A plate of Masienda Blue Masa Harina waffles
One of our favorite uses for our Heirloom Corn Masa Harina is in pancakes and waffles. We've been known to swap out a third of our favorite boxed mixes for masa, but when we have a bit more time to make a from-scratch batch, we love this recipe from author and natural foods chef Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz (a.k.a. the Kitchen Curandera), recognized for her work with Indigenous foodways and decolonizing wellness. You may have spotted her on Padma Lakshmi's Taste the Nation, or cooked the healing recipes from her award-winning book Earth Medicines; we love the way she honors the foods of her native New Mexico, specifically blue corn. Of this recipe, Felicia says: "These waffles are a nod to my childhood as blue corn is an important ingredient in many of my family’s traditional Pueblo foods and stories. And although I didn’t grow up eating homemade waffles, the earthly flavor of Mother Blue Corn peeks through, sharing warm memories of sitting at my grandmother’s kitchen table."If you can't find spelt flour, feel free to substitute whole wheat or all-purpose. For a dairy-free substitution, use your favorite plant-based milk with a tablespoon or so of lemon juice to make the buttermilk, and swap the butter for oil.

  • 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

  • 2 large eggs

  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted 

  • 1 1/2 cups spelt flour (can substitute for whole wheat or all purpose)

  • 1 cup Heirloom Corn Masa Harina

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted butter. 

  2. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then gently fold in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

  3. Let the waffle batter rest for 10 minutes. 

  4. Drop the batter by 1/2-cupfuls onto a hot waffle iron and cook until steam stops seeping from the iron.

  5. Enjoy with syrup, butter, fruit, or your choice of toppings!