Waffled, wiggled, wavered: waffle recipes

January 13, 2012 8:46 AM

What are your favorite waffle recipes?

We've had a waffle maker for more than a year now and we mainly use it for traditional waffles (we use Krusteaz which is a just add water mix, which is surprisingly good for a mix). We've also tried a Trader Joe's pumpkin waffle mix which was pretty delicious.

I'd like to try making some new waffle things and get out of the rut of using mixes. Tell me of new forms of deliciousness. Please.

(I'm aware that waffle makers can also be used for sandwich type things and bacon)

posted by sciencegeek to food & drink (34 answers total)

1. Make Waffles
2. Make Fried Chicken
3. Eat 'em
posted by brand-gnu at 8:49 AM on January 13, 2012

I used the Joy of Cooking cornmeal waffle recipe, but I put shredded bits of thinly sliced prosciutto and shredded emmethaler into the batter (and cut back the butter a bit).

It was magical.
posted by gauche at 8:52 AM on January 13, 2012 [2 favorites]

here's a recipe they use at most diners in New York City that i miss terribly:
1 full-size belgian waffle
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
2 scoops chocolate ice cream
2 more scoops of ice cream
1 head-sized dollop of whipped cream
1/2 cup chocolate sauce
walnuts
marachino cherries

serve with insulin and enjoy!
posted by sexyrobot at 8:58 AM on January 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Obviously you have a regular waffle iron, but you could try the recipe for Hong Kong egg waffles and see if it comes out well.

Also waffles with chopped bacon in the batter are... heavenly. You know how when you go to brunch and you're like "damn, I have to decide between the savory stuff and the uber-sweet stuff"? Well, the question is now moot, thanks to BaconWaffles.
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:58 AM on January 13, 2012

The classic Belgian waffle recipe in the Waring Pro Waffle Maker manual [pdf] is pretty great. It's a little involved (it's a yeast-based batter that involves folding beaten egg whites into it and stirring every 15 minutes for an hour), but it's delicious, very different in flavor and texture from any mix.

Speculoos spread is apparently pretty tasty on a waffle, but I've never had a chance to try it.

Liège waffles are also pretty great, apparently. You'll need some pearl sugar to make them.
posted by jedicus at 8:59 AM on January 13, 2012 [2 favorites]

And if you just want to try cooking different things with your waffle iron, definitely check out the Waffleizer blog, as featured on MeFi.
posted by jedicus at 9:00 AM on January 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

We love this recipe for pumpkin waffles. It's like the delicious love child of a Belgian waffle and a piece of pumpkin pie.
posted by dr. boludo at 9:01 AM on January 13, 2012

My advice is to make great, simple waffles.

I've made buttermilk waffles from scratch for my family almost every Saturday for the last 8 years. It's a variant on the Cook's Illustrated "best recipe" for buttermilk waffles, minus the IMO unnecessary and anal retentive step of separating the eggs and whipping the egg whites, and with the addition of vanilla.

Here it is (I do 2x on this recipe for my family of 2 adults and 2 smallish kids):

Dry:
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Wet:
1 egg
7/8 cup buttermilk
4 tbsp melted unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whisk the dry in one bowl.
Whisk egg and buttermilk in another bowl, then whisk in the butter and vanilla.
Pour the wet into the dry slowly while mixing with a spatula.
Make waffles.
Lather with butter and syrup.
Eat.
Repeat.
posted by mcstayinskool at 9:03 AM on January 13, 2012 [5 favorites]

sorry, the 1x recipe is 2 tbsp butter
posted by mcstayinskool at 9:04 AM on January 13, 2012

The yeast-raised waffles from Shirley Corriher's "CookWise" are a revelation.
posted by slkinsey at 9:04 AM on January 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Seconding the yeast raised waffle suggestion (recipe often attributed to Fanny Farmer, too.) absolute heaven on earth.
posted by Sublimity at 9:11 AM on January 13, 2012

slkinsey beat me to it! Raised waffles are so easy, result in waffles that are so much lighter and more delicious than regular waffles, and all the prep is done the night before. If you have a kitchen scale, you can even do it all in one bowl. That morning you just beat in the eggs and baking soda, heat up your waffle iron, and you're good to go.
posted by chickenmagazine at 9:13 AM on January 13, 2012

