The other morning, I set my waffler pan on the stove — one of my favorite pieces in the kitchen, used at least once a week. There’s something almost ritual about it: pouring in the batter, waiting for the sizzle, flipping it just so. A plate placed in front of someone you love before they even ask. Hospitality in its most golden, crispy form.

We often think thriving looks like big gestures: promotions, milestones, the Instagrammable wins. But sometimes it looks like a waffle. The kind you can smell before it hits the table, the kind where browned butter and brown sugar cream together into something cozy. I made them for my daughter on a Saturday morning. No occasion, no reason other than “I want you to know you matter.” She ate, I watched and for that little while, the day felt different. Calmer. Lighter. A small gift that let her begin from a place of being cared for. The truth is, allowing others to thrive doesn’t always mean fixing their problems or orchestrating grand solutions. Sometimes it just means feeding them. Sometimes it just means not rushing. Sometimes it’s a waffle.

Buttery Brown Sugar Waffles

What You Will Need

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 ½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, separated
• 1 cup Califia Farms Organic Brown Sugar Almond-milk Creamer (or similar)
• 6 tablespoons brown butter (melted and cooled)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Maple syrup, for serving

What You Will Need To Do:

1. Preheat waffler pan on the stove over medium-high and lightly spray with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 2 ½ tablespoons dark brown sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, beat 1 egg white with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form (about 2 minutes).
4. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 egg yolk, 1 cup brown sugar creamer, 6 tablespoons brown butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
5. Pour about ½–1 cup of batter into the preheated waffler pan. Cook until golden and crisp, about 5–7 minutes, flipping as needed.
6. Serve warm with maple syrup and, if you’re feeling fancy, a sprinkle of flaky salt.

We underestimate the small things. A waffle, a kind word, a quiet presence — they don’t make headlines, but they create stability. They whisper, you’re safe, you’re seen, you belong. So I wonder: in what quiet and small way can you allow someone around you to thrive today? Maybe it’s making breakfast. Maybe it’s sending a text. Maybe it’s sitting close without rushing to fix.

Big gestures are nice. But waffles work, too.

Gracefully yours,

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Reference
Niequist, S. (2024). Celebrate Every Day. Zondervan.