← Back to the recipePrint:
RECIPE ONLINEwecookwithlove.com/christmas-wafers-recipe-wafer-iron/Scan the code to open the recipe on your phone

Christmas Baking

Christmas Wafers Recipe: Paper-Thin, Crisp and Made at Home – The Overnight Rest Is the Secret

Thin, crisp, lightly sweet Christmas wafers baked in a wafer iron from a batter that rests overnight.

Prep20 min
Cook1 h
Total12 h 20 min
Servings120 wafers

NutritionApproximate, per serving

Calories45 kcal

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dry mixture: Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the cinnamon for aroma and whisk to combine.

  2. Dissolve the sugar: Take about a third of the water (about 1 1/3 cups / 330 ml), warm it in the microwave or on the stove and stir in the granulated sugar, vanilla sugar and butter until they are completely dissolved.

  3. Mix the base: Pour the sweet water back into the rest of the cold water. Pour the whole amount into the flour, add the egg and whisk by hand into a thick, smooth batter without lumps.

  4. Thin with milk: Gradually, in three additions, pour in the cold milk, whisking thoroughly each time.

  5. Strain: Pour the finished batter through a fine sieve into a container with a lid. This removes even the smallest lumps.

  6. Rest (key step): Let the batter rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours (overnight). A rested batter is more elastic and the wafers turn out more delicate.

  7. Bake: Heat the wafer iron to medium heat. Brush the plates lightly with beeswax on a cloth. Pour in a small ladleful of batter, close the iron, press down and bake until steam stops escaping (about 30 seconds).

  8. Flatten: Remove the hot wafer with a wooden spatula, lay it on a board and immediately weigh it down with a second board so it stays flat as it cools.

  9. Finish: While the wafers are still warm, trim the uneven edges with scissors.

Tips:
  • Never use powdered sugar in the batter. It often contains starch, which makes the batter stick to the iron.
  • If the batter seems too thin toward the end of baking (the flour settles to the bottom), whisk it well and stir in another spoonful of flour.
  • Variation: to make wafer rolls, don't weigh the hot wafer down; roll it immediately around a wooden spoon handle. For a dairy-free version, replace the milk with water; the wafers will be harder but keep longer.
  • Store in a dry, airtight container, ideally a tin, for 2–3 months. Keep away from moisture.