If you’re looking for something fun that doesn’t take much effort or mess around in the kitchen, then this stuffed waffle recipe will be right up your alley.
What Is The Best Way To Cook A Stuffed Waffle?
Well, there isn’t one specific method that works well for all types of stuffed waffles.
But if we were to define an ideal setup, I think it would look like this: the batter should have enough leavening power so that it rises as high as possible when cooked, the stuffing ingredients should also be able to absorb moisture while being fully cooked, and the finished product should be crispy on the outside but not too hard inside (so that they don’t break apart).
I’ve tested several different methods over the years, including baking them at very low temperatures, cooking them using a non-stick pan, and even making them using a microwave oven.
In each case, my results were less than satisfactory – either they weren’t very fluffy, didn’t rise high enough, or were just way too soft inside.
So after many failed attempts, I finally settled on what I feel is the best option for making stuffed waffles: use a convection oven.
Convection ovens heat food from the bottom up instead of from top down, which means that foods will brown faster, especially those made with dark colors such as chocolate chips, bacon, and marshmallows.
Here’s how to make a stuffed waffle using a convection oven.
- Step 1: Prepare your waffle iron according to its instructions.
- Step 2: Put the batter into the waffle iron and close it. This step helps ensure that the waffles stay flat during cooking.
- Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.
- Step 4: Place the waffles in the oven, cover them with aluminum foil, and let them bake for about 10 minutes.
- Step 5: Remove the waffles from the oven, remove the foil, and carefully open the waffle iron door.
- Step 6: Add any desired topping before closing the waffle iron again.
- Step 7: Bake until lightly golden brown, usually between 8 – 12 minutes.
- Step 8: Enjoy!
Tips for Stuffed Waffles
The following tips will help you prepare delicious stuffed waffles every time.
Use real maple syrup
Although imitation syrups are available, they aren’t nearly as good as the original.
Maple syrup has a rich flavor that makes everything taste better, particularly baked goods.
Don’t overload the waffles with stuffers
Stuffing waffles too heavily might result in soggy bottoms.
If you want to add lots of stuffers, try breaking them up first by placing them in a zip lock bag and hitting them against the countertop or another object repeatedly until they crack.
Then place the stuffer pieces back onto the waffel plate and fill them liberally.
Add extra sugar
You may notice that most stuffed waffle recipes call for “a little bit more sugar.”
Although this is true for most sweet dishes, it does not apply here because these waffles will already be pretty sugary due to the addition of maple syrup.
Dip the fork in hot water before taking bites out of the waffles
As mentioned above, waffles are typically cooked at fairly low temperatures, which means that their insides won’t get overly warm.
However, sometimes you may find yourself eating a waffle straight out of the oven without having taken a bite out of it beforehand.
To avoid getting burned, dip your fork into hot water immediately before taking a bite out of the waffle.
What Are Some Common Stuffed Waffle Recipes?
You might have seen stuffed waffles on Pinterest before, but there are plenty of different ways to prepare one.
Many people like them because they’re very simple to whip together, and don’t require any cooking equipment other than an electric waffle maker.
Stuffed waffles are great if you want to save time without sacrificing taste.
They’re also a nice change from regular pancakes or French toast.
You can add whatever ingredients you want to give your stuffed waffle its own unique flavor.
Here are some ideas for stuffing your stuffed waffle with different types of food:
- Fruit – Fruit makes for a sweet filling, which pairs well with savory fillings such as ham or bacon.
- Meat – Stuffing your waffle with ground beef, sausage, chicken, turkey, or even salmon is delicious and hearty.
- Vegetables – A healthy alternative to meat-filled meals, vegetables are often used to stuff waffles.
- Cheese – Cheese blends well with fruit, meats, and veggies, so try adding cheese to your stuffing mix.
- Beverages – If you’re going to drink alcohol while eating your waffle, why not pair it with dessert flavors? Try pairing wine with chocolate sauce, coffee with marshmallows, or beer with caramelized onions.
How do I cook my stuffed waffles?
The first thing you need to know when preparing a stuffed waffle is how to properly cook your waffles.
There are two main ways to cook a waffle, depending on what kind of machine you use.
For those who prefer using an electric waffle iron, baking your waffle at 350° Fahrenheit (177oC) should work just fine.
Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper care and maintenance.
If you choose to bake your waffle inside a stovetop waffle iron, make sure to preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Then place your waffle into the hot waffle iron until browned on both sides.
What Are Some Tips For Making A Perfect Stuffed Waffle?
Stuffing ingredients into a waffle batter can get messy if not done correctly.
The first thing you want to remember when baking these delicious stuffed waffles is to mix everything thoroughly before pouring it onto the waffle iron.
If there are any clumps of flour left over from mixing them together, they will burn and ruin the waffle.
For best results, use an electric mixer to combine all of the dry ingredients, including the sugar, until no lumps remain.
Then add the wet ingredients (including eggs) and continue stirring until everything comes together as one uniform mixture.
Once mixed, pour the batter onto the waffle iron just like you would regular waffles.
Next, place the filled waffle iron back on top of the stove, and turn the heat setting to medium-low.
Cook each side until golden brown, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side.
When finished, remove the waffle from the waffle iron, and serve immediately while still hot.
Now let’s talk about how to stuff those waffles!
How Do You Make A Stuffed Waffle Crispy On The Outside And Fluffy On The Inside?
The secret ingredient here is corn syrup.
Corn syrup helps create a crisp crust when cooked at high heat which means less oil is needed.
I recommend using an electric waffle iron because they usually have more control over temperature than stovetop models.
If you don’t have one of these handy gadgets, a cast-iron skillet works just fine too.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (or 1/2 cup cake flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted (or vegetable shortening)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup corn syrup (or honey)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
- Coarse ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Farenheit / 120 C.
In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients including the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and pepper.
In another smaller bowl combine the wet ingredients including the eggs, milk, butter, corn syrup, yogurt, and half of the cheese.
Stir until everything is well combined.
Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just incorporated.
If there are still clumps, use a fork to break them apart before adding to the waffle maker.
Once the waffle maker has been preheated, open it and pour about 2/3 of the batter onto each section.
Close the machine and cook according to manufacturer instructions.
While waiting for the waffle to finish cooking, melt remaining cheese in a separate pan over medium heat.
Once the waffle is done, remove from the waffle maker and place immediately onto a paper towel lined plate or cookie sheet.
Top the waffle with the cheese sauce and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes to let the cheese set and warm through.
Serve hot with maple syrup or fruit preserves if desired.
What Are Some Common Fillings For Stuffed Waffles?
You have lots of options when it comes to filling these delicious little treats, but here are some examples that might get your creative juices flowing:
- Mini chocolate chips
- Sliced bananas
- Cinnamon roll dough (from scratch)
- Fruit cocktail pieces
- Peanut butter cups
- Caramel sauce
- Mint chip ice cream
- Marshmallow fluff
- Chocolate syrup
- Butterbeer/root beer float mix
Whatever you decide to put in them, they’ll still taste amazing!
Plus, if you want to use any other ingredients instead of those listed above, just adjust accordingly.
How Do You Know When A Stuffed Waffle Is Done Cooking?
Stuffed waffles are usually made of two parts: the waffle batter itself and a filling.
The filled part is what makes them unique from regular pancakes, which have just one layer of batter on top of another.
For these waffles, however, there are more than just those two layers.
- Waffle Batter Ingredients: The waffles themselves are made using flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Filling Ingredients: You get all sorts of things here, ranging from cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack) to meats (sausage, bacon), vegetables (mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes)
- Toppings: Just like pancakes, you can add fresh fruit, granola, powdered sugar, syrup, etc.
Baking Instructions:
Preheat oven at 350° F / 180° C.
Mix dry ingredients together until well blended. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients together.
Add wet ingredients into dry ones and blend everything together until smooth.
Pour batter onto the preheated waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Once cooked, remove waffle and place on a plate covered with aluminum foil. Let cool completely before adding filling.
Cooking Directions:
Place cooled waffle in a large microwave-safe dish.
Add stuffing ingredients and toss gently to combine.
Microwave for 2 minutes per side.
What Are Some Common Mistakes People Make When Cooking Stuffed Waffles?
When making stuffed waffles at home, there are several things that you should avoid doing.
For starters, stuffing the waffle too early or leaving it empty until after baking may result in an undercooked waffle.
