These Buttery Belgian Liege Waffles are everything you could wish for in breakfast food. Thick and fluffy with clumps of pearl sugar throughout, these waffles are sweet, buttery perfection.

If you love the texture of these Liege waffles, then you should try our brioche french toast and jelly-filled brioche donuts.

Belgian Liege waffles

While Belgian waffles are pretty famous, this recipe for Belgian Liege Waffles is a little different. Originally from the city of Liege, located in the Wallonia region of Belgium, these waffles are rounder than the more common Belgian waffles, with a dough that is very similar to brioche. They have a rich, buttery, sweet flavor that is amazing, each waffle containing little pieces of sugar that are half-melted. These waffles are unique in their use of Belgian pearl sugar, which are coarse chunks of white sugar that don’t fully melt during baking. You will love these fluffy Liege waffles that have the perfect blend of rich butter and crystallized sugar.

What you need to makes these waffles

To make buttery Belgian Liege Waffles, you will need (of course) Butter, as well as Brown sugar, Pearl sugar, Eggs, Milk, Yeast, Flour, Vanilla extract, and Salt.

Do I have to use pearl sugar?

No, but it’s recommended for texture purposes. Pearl sugar, unlike other sugars, won’t fully melt when it’s cooked, leaving little bits of sugar throughout the waffles. If you use regular white sugar in place of it, you’ll miss out on this unique element of these special waffles.

How to make these amazing Liege waffles

Make the yeast froth. Warm the milk to 105 degrees Fahrenheit and add the yeast with the brown sugar. Whisk it well and let it froth up for about 10-15 minutes.
Mix the ingredients (except the pearl sugar). In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the flour, salt, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Then add the yeast mixture. Mix the dough on a low speed with the hook attachment until it begins to come together. Then increase the speed to high for about 1 minute.
Add in the pearl sugar. Now, add the pearl sugar and mix again until it is well-combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Allow the dough to rise. Transfer the waffle dough to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about 2 hours, or in the fridge overnight.
Separate the dough. Take the dough and separate it into 8 balls the size of a baseball. Then, heat the waffle iron and coat it with nonstick spray.
Cook the waffles. Place a ball of dough in the center of the waffle iron and close it. Cook for about 4-5 minutes before carefully removing the waffle with a fork. Continue doing this with the rest of the waffle dough.
Serve. Serve these Belgian Liege Waffles warm with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

TIPS

Make sure the milk for the yeast is warm- Yeast needs warmth as well as sugar in order to froth and rise. Make sure that the milk is warm, about 105 degrees Fahrenheit, before mixing it with the yeast and brown sugar.
Allow the waffle dough to rise- Don’t skimp on the time you let your dough rise. Without a proper rise, your Liege waffles will be missing the deliciously thick and fluffy texture that they are known for.
Add the pearl sugar last- Don’t rush and add the pearl sugar with the rest of the ingredients. By adding it last after most of the mixing is done, you allow these clumps of sugar to remain intact, ensuring that they’ll be laced throughout your sweet and buttery waffles like little drops of heaven. 🙂

Topping suggestions

How to make them in advance

There are 2 ways for making Liege waffles in advance: Allow them to rise overnight or keep them warm in the oven after they’re made. Either of these methods will save you time if you want less prep when serving these for breakfast or brunch.

How long will they keep?

These buttery Liege waffles can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Place them in a ziplock freezer bag to keep them fresh. If you decide to freeze them, place the bag of waffles in the freezer and they will last for 2-3 months. To reheat, just let them defrost in the fridge overnight and then bake them in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp and warm.

Full Recipe Instructions

Buttery Belgian Liege Waffles

These Buttery Belgian Liege Waffles are thick, fluffy, and sweet. Each bit of pearl sugar laced throughout the brioche-like waffles is to die for!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Belgian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

resting time: 2

Total Time: 2 45

Servings: waffles

Calories: 591kcal

Author: Dina

Ingredients

Instructions

Make the frothy yeast mixture

Start off by warming 1 cup of milk to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Then add 2 teaspoons of yeast and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to the milk. Give it a good whisk and let it froth up for about 10-15 minutes.

Mix everything into a stand mixer

In your stand mixer, add 4 and 1/4 cups of flour (spooned and leveled off), 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 14 tbs melted unsalted butter, and 2 large eggs.
Then, pour in the frothy yeast mixture.
Using the hook attachment, mix the waffle dough on low speed until it begins to come together. Then pick up the speed to high for about 1 minute.

Add in the pearl sugar and mix again

Then add 1 cup of pearl sugar and mix just until the pearl sugar is well mixed. Use a spatula to help scrape down the sides of the mixer.

Let the dough rise

Now transfer the waffle dough into a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about 2 hours or in the fridge overnight.

Separate into 8 pieces and cook in the waffle maker

Now separate the dough into 8 balls the size of a baseball. Then heat your waffle maker according to the instructions of your waffle iron and coat it with nonstick spray.
Then place the first ball of waffle dough in the center and close it. Cook for about 4-5 minutes. Carefully remove the waffle with a fork and continue doing this with the rest of the waffle though.

Make-ahead TIP

If you want to make these waffles in advance, once you've finished making them, keep them in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven for a maximum of 1 hour before serving.

Notes

Best Toppings for waffles

Make them ahead of time!

There are 2 ways for making Liege waffles in advance: Allow them to rise overnight or keep them warm in the oven after they're made. Either of these methods will save you time if you want less prep when serving these for breakfast or brunch.

Nutrition

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Dina

Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!