I have had delicious mashed potato waffles at a restaurant! If you have such a delicious recipe please share it.
posted by Jairus at 9:21 AM on January 13, 2012

The next stage in the long, barely-begun process of your uplift from carcass-scavanging pre-rodent to full galactic citizen has arrived. I admit to thinking that this day might never come; opinions among those of my kind ran the gamut from heady optimism at your delicious home-made gumbo to sad, head-shaking resignation at your apparent love for the culinary atrocity that is fast food. But progress was steady.

And in the last centuries, you have begun to understand that cornerstone of post-biological society: The Waffle. Naturally your current pastries are but clumsy imitations of the great star-waffles that ply the deep between worlds, but they are a first step.

Ah. I see in your fear you have made the mistake of attempting to assassinate this pseudoflesh simulacrum through which I am addressing you. Well, no matter--it is both far more resiliant than your pathetically fragile cell-based bodies, and every bit as disposable. Furthermore, it is no more "me" than a photograph is the individual depicted. Attacking me is analogous to one of your Earth dogs barking at the screen--amusing, but stupid and ultimately annoying. Perhaps my would-be assassin will find some peace in the fact that my psi-powers have completely ravaged his higher reasoning facilities, though I find the term "higher" to be somewhat laughable in the case of you humans.

Returning to the far more pressing matter of breakfast pastries, now--your discovery of the waffle is an important step, and we of the Galactic High Council have decided that in the interest of speeding you on the path to citizenship, you will be shown the next great step in your evolution.

1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

These are the most potent waffles that can be constructed using coarse matter. If all goes well, perhaps in some millennia you will come to discover the construction of electron degenerate waffles and then—ah, but here your crude human "language" is inadequate. And I digress.

First—-and listen carefully, for these are like no waffles you know—in the evening, combine the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk. Add the butter and, optionally, vanilla. Mix well; the mixture will be loose.

Next, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a cloth, let the mixture rise overnight. If all goes well, it will have risen significantly, its surface covered with bubbles, which in turn are filled with potent and heady flavor-vapors.

Separate the eggs. This is a delicate process, and we of the Galactic High Council look forward to laughing heartily at your ridiculous attempts to accomplish the task with your bumbling five-fingered paws.

Deflate the batter by stirring it briefly, then stir the egg yolks into it. Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, then gently fold them into the mixture.

The resulting batter may be thinner than the waffle mixtures you are accustomed to. Cooking times should be similar; the waffles are done when golden-brown. Upon eating them, you will discover a far more rich and complex flavor than resulted from your previous, stuttering attempts at pastrycraft, and a texture—oh, such texture—that is crisp on the outside, but soft and creamy on the inside.

Go now, child, and evolve.
posted by pts at 9:32 AM on January 13, 2012 [12 favorites]

Waffles weren't always served sweet, traditionally.
For some reason, knowing this led me to serving chile'n'waffles to by drinking buddies.
Probably because I ate too many stuffed sopapillas and Navajo taco while in NM.

Chile'n'Waffles

Chile
1 lb ground beef or ground pork
1 lb green chile (frozen)
1 can beer (or water or stock or whatever liquid gets yer pants wet)
1 medium sized onion, diced
A metric shit-ton of garlic, minced
Oil
Salt
Masa Harina
Optional: Pinto beans. Better served separate but easier to cook in the chile.

Sweat the onions and garlic with salt in oil until translucent. Add meat and brown. Add liquid and bring to a simmer. Add green chile and bring back to a simmer. Add beans if yer into that. Just before serving thicken the chile with couple tablespoons full of masa (just sprinkle it on and mix it in, let cook for a minute). You can also use whatever chile or chili recipe you prefer. The above recipe works quite well with vegetarian meat substitute.

