
Can you imagine going to a pajama party and being treated to toast and cereal in the morning? Neither could we. So Caroline and I got all decadent. I had been eying her Liege waffles for a while now but could never try them out because I don’t have a waffle iron. And I don’t actually want one just because I’d blow my calorie intake for the day on waffles. It happens.
Has anyone had Liege waffles before? I’ve had them in Belgium and they were awesome. It’s basically like a Belgian waffle, but you knead pearl sugar into the dough. So when it cooks, the sugar crystallizes and becomes… goodness. The only problem is that pearl sugar isn’t easy to find. Caroline bought hers from Amazon.

We used Darla’s chocolate liege waffles recipe, which was meant to be topped with caramel sauce. I thought that the waffles were already sinful enough and that we should try to healthify the sauce a little so I tried this healthy vegan date “caramel” sauce I’ve seen around for a while. That was not a good idea. That stuff does not taste like caramel. It takes like watery dates. If you want caramel, just make caramel and save your dates for something else. ;)
For the pictures, I wanted to top the waffles with something so I used some chocolate sauce. But I really don’t think that’s necessary. My preferred way of eating these would be with maple syrup! Or nothing at all.

You’d think that these are overly sweet with all the sugar but they really weren’t. I guess that’s because of the cocoa powder. And I was really hesitant to put in all that sugar, but I did and I didn’t regret it. Don’t skimp on the sugar! If you want something super healthy, these aren’t for you. I’ll just point you in the direction of some healthier waffles down below.

So that’s it for pajama party week! I hope we’ve inspired you to have a healthier PJ party. Or a pajama party at all. :D And a big thanks to Caroline’s husband, Logan, for taking care of everything baby and dish related while we had our little parties (yeah, we had two – the first one was kind of a sad attempt!)
And did you check out the brownies yesterday?! They’re 100% whole grain and have a peanut buttery topping. They’re gooey, too, if you can’t tell. ;)

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Some other healthier waffles
- Sweet Cherry Waffles (whole wheat) – Bless this Mess
- Light and fluffy buttermilk waffles (GF) – Barefeet in the Kitchen
- Skinny strawberry waffle ice cream sandwiches (whole wheat) – Bakeaholic Mama
- Whole wheat coconut banana waffles with dark chocolate & roasted almonds – Ambitious Kitchen
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 6 waffles
- 1/3 cup (78l) warm milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 1/4 teaspoon (or 1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (42 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons unrefined sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (95 grams) white whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup (98 grams) bread flour
- 3/4 cup Belgian Pearl Sugar
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk, honey, and active dry yeast. Stir with a spatula and let sit for 10 minutes to proof.
- Add the vanilla, butter, and eggs and stir with your spatula.
- Then add the cocoa powder, unrefined sugar and salt. Give it another stir.
- Add the the white whole wheat flour and the bread flour. Using the dough hook, knead on low for 7-8 minutes. At this point, the dough should barely stick to the bowl. Be careful not to add too much flour or your waffles won't turn out as well. You can add a tablespoon of flour at a time, if needed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place until the dough has doubled (about one hour).
- Once the dough has doubled, turn the waffle iron on and knead the pearl sugar into the dough and set this aside until the waffle iron has preheated.
- Divide the dough into 6 balls and one at a time, cook the waffles 2-3 minutes.
- Best when fresh but they're also good the second day. Store covered at room temperature.
Whole Grain Chocolate Liege Waffles

