Liège Waffles
Though my dad came to Canada from Belgium when he was a kid, I’m no expert on the Liège waffle, except to know what I like when I eat one. Liège waffles aren’t like other Belgian-style (thick? round?) waffles – they’re dense and chewy, yeast-raised, with a dough like brioche but studded with ultra-coarse pearl sugar that melts and caramelizes on the outside as they cook, creating a slightly crunchy exterior with plenty of crispy bits. (Depending on where you live, you can usually find it at gourmet shops and stores that carry more baking supplies than others. I got mine at Duchess Provisions in Edmonton, which is now closed, but it was only $3 – not pricey.)
I love working with rich dough like this – many recipes call for a cup of butter for this quantity of flour, but as I was running low I didn’t use as much, and it was just fine. Make sure you err on the side of tacky – it should be quite tacky, but not so sticky that you need to scrape it off your hands – and keep in mind that it will swell and smooth out as it rests. Don’t worry about timing it precisely – it needs a good couple hours to rise, and can hang out for longer or go into the fridge overnight – this version is streamlined and not at all high-maintenance. No one wants to stress out over waffles – even the Liège kind.
(Pardon the blue cast on these photos – I took them in the early morning, while I was packing for New York – I wanted to get the recipe up before I left, so I’m typing this in the airport! Enjoy!)

These look lovely and thank you for sharing your heritage!
I would like to remind the previous commenter that a person’s blog is not unlike their home – don’t invite yourself over and then complain about what you are served. If you really want to change people’s food choices, go find some like-minded angry people and picket a 7-11. I’m sure you could find some awesome pictures to scare kids straight, e.g., “before Pez” and “after Pez”.
Thank you for sharing your waffle recipe, just had one a couple of days ago in Switzerland and now I can make them at home in Canada
So great to hear it!
I usually don’t comment until I have made a recipe but these look so lovely, I couldn’t resist.
I also couldn’t resist agreeing with Cindy. There is no need for anyone to come in and make such a rude comment. Don’t like it? Don’t stop and just cruise on by.
Sometimes you can find Pearl Sugar at IKEA.
This recipe I will try, looks yummy!
Hang in there JVR…don’t let pi**y people rain on your parade.??
Sometimes you can find Pearl Sugar at IKEA.
This recipe I will try, looks yummy!
Hang in there JVR…don’t let pi**y people rain on your parade.??
IKEA! That’s awesome!!
Ikea sells Swedish pearl sugar, which is different than Belgian pearl sugar.
These sound delicious! I always like to bake something when I babysit my granddaughters .. they love to help and have so much fun! Would these be good to keep left overs? I find regular waffles are dry and crumbly when reheated the next day ? Thanks
To be honest these don’t keep very well – you could always freeze them though?
You used to be able to get Pearl Sugar at Edelweiss in the NW https://www.edelweissimports.com
Yes! thanks for the reminder!
Any tips on how to clean the sugar out of a waffle iron afterwards?
Damp cloth? Mine has never stuck, perhaps because it’s nonstick? I believe most modern waffle irons are. Sugar should be easy to dissolve with a wet cloth though..
Also it’s super simple to DIY pearl sugar – just o=put white sugar with a tiny bit of water over low heat until crystalized (15-20?). Cool. Smash with wooden spoon into small bits. Done! (lots of more detailed how-to’s on the internets of course)
So brilliant!! thanks for sharing!!