I have a confession to make. I used to buy frozen waffles. A lot of frozen waffles.

I really shouldn’t have. I had so much starter on hand all the time, and really I ought to have used it up. Plus I knew how to make waffles! I used the excuse that I didn’t have a waffle iron, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t buy one specifically so I wouldn’t have to make waffles.

Avoiding cooking is very unlike me. When I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, I envisioned preparing a fresh, from scratch, breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all my little ones. I looked forward to having more people to cook for. But constantly hungry children, after school activities, work, and generalized exhaustion soon robbed me of my delusions. It was just not a sustainable ideal for myself.

And then there’s my son. Since he has had his own little bed, my son always wakes up around 6 AM everyday, and rolls into our room rubbing his eyes and asking me what’s for breakfast. He cannot wait to eat until I have finished assembling the meal, and so he usually rummages through the pantry coming back with something less than wholesome for a “breakfast snack.” I’m usually able to convince him to trade in the graham crackers for a banana to tide him over as I finish making the breakfast. But the boy scarfs it down so fast, I’ve really only bought myself thirty seconds before he starts whining for more food. Mind you, he always eats a nice dinner, lunch, and snacks each day. What can I say? He’s just a growing, hungry boy.

All you moms out there with teenage boys are probably shaking your head and thinking “just wait, honey. You haven’t seen anything yet.” And I’m sure you’re right. He is only going to need more food, and while I love to cook and feed my family, I just can’t seem to keep up. So I got in the guilty habit of frequenting the frozen food section for waffles.

But then my parents bought us a waffle iron, and the guilt I had about frozen waffles tripled because now I really had no excuse. So, I started experimenting with sourdough waffles, and my kids went wild. These waffles are fluffy and rich with buttermilk and the slight tang of the starter. They’re also nutty, not too sweet, and ultimately just fun to eat. They don’t take very much work or time, but they are much tastier than waffles from a boxed mix. And the best part is that you can make a big batch of fresh waffles and FREEZE them for later! Just pop them in the toaster or the oven and voila! Breakfast is served. So, homemade waffles are officially now a weekly staple, and I’ll have to find some other guilty grocery habits to kick along the way.

Equipment:

• Waffle iron

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 TBS. sugar

• 2 cups buttermilk

• 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed/discard

• 2 large eggs

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. almond extract

• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips + more for topping

• 3/4 cup pecans + more for topping

Method:

1. The night before you want to eat the waffles, make the overnight sponge. Combine the flour, sugar, buttermilk, and starter in a large mixing bowl. Stir until evenly combined and smooth. Cover and leave to rest on the counter overnight.

2. The next morning toast the pecans. Place the nuts in a small skillet and heat over a medium flame. Shake the pecans frequently and cook until they are fragrant and lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Remove them from the pan, and allow them to cool slightly before chopping coarsely.

3. Preheat your waffle iron.

4. Finish the batter. Whisk the eggs and melted butter in a small bowl. Add this to the overnight sponge and stir to combine. Then add the salt, baking soda, and almond extract to the batter. Mix again until fully incorporated and bubbling. Finally fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.

5. Spoon the batter onto the waffle iron, and cook according to the manufacturers instructions. This recipe yields about 12 large waffles. Serve topped with sliced bananas, chocolate chips, pecans, and maple syrup. Enjoy!

Tips: You can keep the waffles warm on a cookie sheet in a 200ºF oven while you finish making the rest of the batch and any other breakfast accompaniments. Allow any leftovers to cool completely and store them in the freezer; reheat in the toaster or the oven.

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Baking