Ingredients
Directions
Recipe adapted from Chocolate Liege Waffles with Caramel – Bakingdom
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34 comments on “Whole Grain Chocolate Liege Waffles” — Add one!
Holy, these look incredible! I love the look of that sugar. I think I need to get some of that pearl sugar, I’ve never noticed it locally before so thanks for including a link :D
No problem! Caroline has a less nutritionally disastrous whole grain Liege waffle version somewhere. Definitely give it a try! :)
I have never even heard of a liege waffle before today. But I pretty much just want to dive head first onto that plate!!
What?! You have to try them! So delicious and sugary. Yum!
These waffles look so good. I might have to buy a waffle maker just so that I can treat myself to these for breakfast at the weekend!
They’re so expensive over here! To be honest, that’s one of the reasons I don’t have a waffle iron. ;)
Hi! Seems great! Would you mind if I translate you`r recipe to Hebrew and write about it in my clog (credit, of course)? I am sort of a waffle explorer :)
That would be fine! Thanks for asking. :)
Ooohh chocolate waffles are the best! I now feel the need to buy pearl sugar even though it’s been on my list of things of baking stuff I need to buy. Anyways, these look really delicious! :)
Thanks, Becca! That stuff is expensive. So happy that I don’t have a waffle iron because I’d go broke on that stuff. ;)
Note to self…do not attempt date caramel sauce! But perhaps attempt a GF version of these beautiful waffles!
Good luck with GF waffles! :)
And I’m surprised you haven’t tried the date caramel sauce. It seemed like I was the last to try!
Oh my goodness…I am absolutely in awe of these! I’ve never even imagined doing chocolate waffles before and these look so deliciously dark and full of chocolate.
That was how I felt when I saw them for the first time. So ridiculously yummy and over the top!
I’m so in for a pajama party with chocolate waffles..can we watch movies and stay up all night!??? I need to get my waffle iron out of storage and back into my kitchen ;-) Have a wonderful weekend ;)
Of course we can, Patty! That’s what PJ parties are all about, right? That and the pizza. ;) I hope you found your waffle iron!
That sounds marvellous! Are you still living in Germany? I wonder whether you can substitute the Pearl sugar with “Hagelzucker” that you can buy in most of the supermarkets. I think I will give it a try!
Thanks, Claudia! I am in Germany but don’t have a waffle maker so the pearl sugar thing isn’t an issue.
And careful! Belgian pearl sugar is different from Swedish pearl sugar (which is like the German Hagelzucker) The Belgian kind is kind of like sugar cubes… but then again, they really aren’t. I don’t think Hagelzucker will work with these!
Oh look! A found a picture which compares them: http://chaosqueen.net/2010/05/23/fuer-steph-deutscher-hagelzucker-versus-belgischem-perlzucker/
Hi Erin,
tnx for the link – yes, the difference in the two sugars is pretty obvious… I gave it a try yesterday (with Hagelzucker) – the waffles where great! I only have a typical German (?) heart-shape waffle maker and so I would not dare calling my result “Liege Waffles” – but not knowing how the original should taste, my German version was absolutely delicious!!
I think that Liege waffles might be Zuckerwaffeln in German. I was at Back Factory (for non-German readers, that’s baking factory and not actually the-part-above-your-butt factory ;)) today and saw them there. They were the right shape, at least! And the name makes sense. I’m so happy that it worked out for you. Yay! :)
Oh yes, I’ve had those Liege waffles, quite unbelievable! I’ve never made them myself, so glad they have the pearl sugar on Amazon!
Don’t they put regular Belgian waffles to shame?! SO yummy. :)
OMG. Suddenly my breakfast this morning doesn’t look so appealing! I want these!
Aww, I’m sorry to have ruined your breakfast! I hope you have a waffle iron. ;)
Chocolate waffles?! Yes please, these look so good!
Thanks, Laura! And I know… isn’t it a little silly? Chocolate… waffles? But it’s kind of awesome at the same time. :D
Whoa chocolate overload (in the best of ways)! This looks awesome!
Thanks, Katrina!
Such fun pj parties!!! What a perfect way to end them, too. :)
Yay! I’m happy you liked our sundaes. Thanks for rating them. :D
Such a fun week, and a perfect way to end the week! These waffles look amazing! I dont have a waffle iron either for the same reason ;)
Isn’t it sad that we can’t control ourselves around a Belgian waffle iron? Not surprising, but sad. And thanks, Carla! :)
Love the idea of chocolate waffles… especially with caramel sauce. So when the time comes, it’ll have to be caramel… or maple syrup ;)
Yeah, and none of the date nonsense! Eww.