Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, and eggs. Make sure your bowl is large enough to leave room for expansion; the batter will rise slightly.
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Add the flour and yeast and whisk to combine; it's OK if the mixture isn't perfectly smooth.
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Cover with a reusable bowl cover or plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour; the mixture will begin to bubble. You can cook the waffles at this point, or refrigerate the batter overnight to cook waffles the next day.
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Preheat your waffle iron. Spray with nonstick spray, and pour 2/3 to 3/4 cup batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturer) onto the center of the iron. Spread into an even layer, close the lid and bake for the recommended amount of time, until the waffle is golden brown. It takes us 5 to 6 minutes, using our 7" Belgian-style (deep-pocket) waffle iron.
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Serve immediately, or place on a cooling rack set on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven to keep warm. Serve with butter and maple syrup, or for extra decadence, with berries and whipped cream, if desired. Freeze for longer storage.
Tips from our Bakers
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You can choose to prepare the batter for these waffles and cook it after an hour, but we prefer to let the batter rest overnight in the fridge, where it develops some real depth of flavor, yeasty and rich. That said, if you're not a fan of "yeasty," add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder to the recipe (in addition to the yeast), and cook after just a 30-minute rest; don't refrigerate overnight.
