Cornmeal adds a bit of crunch and rich golden color to these sweet Buttermilk Cornbread Waffles. Top them with Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter, maple syrup and fresh berries for an award winning breakfast!

A fork stands upright stuck in pieces of sweet cornbread waffles on a plate.

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Going out to breakfast on the weekend is one of the routines I’ve been missing most these past months. After a long week of recipe testing and nonstop dirty dishes, nothing beats having someone pour me a hot cup of coffee and bring me something delicious to eat that I didn’t make.

On the positive side, I’ve been doing some experimenting beyond my classic Homemade Waffles and these tasty waffles are the happy result. This is a sweet Cornbread Waffle recipe that is topped with a luscious Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter and plenty of fresh berries and they are spectacular!

An over the top shot of cornbread waffles topped with berries and butter.

Ingredients

All the ingredients needed to make Buttermilk Cornbread Waffles and Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter.

For the Waffles

  • Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Wet ingredients: Large eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and pure vanilla extract.
Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter in a small white ramekin.

For the Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter

The Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter can be made just before you make your waffles or up to a month in advance. Just add all the ingredients to a small bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined and fluffy.

Store the butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month and allow it to soften at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

A closeup of a stack of cornbread waffles with berries and butter on top.

How to Make Buttermilk Cornbread Waffles

The dry and wet ingredients are combined in separate bowls.
  1. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  2. In another medium bowl whisk the eggs lightly.
  3. Add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
A liquid mixture is added to dry ingredients to create waffle batter.
  1. Whisk the egg mixture until well combined.
  2. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the egg mixture all at once.
  3. Stir just until moistened. The batter should be slightly lumpy like you can see in the 3rd photo above. Set the mixture aside while you preheat your regular or Belgian waffle iron. The waffle batter will be somewhat thin but will set up as it rests.
Waffle batter is poured on a waffle iron and cooked until brown.
  1. Lightly grease your waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray (or according to manufacturer’s directions). Add as much Buttermilk Cornbread Waffle batter as needed for your particular waffle iron. I use 1/2 cup per waffle for my classic style waffle maker but Belgian waffle makers require more.
  2. Close the lid and cook until browned and crisped.
  3. Use tongs to transfer the waffle to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Maple syrup pouring on to a stack of sweet cornbread waffles.

FAQ and Valerie’s Tips

Are Cornbread Waffles Sweet or Savory?

Not all cornbread waffles are created equal. You may be familiar with savory cornbread waffles that are meant to be topped with everything from chili, to pulled pork, to fried chicken (think chicken and waffles). I created this sweet cornbread waffle recipe as a unique twist on classic breakfast waffles. They’re also a great choice for breakfast for dinner along with scrambled eggs and bacon or sausage.

How Long do Buttermilk Cornbread Waffles Keep?

Transfer leftovers to a plastic storage bag and store the waffles in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, follow my detailed freezer instructions and tips for reheating Homemade Waffles. The information is also in the Notes section of the recipe card below.

Are Cornbread Waffles Crispy?

To ensure crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside waffles be sure to use fine ground yellow cornmeal for this recipe. Don’t be tempted to substitute melted butter for the vegetable oil as oil works far better at creating a crispy exterior. Cook them until they are a rich, golden brown color.

Can I Use Regular Milk instead of Buttermilk?

Buttermilk is the better choice here to help create a fluffy interior to contrast the crispy exterior. But, if you go to the fridge and realize you don’t have any buttermilk you can easily make a substitute. Pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar into a 1 cup measure and then fill the rest of the measuring cup with milk. Gently stir the mixture and let it rest for about 5 minutes.

How Do You Keep Waffles Warm?

I think waffles are best served immediately as they come off the waffle iron. If you prefer to cook the full batch of waffles and serve them all at once, preheat your oven to 225 degrees F. Transfer each waffle to the oven, placing it directly on the oven rack, and quickly close the oven so it will hold the heat.

Pieces of waffle on a fork.

