Samin Nosrat was raised on a steady diet of Eggo waffles.
Nosrat, who rose to fame on the heels of her James Beard Award-winning cookbook and Netflix series, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” would look forward to a syrup-showered waffle tower every Saturday morning as a kid. A 1980s frozen breakfast staple, Eggos also achieved Netflix stardom in recent years as the favorite food of Eleven, a central character on “Stranger Things.”
But since Nosrat tried her first bite of the yeast-raised waffles popularized by the late Marion Cunningham — best known for her modern revisions of “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook” — she’s been forever changed.
By sharing one of her most treasured recipes in her latest cookbook, “Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share With People You Love,” Nosrat hopes the rest of us will follow suit.
“My kitchen sister Amy Dencler, then a cook and now the chef at Chez Panisse, invited me over for breakfast,” Nosrat recalled in “Good Things.” Nosrat also cooked at the iconic farm-to-table restaurant in Berkeley, California.
“My teeth shattered the lacy edges and sank into the center, releasing more of that toasted yeast flavor,” she wrote. “Marion called them ‘the best waffle I know,’ and I couldn’t agree more. Marion’s recipe — and a couple variations on it — is the only one I’ll allow in my kitchen.”
Unlike Eggos, they require about 10 minutes of prep time the night before. But that minor investment is well worth it to create a gift for your future self.
“I have not been able to achieve that texture with any other batter, and certainly not from a batter that doesn’t rest overnight,” Nosrat told me. “These waffles are lacy, light and crisp, with the perfect capacity to absorb maple syrup. They’re just so good.”
The secret lies in letting the batter rest. In a large bowl or pitcher, stir together a blend of activated yeast, flour, warm milk, eggs, baking soda and butter. Pop it into the fridge to chill out overnight, which allows the yeast to slowly ferment the batter for more complexity of flavor and texture.
The interior turns out airy and tender, while the exterior is delightfully crisp. Then all that’s left to do is wake, cook, drizzle syrup on top and dive in.
Nosrat’s typical weekend morning routine involves “waking up after a not-great night of sleep,” she laughed. “I try to extend the morning by cuddling with my pup in bed, and finally, make my way downstairs for a cup of cardamom-spiked coffee or tea — something warm that smells nice.”
Nosrat sips on her warm beverage while she preheats her waffle iron for this recipe originally devised by Cunningham, which also beautifully embodies the premise behind Nosrat’s best-selling new book.
“The title comes from a Raymond Carver story called ‘A Small, Good Thing,’” she told me. “The epigraph says, ‘Eating is a small,good thing in a time like this.’ When I first read that line, I realized that it’s always ‘a time like this.’ There might be a specific thing that has caused myself or someone pain or hardship that we would love some comfort from.”
That could include these waffles and the company you may invite over to enjoy them.
Fresh from the waffle iron, these yeast-raised treats need no accessories. But if you’re feeling extra, follow Nosrat’s lead and dress up your stack with a schmear of almond butter or peanut butter and a shower of maple syrup. For a savory spin, tuck a slice of crispy bacon in the center of the waffle (pour a thin layer of batter above and below) and top it with a fried egg, Nosrat said.
For a quick-fix weekday breakfast, make a double batch and freeze the extra. On bustling mornings, toast two directly from frozen until warmed through. Top one with nut butter and the other with jam and press them together for a next-level breakfast PB&J.
Makes 12 to 16 waffles
Prep time: 10 minutes
Rest time: Overnight
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total active time: About 30 minutes
● 2 ¼ teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
● 1 tablespoon sugar
● ½ cup (120 grams) warm water
● 2 cups (485 grams) whole milk
● 8 tablespoons (4 ounces/114 grams) unsalted butter or ghee, melted, plus more for cooking
● 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
● 2 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
● 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
● ¼ teaspoon baking soda
● Salted butter and warm maple syrup or apricot jam, for serving
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the yeast, sugar, and water. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the milk, unsalted butter or ghee, and salt and whisk until combined. Finally, add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight (unless your kitchen is temperate, in which case you can leave the bowl on the counter).
3. To cook the waffles, set a sheet pan with a wire rack in the oven and preheat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius). Heat a waffle iron.
4. Whisk the eggs and baking soda into the batter. Brush the waffle iron with melted butter, then pour ¼ cup batter onto each section of the iron. Let the batter set for 15 seconds or so, then close the lid. Cook at the highest setting, flipping as needed according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until crisp, golden, airy, and emitting a yeasty aroma, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter. Keep prepared waffles warm in the oven.
5. Serve with salted butter and warm maple syrup or apricot jam. Store leftover waffles in an airtight bag in the freezer and toast to reheat.
Karla Walsh is a Des Moines, Iowa-based freelance lifestyle writer with more than 16 years of editorial experience.
