk if you prefer)
• 1/2 cup melted butter* use dairy-free butter sticks if you prefer
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl (the batter will rise to double its original volume) sprinkle in the yeast over the warm water. Let stand to dissolve for 10 minutes. Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour and stir to blend. Mix on low speed with handheld mixer. Just mix until it is nicely combined. You don’t want to over mix and you don't want any lumps.
• Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature. *I also covered the plastic wrap with a dish towel.
• The next morning, just before cooking the waffles, whisk in the eggs and the baking soda-the batter will be thin (I used less milk than recipe calls for. If you use it all, the batter will be very thing). Depending on the size of your waffle iron, pour about 1/3 to 1/2 cup batter onto the hot iron (use a light hand at first and check your progress--this waffle batter expands rather impressively. Bake until golden and crisp. This batter will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

*Milk could be substituted with unsweetened almond or coconut milk (or whatever dairy-free milk you like).

*Butter could be substituted with dairy-free butter sticks (I like the Earth Balance brand).

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