The difference between waffles and pancakes

Breakfast has always been hailed as one of the most important meals of the day. Well, we say that you can have any meal for breakfast and it is still just as important. Grab your eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast, but certainly don’t forget to add waffles or pancakes to your breakfast assortment.

Pancakes and waffles are some of the best breakfast options out there. They can be done in many different ways. You can add toppings or fillings to them and you can top them with butter, syrup and anything else that makes them delicious according to your tastes and preferences.

Are pancakes and waffles the same thing? What is the difference between them?

Some of the most notable differences come down to appearance. The waffles are square or round. They are usually thick and made up of squares that are joined to form the waffle. Instead, pancakes are much flatter and are usually round. 

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the difference between waffles and pancakes. We’ll cover each element on an individual level and then fill out the guide by summarizing the two for quick reference on how they’re the same and different.

Read on to learn the differences between waffles and pancakes.

The Ultimate Guide to Waffles and Pancakes

You can buy a balanced batter at the store to cover both waffles and pancakes. So that makes them the same, right? If you make the dough from scratch, it’s actually slightly different, but even so, the end result isn’t exactly the same, regardless of whether you use pre-made dough or your own dough.

We are going to advance in this guide talking first about the waffles and then about the pancakes. Once we cover each product on an individual level, we’ll do a quick rundown to round up the differences for your reference.

Let us begin!

waffles

The waffles are quite interesting. They are made with a dough or paste that is considered leavened. They do not require rising or kneading time. Just mix the dough. The waffles are then cooked between two heated plates that have a specific pattern.

These plates can be square or round. Now you can buy waffle irons that allow you to make large individual waffles.

Waffles are usually thick and fluffy. They can be quite filling. You can make waffles in various ways. You can change the dough to make it healthier or use a ready-made dough. It really depends on you.

From there, you can add fruit or other items and you can also top your waffles with endless options. Here are some ideas to add to your waffle batter or to use as a topping. 

• Peanut butter
• Syrup
• Butter
• various fruits
• Whipped cream
• sprinkled
• Chocolate chips
• Nuts
• bacon bits

These are just a few popular ideas for ways to change up your waffles.

How waffles are made

We’re going to go over a quick waffle recipe that shows how the batter is made from scratch. This will simply give you a general idea of the typical ingredients that go into waffle batter.

Please note that there are numerous variations of waffle recipes, this is only intended as a reference point. 

1. You will need eggs, plain flour, milk, vegetable oil, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and sugar.
2. Beat the eggs until they are very fluffy. Then beat the milk, flour, oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla.
3. Preheat your waffle iron and spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Pour the mixture in portions into your waffle iron and heat as directed until golden brown.
4. Cover to your liking with various fruits and syrups and enjoy hot.

As you can see, the process of making waffles is quite simple. There aren’t a ton of ingredients and most of them are things you can find in your pantry on the regular.

When you buy the dough, it will usually include similar things made into a dry dough and will only require adding water and perhaps eggs or oil as well.

Pancakes

Pancakes are another delicious breakfast treat. Unlike waffles, pancakes are lighter and fluffier. Waffles tend to be heavier overall because they are made to be thicker, while pancakes are made to be light and fluffy.

Pancakes are usually round in shape, but you can actually make them any way you like. Now you can buy pancake shapes that you can form on your griddle or in your skillet to give them fun shapes.

Pancakes are flat, thin and usually round . They are fluffy and light by nature.

The pancakes are made with a starch-based mix. You can make your own batter or use store-bought batter, like waffles.

Another similarity to waffles is that you can mix and match the ingredients however you like. You can also cook things like chocolate chips, fruit or bacon right into your pancakes, giving you a delicious alternative to regular pancakes.

You can also add your own syrup and butter or peanut butter and whipped topping or any other topping preference.

The pancakes are stackable and you can probably eat several at one time.

How pancakes are made

Just like we did with the waffles, we want to do a quick refresher on how pancakes are made. We believe that it is essential to understand the process to really know the differences and similarities between both products.

Here is a simple recipe to make pancakes. Keep in mind that there are numerous variations of the recipe that you can use. We are simply providing this basic recipe as a reference point for understanding what ingredients are used and the general process for making pancakes. 

1. You will need all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, vanilla extract, and butter.
2. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients, which include the salt, baking powder, flour, and sugar.
3. Separately beat the eggs and then beat in the milk and vanilla. Melt the butter and whisk it into the mixture as well.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and beat until the batter is thick. It will most likely still be slightly lumpy, which is perfectly acceptable for delicious pancakes.
5. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour the pancake mixture onto the heated cooking surface.
6. Cook until bubbles start to appear on the surface of the pancake, which is about 2 minutes over medium heat. The bottom should be golden.
7. Flip the pancake over and cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes.
8. Transfer it to a fountain, add your favorite ingredients and enjoy it hot.

Notice the similarities of the ingredients to those of the waffles. In this case they are almost identical, although the proportions of the ingredients may vary slightly. You will realize that the main difference is in how they are cooked and that you do not need a special cooking appliance for the pancakes.

Overview

When it comes to comparing the differences between waffles and pancakes, there are very few differences. The ingredients are almost exactly the same in each recipe. They are made to be a very similar product.

Both are versatile and can be made with various ingredients, fillings or toppings, and both are served hot straight from the fire. 

The main difference between the two relates specifically to the appearance and cooking method of the product.

Pancakes are thin, round, light and fluffy, while waffles are thick and fluffy and are often made much larger. Waffles also require some type of iron tool to make them properly.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide to understanding the differences between waffles and pancakes an informative resource for comparing and identifying these two food products. Keep in mind that they are very similar with slight differences that set them apart.

We invite you to review the following section of questions and answers for some additional details that you may also find useful.

What makes waffles and pancakes taste different?

You will see that in waffles the eggs are beaten separately. The difference in taste is mainly due to the difference in the way the ingredients are processed and cooked.

Why are there so many types of waffles?

You will have seen names like American waffles, Brussels waffles, Belgian waffles and others. Why so many titles? The names mostly refer to the way the waffles are made. Although they contain the same ingredients, they are all made differently.

Belgian waffles tend to be very thick and go quite large, while American waffles tend to be a bit thinner and not quite as big.

Brussels waffles are actually the same thing as Belgian waffles.