These Cornmeal Waffles with Blackberry Bourbon Maple Syrup are a delicious way to start your weekend. They're crunchy with great texture from the cornmeal, and the Blackberry Bourbon Maple Syrup adds a bit of sweetness, with the berries as the star of the show!
Looking for other breakfast recipes for the weekend? Try these Sourdough Discard Waffles and Sourdough Discard Pancakes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- These cornmeal waffles are made without buttermilk, and can easily be made vegan or dairy-free (by using non-dairy alternatives to ingredients like milk and butter).
- The blackberry bourbon maple syrup gives these waffles a flavorful fruity topping.
- The cornmeal gives these waffles great texture.
- Waffles freeze well, so you can enjoy some now and save the rest for later!
- Looking for a few other waffle recipes? Try these Sourdough Discard Waffles and Sourdough Sweet Potato Waffles.
Ingredients
There are only a few key ingredients you'll need to bring this recipe together.
- Blackberries: You could use another berry of your choice as well. This would be great with raspberries or blueberries! It will also work with either fresh or frozen berries.
- You might also like these Blackberry Marshmallows as a fun summer dessert.
- Bourbon: Just a bit! And if you don't want to use any spirits, then you can leave this out.
- Maple syrup: Use a high-quality maple syrup here for the best flavor.
- Ground cornmeal: This gives the waffles their wonderful texture.
- Try this Sourdough Discard Cornbread for another great cornmeal recipe.
See full recipe below for details.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use different berries - Blueberries or raspberries would also be delicious for the maple syrup!
- Omit the spirits - If you're not interested in using bourbon (or another spirit) in your maple syrup, you can leave it out!
- Looking for a few other breakfast recipe ideas? Try these Savory Sweet Potato Waffles and these Homemade Everything Bagels.
How to Make Cornmeal Waffles with Blackberry Bourbon Maple Syrup
There are a few simple steps to bring this recipe together. The full recipe with detailed directions is at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Combine the ingredients for the syrup in a small skillet.
- Step 2: Simmer and stir, crushing some of the berries, until the mixture thickens. Set aside to cool.
- Step 3: Mix together the ingredients for the waffles, and bake your waffles in the waffle iron until golden brown.
- Step 4: Top the waffles with the blackberry bourbon maple syrup and serve!
Expert Baking Tips
- Crush some of the berries while they're simmering - this will help the syrup come together.
- The amount of batter that you need to put on your waffle iron will depend on the machine you're using. For my Belgian Waffle Maker, I used about ½ cup of batter per waffle.
- These waffles freeze well! It's easy to make a batch, then freeze the extras to enjoy later.
- Try a few other breakfast favorites like these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls and these Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins.
Storage
Refrigerator Storage: If you're planning to eat the waffles within 1-2 days, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat the waffles in the microwave for 30 seconds, or in a toaster to get a crispy exterior.
Store the blackberry bourbon maple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks.
Freezer Storage: Let the waffles cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer-safe plastic bags and freeze for up to 3 months. The waffles will stick together, so I recommend freezing individual servings (1-2 waffles) in smaller ziplock bags. To reheat, let the waffles thaw to room temperature, then heat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds or in the toaster oven for a crispier waffle.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can use either fresh or frozen berries for this recipe. Fresh berries may have more juice, so if you feel like your syrup is too thick, you can add a bit of water (or something like orange juice, if you have it on hand).
Yes, this will work well with other berries, too. Raspberries or blueberries would be great here.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
If you tried these Cornmeal Waffles with Blackberry Bourbon Maple Syrup or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
Cornmeal Waffles with Blackberry Bourbon Maple Syrup
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 6 ounces blackberries fresh or frozen
- 2 Tablespoons bourbon
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
For the waffles
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup ground cornmeal
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup sour cream or yogurt non-dairy or regular dairy
- 1 cup milk non-dairy or regular dairy
- 4 eggs separated
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blackberries, lemon juice, bourbon, and sugar (if using). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the berries soften, and the liquid begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, smashing some of the berries. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream or yogurt, milk, melted butter, and egg yolks. Use a spatula to fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a mixing bowl with a hand-held mixer), whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the batter just until no white streaks remain.
- Heat the waffle iron and grease with cooking spray. Cook the waffles (about ½ cup batter per waffle) until golden and crisp.
- Serve the waffles topped with blackberry bourbon maple syrup.
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