The Liege waffle is a yeast-leavened brioche waffle studded with pearl sugar that caramelises on the iron: chewier and more filling than the Brussels waffle, sold at street stalls and bakeries across Ghent.

The Liege waffle dates to 18th-century Liege in the Walloon region of Belgium. The recipe uses a brioche dough enriched with eggs and butter, with coarse pearl sugar worked in before pressing on the heated iron. The pearl sugar creates caramelised pockets on the outside. In Ghent the Liege waffle coexists with the Brussels variant at market stalls; the Gentse Feesten street stalls serve both, but the Liege version is more popular for eating while walking.

Where to eat Liege Waffle (Gaufrette de Liege) in Ghent

2 editor picks for Liege Waffle (Gaufrette de Liege) in Ghent, ranked by editorial score. All Ghent signature dishes · Liege Waffle (Gaufrette de Liege) across every city.

  • Vrijdagmarkt

    Ghent's oldest market square hosts a weekly Friday morning market with fresh produce, flowers, street food and local traders in a medieval square setting.

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  • Waffles and Beer

    Order Liege waffle with caramelised pearl sugar: the pearl sugar pockets define the authentic Liege style.

    Waffles and Beer near the Groentenmarkt serves Belgian Brussels and Liege waffles alongside a selected list of Belgian beers.

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Make it at home

Serves 83 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 300g plain flour
  • 7g instant yeast
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 150g soft butter, cut in pieces
  • 100ml warm milk
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 150g Belgian pearl sugar

Method

  1. Mix flour, yeast, caster sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, warm milk and vanilla. Mix to a rough dough.
  2. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Work in butter piece by piece over 10 minutes until fully incorporated and dough is glossy.
  3. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1.5 hours until doubled.
  4. Knock back the dough. Flatten and scatter pearl sugar over. Fold and press to distribute. Divide into 8 portions.
  5. Rest balls 15 minutes. Cook in a preheated waffle iron for 3-4 minutes per waffle.
  6. Eat warm; the caramelised sugar crust is at its best in the first 10 minutes.

Editor tip. Pearl sugar is not the same as regular granulated sugar; it must be coarse enough to survive the waffle iron without fully dissolving into the dough.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg.