Preheat your waffle iron and lightly grease it. Don’t skip this—sticking is not a vibe we’re going for.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. It should look a bit dry and polite—that’s normal.

In another bowl, whisk milk, egg, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Stir just until combined; there can be a few lumps, and that’s totally fine.

Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. This gives the bubbles a chance to behave themselves.

Pour a ladleful into the hot waffle iron. Close and cook until golden and crisp on the outside, about 3–4 minutes (or follow your iron’s cue).

Repeat with the remaining batter. Keep waffles warm in a low-temp oven if you’re stacking them.