Waffles
1 3/4 cups milk+1 1/2 tsp. vinegar, buttermilk or yogurt (not greek)
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Optional: 1 cup corn (canned or frozen), a couple diced chiles, chili powder, diced scallions, 1 cup shredded cheese, or whatever the hell else you want to throw in, but probably not all of the above at the same time.

Whisk together the milk product, eggs and oil. Mix the dry ingredients together, then quickly combine the wet and dry ingredients. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then pour the batter by 1/3-cupfuls onto the heated waffle iron. Cook until the waffle stops steaming.

Addendums
Pinto beans (if they ain't in the chile)
Shredded Lettuce
Grated Cheese
Diced Tomatoes
Salsa and Hot Sauce

Assemble:
Put the waffle on a plate. Dump on chile and whatever else you want to eat in whatever order makes you happy.

Goes well with beer, rieslings and rotgut whiskey.
posted by Seamus at 9:34 AM on January 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

I love the Shirley Corriher recipe. We also make King Arthur Flour's Sourdough Waffles.

Although if you had sourdough starter in the fridge, gurgling and moaning to you every single week about how it needs to be fed or it will sneak out in the night and eat your family, you would probably already have stumbled across a good sourdough waffle recipe...
posted by bcwinters at 9:37 AM on January 13, 2012

This is truly, absolutely, the greatest waffle recipe of all time. (Yes, it's from the Joy of Cooking.) Don't skip on the beaten egg whites. I also like to add a tablespoon of cornmeal for a little extra toothiness.
posted by slogger at 9:38 AM on January 13, 2012

Er, make that Better Homes and Gardens (the red and white plaid one), not Joy of Cooking.
posted by slogger at 9:39 AM on January 13, 2012

Disclaimer: I'm a low-carber.
I really like this low-carb protein waffle recipe. They are so light and fluffy they almost float.
posted by Acer_saccharum at 9:49 AM on January 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Dsiclaimer: I'm a Canadian.

There's this waffle store that, honestly, makes mediocre waffles. BUT. This one waffle they make has crystals of maple syrup baked into them and holy lord are they good. You could make some big hunks of maple sugar and use those in your waffles.
posted by AmandaA at 9:56 AM on January 13, 2012

Mochi Waffles with Ice Cream!
When you throw a chunk of Mochi on the wafflemaker, it melts and then puffs into a crispy little delight. You can cook it all the way through for a hollow crunchy crust the goes well with ice-cream.You can also partially under-cook it so the center remains that chewy, gooey mochi goodness. This goes equally well with ice-cream. Any flavor.
My kid likes to eat it plain or dip it into a little chocolate sauce.

I imagine there are probably savory uses for this too.
posted by Seamus at 9:59 AM on January 13, 2012

I make the standard (non-yeast) recipe that came with my wafflemaker and substitute white whole wheat flour (sold at Trader Joes) for regular flour. It's one of the few situations where I've found I can barely tell the difference.
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:04 AM on January 13, 2012

Take cookie dough (from scratch or from those little tubes at the supermarket) and plop on heated pan.

Eat crisp instant cookies.

You all make me want to whip up a batch of boxed cake batter and put it in my waffle iron..
posted by royalsong at 10:06 AM on January 13, 2012

This whole grain recipe turns out really nicely.
posted by drlith at 10:26 AM on January 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Sourdough Waffles:

The night before, add a package of yeast to two cups lukewarm water. Stir it up ten minutes later, then stir in two cups of flour. Store overnight at room temperature, in an open, non-metal container, leaving room for the mixture to expand. (A big plastic bowl works fine.)

You're making a sourdough starter (which some call a sponge) -- you could do more with it, but we'll be using all of it in this recipe.

The next morning, stir in 2 tablespoons sugar, a half-teaspoon of salt, two or three eggs, a few tablespoons of cooking oil and finally, a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a teaspoon of warm water.