- Stuffing before baking: When you stuff a waffle, put all of the ingredients inside first and let them get nice and warm so they expand fully while baking. If you try to stuff it before heating, it could force out air bubbles and cause the waffle to cook unevenly.
- Overstuffing: You don’t want to overstuff the waffle because excess filling tends to melt during the initial bake. As soon as the waffle starts to brown on top, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly before removing the waffle from the pan.
- Leaving off the butter: The key to great stuffed waffles is having lots of melted butter throughout the batter. If you leave off the butter, you won’t have enough moisture left in the batter to hold everything together properly. Instead of throwing away all of those delicious buttermilk biscuits, use them to make these fluffy waffles with homemade sausage gravy.
- Not draining the syrup: Stuffed waffles are sweetened with maple syrup. To ensure the syrup doesn’t burn, drain it well before adding it to the waffle mixture. If the syrup isn’t drained properly, it will turn into sticky globs instead of being smooth like caramel sauce would.
How Can You Make A Stuffed Waffle Ahead Of Time?
The great thing about this stuffed waffle recipe is that it can be made ahead of time.
You don’t have to worry about getting everything together at once because these waffles freeze well if they aren’t going to be eaten immediately.
If you want to go all out and stuff them full of whatever toppings you like best, just prepare as many as you think you’ll need before freezing them.
Stuffing Your Waffles Ahead of Time
- Wash, dry, and cut each of the waffles into four sections using a knife so that there are eight pieces per waffle (you should end up with 24 total)
- Place an equal amount of stuffing mixture on top of each piece of waffle
- Top the stuffed waffles with desired toppings such as fresh fruit, chocolate chips, syrup, honey, bacon bits, etc.
- Cover the entire surface area with plastic wrap and place the stackable container inside another container filled with ice cubes until ready to serve.
What Are Some Serving Suggestions For Stuffed Waffles?
Stuffed waffles may not sound like an appealing idea at first glance, but they really aren’t as difficult to prepare as they seem.
You just need to know how to properly stuff them before baking them so they don’t fall apart when you bite into them.
These stuffed waffles also taste delicious on their own, too — if you want to serve them without any additional toppings, simply top them off with butter, syrup, whipped cream, or whatever other ingredients you prefer.
You could even eat these stuffed waffles plain, by themselves! They have enough flavor from all the different fillings inside of them that you won’t miss anything else.
However, we recommend topping them off with one of our many suggested add-ons below.
Buttermilk Pancakes (with blueberry compote)
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted over medium heat
- Blueberries Compote (recipe follows), optional
French Toast Sticks (with banana pudding mix)
- 1/2 cup milk mixed with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs lightly whisked together with 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
- Banana Pudding Mix (recipe follows), optional
Cheese & Bacon Breakfast Sausage Balls (with maple syrup)
- 1/2 pound breakfast sausage cooked until browned
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 slices deli bread cut into small cubes
- Cooking spray
- Maple Syrup (recipe follows), optional
Sour Cream Coffee Cake (with peaches)
- 1/2 cup sour cream plus more for spreading
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup fresh sliced peaches
- 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a bowl, combine sour cream, sugars, and both dry ingredients. Add butter pieces to mixture and use your hands to work it into dough. Once the butter has been incorporated, fold in pecans, cranberries, zest, and fruit. Next, in another bowl, combine egg with water.
- Lightly grease two 8×11 inch pans with cooking spray. In each pan, press half of waffle batter and spread evenly across surface. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cakes once done and let cool completely. Place cake layer upside down onto plate and top with remaining cake batter. Top with desired filling and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with additional sour cream, syrup, and/or additional toppings of choice.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 16- ounce tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Waffle iron should be preheated to medium-high heat. Waffle iron’s top and bottom should be lightly oiled or coated with nonstick spray.
- Over medium-high heat, warm up the olive oil in a big skillet. Add the bell peppers and sauté them for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring periodically, until they are soft.
- Add the eggs to the skillet and whisk them until they just start to set. Taste-test and add salt and pepper as desired. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened and the liquid egg has completely disappeared.
- 8 biscuits should be divided, with each biscuit being cut in half lengthwise to make 16 pieces.
- Place the biscuit halves into the waffle iron in batches. Add cheese slices, egg mixture, and another biscuit half on top. Close carefully and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
- Serve right away.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.