A Note on This Recipe
These aren’t your typical waffles — made with sweet rice flour, they cook up extra crisp on the outside with an airy, slightly gooey center that’s hard to describe until you’ve tried it.
Sweet rice flour behaves differently from regular flour, and that’s exactly what makes these interesting. Combined with cornstarch, it’s what gives the waffles their signature crispness — and using oil and water instead of butter and milk keeps the batter light and lets that crispness come through. That slightly gooey center has a subtle taiyaki-like quality that makes them feel like something you’d get at a specialty café rather than a regular waffle. Once you try them, it might earn a permanent spot in your pantry.
How to Make It
Wet Ingredients
In a bowl, beat the egg until smooth and slightly frothy. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until fully combined. Using oil and water instead of butter and milk helps achieve a lighter, crispier texture.
Dry Ingredients
Sift the dry ingredients through a fine mesh strainer (optional), then whisk to evenly distribute.
Combine the Batter and Rest
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and lump-free.
Cover and let rest for 10–15 minutes — this allows the batter to settle and the rice flour to fully absorb the liquid for a more consistent texture.
Cook the Waffles
Preheat the waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Pour in the batter — no need to grease if nonstick — and cook until steam mostly stops, about 5 minutes. Adjust the time slightly for your preferred crispness.
Transfer and Repeat
Transfer to a wire rack rather than a plate — stacking or placing on a flat surface traps steam underneath and softens the crust quickly.
Repeat with the remaining batter.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup water
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sweet rice flour Mochiko
- ¼ cup cornstarch or 3 Tbsp for softer waffles
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Salted butter, maple syrup, and fresh fruit
Instructions
- Beat the egg until frothy, then whisk in the water, vegetable oil, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, sift and whisk together the sweet rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until smooth and lump-free, then cover and let the batter rest for 10–15 minutes.
- Preheat the waffle maker, pour in the batter, and cook until steam mostly stops, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to keep crisp and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve with salted butter, maple syrup, and fresh fruit.
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