French Belgian Waffle Cookies (Gaulettes)

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/4/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
French Belgian Waffle Cookies (Gaulettes)

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Chill:: 60 mins
Total: 110 mins
Servings: 72 servings
Yield: 6 dozen

Gaulettes, also known as gullets, are a favorite Christmas delicacy in many communities with Belgian ties. In fact, no holiday is complete until the children put in the requisite elbow grease to stir the remainder of the flour into the already impossibly stiff dough. But that effort is rewarded with these French-Belgium chewy waffle cookies full of vanilla and heavy brown sugar notes.

Of course, gaulettes are delicious warm, but they do grow chewier and more flavorful within the first three days of making them. No special equipment beyond a waffle iron is needed, but a Belgian waffle iron, or gullet iron, can be used as well.

This recipe makes 84 cookies, so feel free to cut it in half. However, gaulettes are so well-loved you will probably need to make the full recipe.

"The waffle cookies were easy to make and delicious with vanilla and almond flavorings. I found that a mini waffle maker worked well for perfectly shaped gaulettes. You could sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar or drizzle them with a glaze. Love the ice cream sandwich idea!" —Diana Rattray

Recipe Test: French waffle cookies
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 pound unsalted butter, softened

  • 3 cups light brown sugar

  • 6 large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon almond extract, or black walnut extract, optional

  • 7 cups (875 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    French Belgian Waffle Cookies (Gaulettes) Recipe ingredients

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  2. Using a mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and flavor extracts until the mixture is fluffy.

    cream the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and flavor extracts in a bowl

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  3. Reduce the mixer speed and stir in the dry ingredients until the dough is completely mixed together. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 1 hour.

    waffle batter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  4. Preheat a French-Belgian waffle iron over medium heat. Drop a 1-inch ball of dough into each section of the preheated iron and bake over a medium-heat burner for approximately 45 seconds, until golden brown on each side.

    Alternately, drop a 1-inch ball of dough in the center of a waffle iron set to medium doneness. Close the top and cook until golden or the waffle maker beeps.

    waffle in a waffle maker

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  5. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.

    French Belgian Waffle Cookies (Gaulettes) on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

How to Store Waffle Cookies

  • Transfer cooled waffle cookies to an airtight container or resealable food storage bag and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
  • To freeze waffle cookies, place them in a freezer container or freezer bag. Label the container or bag with the name and date and freeze the cookies for up to 6 months.

What's the Difference Between Gaulettes and Stroopwafels?

Although both called waffle cookies, the French-Belgian version is quite different from the Dutch treat. Whereas gaulettes are thick and chewy, stroopwafels are thin and crispy, and made with yeast. The Dutch recipe is also a sandwich cookie with a caramel filling and requires a special waffle iron to make the cookies wafer thin.

Serving Suggestions

  • For a little extra sweetness, dust the gaulettes with confectioners' sugar before serving.
  • Dip one side of the waffle cookie into melted dark, milk, or white chocolate. Or drizzle the chocolate on top.
  • Drizzle some maple glaze or maple syrup over top and sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans.
  • Turn into an ice cream sandwich by placing a scoop of your favorite flavor between two cookies.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
125 Calories
6g Fat
17g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 72
Amount per serving
Calories 125
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 21mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 31mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)