Can You Refrigerate Waffle Batter? – 5 Things You Need to Know
How do you like your waffles? Topped with blueberries or ice cream and syrup? Layered with cinnamon or butter?
The great thing about waffles is that you can get creative with it. You can add any waffle toppings and flavors of your choice and still enjoy its deliciousness.
Do you know what’s even better? Waffle batter is super easy to make.
So easy in fact, that you might go overboard and make more than you need. If this is the case, can you refrigerate the excess and save it for another day?
Yes, you can!
Here, we’ll give you 5 helpful things to consider before refrigerating your waffle batter.
So let’s get straight to it!
The 5 Things You Need to Know When Refrigerating Waffle Batter
Everyone wants their waffles fresh. You might worry that refrigerating the batter will affect its freshness.
If you follow what we list here, you’ll be able to preserve the freshness of the batter and the waffles.
1. How long does waffle batter last in the fridge?
Waffle batter that’s made ahead of time can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days in a bowl or up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Yes, you can store waffle batter in the refrigerator. But you can’t just keep it there as long as you like.
So how long should it stay in your fridge? Let’s see.
What’s the most perishable ingredient in waffle batter? It’s the eggs, right?
On average, beaten eggs can stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. However, it’s best not to reach that time limit.
The best duration for waffle batter in the refrigerator, then, is 2 days. This will keep the freshness of the eggs. In turn, it will keep the freshness of the other ingredients.
2. Can you freeze waffle batter?
Yes, putting waffle batter in the freezer is great for long-term storage.
What if you want to store your waffle batter for more than 2 days? Is it possible to do that and still keep the freshness?
Yes, if you store it in the freezer instead of the refrigerator.
You’ll be able to store it for up to a month! This is because the ice prevents bacteria from entering and spoiling the eggs.
The great thing about it is that, even if it passes a month, the batter will still be safe to use. Keep in mind, though, that going over the 1-month duration will see a decrease in freshness and quality.
So can you freeze batter mix?
You’ve thawed the frozen batter and made crispy and fluffy waffles. But you find that there’s still some batter left. Can you place it back in the freezer?
That’s tricky. You have to be sure that no bacteria was able to enter while the batter was thawing. If there was no way bacteria could have entered, then yes, it’s safe to refreeze it.
Can you freeze pancake batter? Yes, it’s the same as waffle batter, it’s generally safe to freeze in order to store it.
3. Make Sure to Seal It
You can’t expect fresh and good quality waffles if you don’t seal it tight. Not even if you store it in the refrigerator for only a few hours. This is how important this is.
We’re going to list down the best containers for overnight waffles.
Glass Jars
Glass jars are great because it has a tight-fitted lid. You don’t have to worry about air and moisture seeping in.
It’s also great because you can reuse it for something else once your waffle batter gets finished.
If you use glass jars, though, you can’t store much batter inside. And, it’ll take up so much space in your refrigerator or freezer.
Resealable Bags
You can store a lot more waffle batter if you use resealable bags. You can also pile it on top of each other to save space.
Even better, you can label these bags so it’s easy to identify. Label it with a date and you know when you should use it.
However, you can’t reuse these resealable bags, unless you use the reusable ones, of course.
Plastic Containers
Plastic containers come in all sizes. You can select one that can fit all the leftover waffle batter. Or, if you want, you can store it in smaller containers and use one a day for a month.
If you use plastic containers, it’s important that it has an airtight seal. You don’t want the batter’s consistency and quality ruined.
These are the best containers to use. If you don’t have any of that, find anything that will secure the waffle batter from air, moisture, and bacteria.
4. Whisk It or Thaw It
Before you pour the leftover batter onto the waffle maker, there are a few things you need to do first. The steps will depend on whether you stored it in the fridge or the freezer.
If you stored it in the fridge, you’ll notice that the ingredients have separated. You should lightly whisk it back together so that each waffle will be consistent. You don’t want the first ones with more egg and the last ones with more flour.
Once you whisk it, it’s ready to go in the waffle maker, even if it’s still cold.
If you freeze it, you’ll have to thaw it first. You can’t expect it to have the consistency it needs to make perfect waffles if it’s frozen.
There are 2 ways you can do this.
The first is to leave it in the fridge overnight. The fridge temperature is warm enough to thaw the ice and cold enough to not allow bacteria growth.
Of course, you’ll need some planning before this, since it requires an overnight stay in the fridge. But what if the craving for waffles suddenly hits you in the middle of the day?
Then you should thaw it the other way. Submerge the container of waffle batter in hot or cold water to defrost it. It takes about 15 minutes to thaw 1lb of batter.
A good tip is that if you’re thawing more than 1lb of batter, use cold water instead of hot. Since it’ll take about 30+ minutes, the ice will melt away and bacteria could grow in it as the temperature is too warm.
After thawing, you can start making your waffles.
5. Can you freeze and reheat homemade waffles?
Yes! You can place frozen waffles in a toaster oven, conventional oven, or even in a toaster in order to reheat them.
What about if you make all the batter but can’t finish the cooked waffles?
Good news! You can also store your waffles by refrigerating them.
In the fridge, you should consume it within 3 days or so. In the freezer, it can last up to 4 months. Again, it has to be stored in an airtight container.
To thaw waffles, simply place them in an oven, toaster oven, or even in a toaster until it’s heated and ready to enjoy.
Conclusion
It might feel like a crime to leave waffle batter in the fridge since it’s meant to be made right away. But it’s actually fine to do so if you follow the 5 things you learned here.
If you do, your waffles will turn out great, like you just made the batter a few minutes ago.
