Chocolate Chip Waffles -

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Chocolate Chip Waffles are a homemade, family friendly breakfast that always makes mornings feel extra special. After years of cooking breakfast in restaurant kitchens and at home for my own crew, I can tell you these waffles are as easy as they are delicious. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and filled with sweet chocolate chips, they’re the kind of fun, comforting breakfast my kids ask for again and again.

Chocolate chip waffles layered in a row.

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This post was originally posted on 9/3/2018, updated on 2/24/2021 and again on 10/22/2025.

Why We Love These Chocolate Chip Waffles

Tried and true: After years of making waffles in both restaurant kitchens and at home, I've perfected the balance of crispy edges and soft, fluffy centers every time.
Easy and homemade: No box mix needed, just simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
Family favorite: My kids light up every time they see these chocolate chip waffles on the breakfast table. When they were little they loved having them in their lunch boxes!
Fun and versatile: Delicious on their own or piled high with whipped cream, syrup, or fresh fruit.
Perfect anytime: Whether it's a slow weekend morning or a breakfast for dinner kind of night, these waffles always make everyone happy.
Freezer Friendly: They freeze so well! Make an extra batch and freeze them for super easy weekday breakfasts!

Chocolate Chip Waffle Recipe Ingredients

Unbleached All Purpose Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Eggs
Milk
Honey
Pure Vanilla Extract
Salted Butter
Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Substitution Options for Chocolate Chip Waffles

Unbleached All Purpose Flour: This recipe is really good with whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour too.
Milk: Substitute your milk of choice, any unsweetened type of milk will work. Buttermilk is a good substitute as well.
Honey: Feel free to use your sweetener of choice or leave it out all together. White sugar or maple syrup are great substitutes.
Pure Vanilla Extract: I feel it is so important to use pure extracts when at all possible. They yield the best flavor. Most imitation extracts will leave an unpleasant aftertaste in your food.
Mini Chocolate Chips: You can use regular size chocolate chips if needed, however the mini chips work and incorporate a lot better in the waffles.

Chocolate chip waffle recipe ingredients.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Waffles

First, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl.
Then in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, honey and vanilla extract.

Dry ingredients whisked together in large glass bow with whisk making a well in the center.

Wet ingredients whisked together in large measuring glass with whisk.

Now combine the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk a few times.
Whisk in melted butter just until fully combined being careful not to over mix. Remember lumpy batter is good batter.
Fold in the chocolate chips.

Wet ingredients and melted butter added to dry ingredients in large glass bowl with whisk.

Mini chocolate chips added to waffle batter in large glass bowl.

Let the waffle batter rest for at least 5 minutes while the waffle maker heats up.
Once the waffle maker is ready, using a ladle or ½ cup measuring cup add the batter to the center of the waffle iron. Follow your waffle maker instructions for greasing and cooking.
Cook the waffle according to your waffle maker instructions. My waffle maker takes about 3-4 minutes per waffle.

Pro Tip: Place waffles on a baking sheet with a cooling rack. You can keep the waffles warm in a very low oven until all the waffles are made. Try not to stack the waffles too much because the steam can make the waffles soggy.

Why does the waffle batter have to rest?

Letting the batter rest is the secret to creating the fluffiest centers of waffles. It's an important step to avoid getting rubbery waffles. The baking powder in the batter creates air pockets while resting and the gluten is taking time to relax, resulting in the fluffiest waffles. This step should not be skipped!

Close up side view of three chocolate chip waffles stacked.

Serving Chocolate Chip Waffles

I love serving waffles with a side of bacon and a spread of toppings. This lets everyone enjoy their waffle exactly how they like it.

These waffles are extra delicious as a dessert topped with a scoop of ice cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup. They do really well packed in lunchboxes too. Make them into a sandwich with cream cheese or peanut butter, or cut them into sticks and pack a side of syrup for the waffle sticks.

Chocolate Chip Waffle Toppings

These are the toppings I like to have available when we enjoy waffles!

Butter
Maple Syrup
Peanut Butter
Honey
Sliced Fruit like Bananas or Apples
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Syrup
Jam or Jelly that can be warmed up and thinned into a syrup.

Are you a waffle or pancake person? I love them both, but if I had to choose, waffles win every time! If you feel the same, be sure to check out some of my other homemade waffle recipes. Try my classic Belgian Waffles, enjoy a chocolatey morning with my Chocolate Waffles, use up a ripe banana with these Banana Belgian Waffles, or bring back that nostalgic flavor combo with my Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffles.

Storing Waffles

Storing: These waffles can be stored in an air tight zip top bag or container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Placed cooled waffles in a single layer on sheet pans. You can leave them whole or cut them into quarters. I like to cut them into quarters so I can toast them. Place waffles in freezer. Once frozen, place waffles in a freezer bag or freezer safe air tight container. Label, date and freeze. Waffles will last at least 4 months in the freezer.

Reheating: Waffles can be reheated in the microwave or in the toaster, either thawed or frozen. Place waffles on microwave safe plate and microwave for a minute. Check waffles, if still cold microwave in 30 second intervals until warmed through. I prefer them toasted because it brings back the crispy edges.

Top view of chocolate chip waffles cut into triangles and piled on a white round plate.

Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe

These nestled mixing bowls are my favorite for prepping ingredients.
I have a commercial Waring waffle maker and I love it, but it is pricey. This waffle iron from Cuisinart is a good choice and more affordable. Still an investment but these irons tend to last a long time. I still have my first Toastmaster waffle maker that I bought in high school!
Long ago, I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant and I still prefer their baking tools and pans to any others. They're baking pans are the ones I primarily use. Find yourself a consultant, host a party and treat yourself to a set.
These sheet pans from Nordic Ware are good ones.

Tips for Chocolate Chip Waffles

Always fluff your flour before measuring. This helps make sure that no extra flour is added to the waffles which can make them more dense.
Double check your dates on your baking powder. Old and expired baking powder will not do its job right.
Start with room temperature ingredients for best results.
Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing will create rubbery waffles instead of fluffy ones.
Let the waffle batter rest. Do not ever skip this step. It is essential in getting fluffy waffles.
Read and follow your waffle iron instructions for greasing the iron and cooking the waffles. Every waffle maker is different.
As you cook the waffles, place them on a baking sheet with a cooling rack and then put in a low oven to stay warm and crisp until ready to eat.

FAQs

What is the secret to crispy waffles?

First, let the batter rest. It is important for the baking powder to have time to create air pockets and the gluten to have time to relax. This allows for a fluffy center and crispy outside. Also, make sure the waffle iron is preheated, adding batter to a cold iron will result in soggy waffles. Lastly, I recommend using a waffle maker that flips. It helps with even cooking and will allow the batter to evenly distribute which will also create crispy exterior pockets.

Why does the batter need to rest?

This is a very important step, do not skip it! The baking powder in this recipe needs time to work its magic by creating air pockets in the batter which will result in super fluffy waffles.

What is the difference between a waffle and a Belgian waffle?

Belgian waffles are usually larger and thicker in size, have deeper pockets, and are made in a Belgian waffle maker. Belgian waffles usually use a leavening agent, yeast or whipped egg whips in the batter to make them fluffy. Other waffles have much smaller grid pockets, are usually thinner, smaller in size and more dense.

Close up view of chocolate chip waffles cut into triangles.

More Breakfast Recipes:

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