Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for waffle iron
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Pinch fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Special equipment: waffle iron

Instructions

1. For the waffles: Preheat your waffle iron and brush the grate with butter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk together the eggs, melted butter and buttermilk in a small bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Set the batter aside at room temperature for 20 minutes. Cook the waffles according the manufacturer's directions until golden brown. Remove to a baking rack. Cut or tear each waffle into quarters. Top each quarter with some of the cinnamon sugar butter and sauteed apples.
3. For the sauteed apples: Combine the apple cider, light brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a large saute pan over high heat and boil until reduced by half and thickened to a syrup.
4. Remove the cinnamon stick, whisk in the butter and add the apples and cook until soft and caramelized. Set aside.
5. For the homemade cinnamon sugar butter: Combine the heavy cream and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until it becomes butter. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and fold into the butter. Scrape into a bowl. (Yield: 1 cup)