More Tasty Breakfast Ideas

A closeup of a fork holding up pieces of waffle.

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Buttermilk Cornbread Waffles

5 from 10 votes
Servings: 6 waffles
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Cornmeal adds a bit of crunch and rich golden color to these sweet Buttermilk Cornbread Waffles. Top them with Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter, maple syrup and fresh berries for an award winning breakfast!
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Ingredients 

Buttermilk Cornbread Waffles

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • cups buttermilk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter

  • ½ cup butter, softened (1 stick)
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, plus additional for serving
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions 

For the Buttermilk Cornbread Waffles

  • In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set it aside.
  • In another medium bowl whisk the eggs lightly. Add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and whisk again until well combined. Add the egg mixture all at once to the well in the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be slightly lumpy). Set the mixture aside while you preheat your regular or Belgian waffle iron. The waffle batter will be somewhat thin but will thicken a bit as it rests.
  • Lightly grease your waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray (or according to manufacturer’s directions). Add as much waffle batter as needed for your particular waffle iron (I use ½ cup per waffle for mine). Close the lid and cook until browned and crisped. Use tongs to transfer waffle to a serving platter. Repeat with remaining batter.
  • Serve warm with Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter and additional pure maple syrup, if desired

For the Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter

  • Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until well combined and fluffy. Serve at room temperature.
  • Make it in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month. Allow to soften at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

If you don’t have any buttermilk you can easily make a substitute. Pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar into a 1 cup measure and then fill the rest of the measuring cup with milk. Gently stir the mixture and let it rest for about 5 minutes.

To Keep Waffles Warm

I think waffles are best served immediately as they come off the waffle iron. If you prefer to cook the full batch of waffles and serve them all at once, preheat your oven to 225 degrees F. Transfer each waffle to the oven, placing it directly on the oven rack, and quickly close the oven so it will hold the heat.

To Reheat Refrigerated Waffles

Reheat leftover refrigerated waffles in your toaster oven or standard toaster until nicely crisped. I don’t recommend reheating them in the microwave for the best result.

Freezer Directions

Allow the waffles to cool completely. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Lay the waffles out on the baking sheet in a single layer with a bit of space in between. If you have more than one layer of waffles to freeze, top the first layer with another sheet of parchment or wax paper and stack another layer of waffles on top. Use a 2nd baking sheet if you have more than 2 layers to freeze. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer for 2 to 3 hours or until the waffles are frozen solid.
 
Transfer the completely frozen waffles to a freezer safe gallon sized plastic storage bag. Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Use a permanent marker to label the bag with the date and store it in the freezer. Once frozen, they won’t stick to each other and you can remove as many as you’d like for reheating.
For the best quality, use frozen waffles within 3 months.

To Reheat Frozen Waffles

Use your toaster or toaster oven to reheat and crisp individual waffles to your liking.
 
For a larger batch of waffles, lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer waffles to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
This recipe yields 6 (6-inch) round traditional waffles with my Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker.
 
Nutrition information was calculated for 1 Buttermilk Cornbread Waffle with 1 teaspoon Maple Honey Cinnamon Butter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1waffle | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 319mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.

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About Valerie Brunmeier

Hello and welcome to my online kitchen! My focus here is to provide simple, seasonal meal solutions for busy households. I hope you find some inspiration while you’re here and visit again soon!

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Questions & Reviews

  1. Mike S says:

    5 stars
    This is an excellent recipe. I used stone ground corn meal and stone ground flour to give it some extra crunch. Came out absolutely perfect.

    1. Valerie Brunmeier says:

      Love that! Thanks, Mike. 🙂

  2. Lori says:

    5 stars
    So far, this is the best cornmeal waffle recipe I have found!

  3. Linda Hill says:

    5 stars
    These were delicious!

  4. Jo says:

    5 stars
    These were delicious! I made a 4x batch to serve my family of 9 (incl 3 teenage boys) and everyone loved them. Thank you!

    1. Valerie Brunmeier says:

      Thanks so much, Jo. We love them too!