Daniel’s Amish Waffles: Classic Family Recipe

Our family tradition is pancakes for Sunday noon when we don’t have a meal at church. Even when we welcome guests that day, the menu remains simple—pancakes or waffles with scrambled eggs and sausage or bacon. Daniel often makes the pancakes using a recipe he remembers from his childhood, unless his father is cooking. His dad has a knack for making batter by eye—tossing in a bit of this and that without measuring—and the pancakes always turn out so good people ask for the recipe even though there isn’t one.

After lunch, no one feels like tackling the dishes right away. It may sound lazy, but on Sundays we often stack the dishes and wait until supper to wash them. The relaxed pace suits the day.

Once the kitchen is tidied, I face the familiar, joyful task of settling the children for naps. They’ve learned a routine—taking turns hearing a story, using the potty, and getting rocked—so we can have them down in under an hour. When the house finally quiets, it’s mama’s turn for a nap. Why are naps such a treat for adults and such a trial for little ones?

By 4 o’clock on Sunday afternoon, you can usually find Daniel in the kitchen popping popcorn—the best I’ve ever tasted. He uses a mix of butter and bacon drippings to pop it and seasons it generously with sour cream-and-onion and honey mustard onion powders from the bulk food store. The flavor is spot on.
This popcorn tradition also came from his father, who used to make a big bowl for the family every Sunday afternoon.
By supper time, around 5:30, no one is usually very hungry, so we sometimes delay the meal or opt for a smoothie. Daniel often chooses a coffee-based smoothie, while I prefer a fruit smoothie—any fruit will do for me.
The children love Sunday evenings. We often spend time together in the yard, watching them play ball or run races, or we take walks down our little country road and sometimes stop to visit a neighbor. More popcorn often makes an appearance; it’s a small but cherished part of many Amish families’ Sunday afternoons.
After a restful Sunday, we’re refreshed and ready to begin the week.

Below is the Yoder family’s favorite waffle recipe. If you’re short on time, you can cook these as pancakes in a skillet.