Then use this batter to make the best waffles ever.
posted by Rash at 10:58 AM on January 13, 2012 [2 favorites]

I don't have the recipe, I think it came with a waffle iron my dad got as a gift, but consider if you will:

a waffle made with sharp cheddar cheese
topped with
chopped pistachios
in
browned butter.

Transcendent.
posted by clavicle at 11:01 AM on January 13, 2012

Beer Waffles:

3 C unbleached flour.

1/4 C dark brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 12 oz. beers

1/4 C milk

2 eggs

8 Tbsps (one stick) melted butter

1 Tbsp lemon juice

4 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together dry ingredients and, in another bowl, the liquids. Let sit in fridge anywhere from 30 min. to over night.

Preheat waffle iron to medium-high (or whatever the manufacturer says to do), spray it with veggie\canola oil spray, or brush on butter or cooking oil. Cook for 4-5 or until that ubiquitous and yummy state known as “Golden Brown” is reached.
posted by Gygesringtone at 12:50 PM on January 13, 2012 [2 favorites]

There should be a "add the dry ingredients to the wet" before the "let sit in the fridge"
posted by Gygesringtone at 12:55 PM on January 13, 2012

It's hard to beat the classics, IMO - I just made this buttermilk waffle recipe for the first time the other week and sweet fancy Moses, it was delicious. Be sure to use fresh buttermilk, it makes all the difference in the world. I'd been using powdered stuff which is convenient and keeps indefinitely, but has nowhere near the flavor or leavening power as the real thing.

For added fun try tossing in a few chocolate chips - they melt and then get a little bit crispy, but not burnt.

And tangentially related - seek you some grade b dark 100% pure (REAL, from trees, not chemically flavored corn syrup) maple syrup. Grade C if you can find it, but even a lot of sugarhouses don't sell that to retail customers. Real syrup is worth every penny, one of the few foodstuffs I refuse to compromise on. The lower the grade, the more actual maple flavor you get. The light grade A stuff is kind of bland.
posted by usonian at 1:14 PM on January 13, 2012

Mcstayinskool gave a good recipe. Use ordinary salted butter and loose that absurd amount of salt. Or, cut the salt to 1/8 tsp. Beat the egg with a wisk well, before doing it again with the buttermilk. And mix the wet in the dry with the wisk as well. Just don't wisk it overly much.

Interestingly enough, I've not tried a Belgian recipe in an American iron. Undoubtedly tasty, but the texture probably isn't right. I don't think I'd try Leige waffles in an American iron. Those waffles are made from a dough. (and really, you only want to bother with Leige waffles if you have people. They are an eat-just-one kind of thing. The Brussels waffles you can eat all night long.) The Brussels (what Americans call 'Belgian') waffle recipe does work cut down to a 3-egg version, which ought to be plenty for 2 people.
posted by Goofyy at 1:22 PM on January 13, 2012

Wow. So many possibilities.

I asked this partially because we're having someone over for brunch on Sunday and my general plan involved regular waffles, Nutella, some sort of berry and whipped cream.

I need to confer with the other parties involved to decide which of these to make.

So. many. possibilities.
posted by sciencegeek at 2:00 PM on January 13, 2012

You need to try Oat Waffles

3/4 cup rolled oats
3 T butter
1 1/4 cup flour
1 T sugar (i use a heaping T, but I make these for teenagers)
1 1/2 t baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 t baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Cook oats in 1 1/4 cup of water, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes
Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted
Mix dry ingredients together.
Mix eggs and buttermilk and combine with the oatmeal.
Add the wet and dry ingredients until combined and then enjoy the best damn waffles ever.

Makes about 6 waffles on my waffle iron.
posted by readery at 6:31 AM on January 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

Whatever recipe you use, add bananas (mashed into the batter) and walnuts (you might need to chop them finely, depending on your iron).
posted by benbenson at 9:36 AM on January 14, 2012

Yeast waffles. So far ahead that the next contender is like, in thirteenth place.
posted by purenitrous at 5:22 PM on January 14, 2012