Welcome Autumn - Light & Crispy Apple Cider Waffles with Apple Cider Syrup

So it's been just over five years since my last post on this blog. In that time, Whit and I were married, gave birth to our Daughter in 2017, moved to Portland, OR in 2018, purchased our first house, and welcomed our Son this past summer.

Some other things happened during that time as well, of course, but those are the highlights. Life milestones, for sure. It's been busy! And life with a toddler and a new baby is a whole new kind of busy. But I was thinking recently that I missed posting here.

I still hop on here from time to time looking up recipes I've made in the past. As well as being a reference, it serves as a time-capsule for me as well. And I thought that I'd like to document the recipes we're making together now, so that my kids have it in years to come, if they happen to think back to something I made during their childhoods that they want to make on their own. I remember many things my Mom made when I was young -- pancakes of the Swedish and Honeymoon varieties, stir-fry and spaghetti sauce and Dijon Chicken.

So that's what I'm going to try and do. Hopefully more often than once every five years.

Here's what we made one morning when my Daughter was two and my Son was 3 months old. the weekend before Halloween. I measured out the ingredients, and my Daughter dumped them into bowls and helped whisk and mix them all together. After eating, we watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" while my Son wiggled around on his play-mat. It was a very cozy morning.

I had searched online to see what the options for recipes were, but I couldn't find one that seemed right to me. I already had the perfect basic waffle recipe -- it produces light and crispy waffles in 10 minutes. You could swear they were yeasted waffles, the texture is so perfect, but no need to let anything rise. That's what I wanted, with the addition of fresh apple cider. And why not incorporate cider into the syrup as well? A double dose of fall.

These actually remind me of the Apple Cider Donuts from Rainbow Orchards in Placerville, CA. I love so much. Haven't found their equals among the apple orchards and pumpkin patches in Oregon quite yet, but they do sell them at Trader Joe's now! They weren't half bad, and will do in a pinch, but I thought these waffles would hit the spot this Autumn morning.

So here's my own recipe for the perfect fall waffles. Hope it helps you set the mood, along with the falling leaves, cooler temperatures, sweaters and rain-boots.

Light & Crispy Apple Cider Waffles

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, you can use regular milk and add 1 tbsp lemon juice)
6 tbsp apple cider
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg, separated
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Syrup for serving

In a medium bowl, combine flour through baking soda and whisk together and set aside.

In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, combine buttermilk, cider, milk and egg yolk. Whisk together to combine -- making sure the yolk is incorporated, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla, and beat until stiff and glossy peaks appear.

Mix together the dry ingredients with the buttermilk/cider/yolk mixture. Whisk until lumps disappear. Then, start to slowly incorporate the egg white, gently folding in. Do this slowly and carefully so you don't lose the air, which will give your waffles the light and crispy texture you're looking for.

Preheat your waffle iron. I set mine to medium high. Once hot, pour in the batter, and cook for about 4 minutes. Time will depend on your own waffle iron, but 4 minutes for mine seems to be just perfect. Brown and crispy results. Serve right away with syrup and butter.

To keep waffles warm while you make the rest, set in one layer on a cookie sheet in a warm oven -- about 200 degrees.

Apple Cider syrup

Reduce 1/2 cup apple cider -- bring to boil on the stove, lower heat to low to simmer for about 10 minutes, until cider is reduced down to just a couple tablespoons. You'll know it's done when it's thick and syrupy. Add the cider reduction to 1/2 cup maple syrup and whisk together.