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I love a leisurely weekend morning – it doesn’t happen often!
But when all the planets and stars align, with no major plans outside of simply enjoying each other’s company at home and nowhere else to run off to, it’s the perfect opportunity to make a homemade breakfast.
When that morning arrives, I’m making my crispy and buttery einkorn waffles topped with aronia berries!
Choosing to sit down to a special meal with family – pausing any thoughts of a house that desperately needs to be cleaned and dusted and a half-rotten retaining wall that needs to be replaced – can be the right decision to recharge and reconnect.
And I find that there is no better way to gain back lost energy and put a vigorous pep in my step than by eating some aronia berries.
Have you heard of them before, or have you ever eaten them? Allow me to explain…
Aronia is a genus of deciduous shrubs native to North America. Small, round, and plump like blueberries but a little darker in color, black aronia berries (Aronia melanocarpa) are the most common and most widely used species in North America.
And as mighty antioxidant powerhouses, they’re excellent to consume when everyone is pulling out the severe cold medicine and tissues!
According to a 2022 study published by the National Library of Medicine, phenolic compounds have been identified as a major active component in the fruit. These high levels of phenolic compounds can potentially contribute to health-promoting antioxidative effects in the human body.
But don’t chow down on a whole handful just yet! There is a notable downside to discuss here within the culinary realm.
A defining, and also notorious, characteristic of this fruit is that it has a very tart and astringent taste – which can produce an unpleasant drying effect in the mouth when eaten.
This is the reason why they are also commonly known as chokeberries!
Even though they are safe to eat raw and plain, they are not typically consumed in this format.
Bobica Organic Aronia Berry Powder, available on Amazon
The fruit are most often processed into juice, syrup, or jam, and used to make various dietary supplements. Bobica’s Organic Aronia Powder can be mixed into drinks like smoothies and juices, for example. You can purchase a 1-pound bag on Amazon.
They can also be difficult to locate fresh, which is why we turn to a fresh-frozen option like this one from Superberries, also available on Amazon.
Superberries Organic Fresh-Frozen Aronia, available on Amazon
While some can tolerate the sharp, bitter taste and adore eating them plain, you might want to think twice if you are sensitive to bitterness and astringency.
We have a couple simple solutions for you to consider, so you still get to enjoy a sweet and homemade breakfast:
Serve our waffles with Foodal’s recipe for maple roasted blueberries, and substitute half the amount of fruit with frozen aronia.
Roasting with maple syrup at a high temperature in the oven will help you reduce the abrasive sharpness, and it’s also very helpful to use a blend of fruits so the aronia won’t be as overpowering.
You can also drizzle the waffles with a blueberry mango syrup, using the same strategy of replacing some of the original blueberries with frozen chokeberries when you make it.
Once you become familiar with the taste, you can then make any necessary adjustments the next time you want to incorporate more of this fruit into your recipes.
Our waffle recipe creates a browned and crisp exterior, while the interior remains light and delicate with a buttery, lightly spiced flavor and mild vanilla aroma.
Top them any way you like, whether with a newly created aronia berry recipe… or with ice cream and hot caramel sauce!
When you have time to rejoice in some rare downtime, whip up this waffle batter, prepare your favorite toppings, and get ready to enjoy a delicious meal together – maybe one with some extra antioxidant power!
Print
Crisp and Buttery Einkorn Waffles with Aronia Berries
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 waffles total 1x
Description
We’re serving our crispy and buttery einkorn waffles with a tart and bitter punch from aronia berries.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose einkorn flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup frozen and thawed aronia berries, for topping*
- Maple syrup, for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, butter, and vanilla extract until completely combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk just until a thick and smooth batter forms, adding more milk in 1/8-cup increments if the batter is too thick for pouring. Do not overmix.
- Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a Belgian waffle maker.
- Lightly grease the waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Pour 1/2-3/4 cup of batter into the center of the waffle iron, or the appropriate amount for your appliance.
- Close the lid and cook until lightly golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter, lightly greasing the waffle iron between batches.
- Place the waffles on plates and serve with a small scoopful of aronia berries and a drizzle of maple syrup on top.
Notes
Raw aronia berries are very bitter and astringent. If desired, replace with fresh blueberries or the roasted option described above.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Waffle
- Method: Waffle Iron
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Keywords: einkorn, waffle, belgian, aronia, berry, berries
Angry at Aronia? You Don’t Need It!
Sharp, tart, bitter, astringent…
If you don’t want to deal with these aforementioned taste descriptors, you’re better off not serving these waffles with the feisty fruit we recommend here – just stay away from them.
But that doesn’t mean your breakfast should go totally unadorned!
Let this be a wonderful occasion to show off your preferred breakfast toppings:
Go sweet and simple with just maple syrup or a brown sugar syrup, bright and healthy with freshly cut stone fruit or bananas, or lusciously thick and wicked with a cream cheese glaze.
Save experimenting with new ingredients for another day – sometimes, sticking with what you know and staying in your cozy comfort zone is exactly what you need.
Do you think you’ll seek out chokeberries for this recipe, or will you stay within your preferred tried-and-true toppings territory? Leave a comment below!
If you want to become an expert in einkorn flour, learn how to incorporate it in other ways, starting with more breakfast recipes! Try these Foodal favorites next:
- Baked Cherry Einkorn Cake Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze
- Honey Grapefruit Scones with Oats and Einkorn Flour
- Easy Einkorn Cinnamon Buns
Photos by Shanna Mallon, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Uncredited photos via Shutterstock. Product photos via Amazon. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on November 19, 2014. Last updated on May 4, 2023.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Nikki Cervone
Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
These waffles look perfect. i’ve never tried this kind of berry but would love to find them.
This looks wonderful! The perfect way to start a Sunday morning. I have a bag of einkorn flour in my pantry so I may make these soon!
Leisure weekend breakfasts are the BEST….especially if they involve waffles + berries.
These are beautiful waffles!
And aronia berries? Amazing how I’m always discovering new things on your blog!
xoxo
Those waffles looks so beautiful! And einkorn seem like such an exiting grain 🙂
I’ve never heard of aronia berries before but they sound right up my street; the contrast between sharp berries and buttery waffles is perfect!
I agree with what you’ve written. It’s really important to slow down and take the time to appreciate that no matter how crazy things get, you’re always in good hands. Also, I love the look of these waffles. I’ve never heard of aronia berries before, but I’m inspired to check them out. Thanks.
These waffles look lovely!
I recently discovered einkorn flour and wanted to make waffles for the grandbabies. I found your recipe and not only did the grandbabies love them but my husband said, “Wow! whatever you did, don’t change a thing!” They were just like you said – crispy on the outside and tender inside. This is definitely a keeper! Thank you!!
waffles are a huge hit in this house. I love how healthy these are!