Many people look forward to the weekend, when they can sleep in a little later and not be pressured by the time constraints of a typical weekday. Weekends also may be a time when people can slow down and enjoy a hot, homemade breakfast.
Those who want to treat their families or significant others to light crispy waffles — a perfect breakfast meal on relaxed weekend mornings — can enjoy this recipe for “Lazy Weekend Yeasted Waffles” from Laurie McNamara’s Simply Scratch (Avery)

Lazy Weekend Yeasted Waffles
Makes 16 waffles
½ cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ¼-ounce packet active dry yeast
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coconut oil, for brushing the waffle iron
Room-temperature butter, for serving
Pure maple syrup, for serving
- In a small bowl, stir together the warm water and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the yeast and let it sit and proof for 10 minutes, or until foamy.
- In a very large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture, melted butter, applesauce, and milk. Using a hand mixer, whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature, where it will rise for 8 hours to overnight.
- When ready to cook, in a small bowl, beat together the eggs, baking soda, and vanilla with a fork. Pour the egg mixture into the batter and whisk to combine.
- Preheat a waffle maker and lightly grease the plates with coconut oil.
- Working in batches, pour about ⅓ cup of the batter into the waffle maker and cook until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup.
Tip: Extra waffles can be flash frozen. Just place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 25 minutes, then package them in freezer-safe containers or wrap tightly in aluminum foil. They’ll keep for 2 to 3 months, and they reheat nicely because they can go straight from the freezer to the toaster.