Learn how to make the best cheese waffles with this easy recipe. The cheese is incorporated in the waffle batter. Serve these savoury waffles with fried chicken, crispy bacon, maple syrup, smoked salmon, or a lightly dressed salad if you prefer.
Waffle recipes are usually sweet (whether plain waffles or multigrain waffles topped with roasted rhubarb), but they can be savoury too! These cheese waffles are made with cheddar cheese, but you can get really creative with the ingredients and the toppings. Here’s how!
Jump to:
Ingredients
Savoury waffles are so versatile and so easy to make! Here's what you need to make this recipe:
- flour—I tested this recipe with bleached all-purpose flour, but it's likely that unbleached flour will also work fine
- salt & pepper—I used Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt to make the batter. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the waffles may be too salty.
- cheese—use a hard cheese that shreds nicely or alternatively, you can incorporate a crumbly cheese like feta (blotted dry to remove the brine) or even crumbled blue or goat's cheese
- milk—use whole milk (3.25 % fat) or partially skim milk
- eggs—this recipe was tested with large eggs
- butter—I used melted unsalted butter, but salted will also work. Adjust the salt added accordingly.
Please see the recipe card for exact ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
With a simple recipe like this, there's not much room for variation. Here are a few suggestions:
- eggs: You can make waffles with whole eggs, or lighten up the recipe by making waffle batter with egg whites only. Replace the 2 eggs with 100 grams egg whites (like Burnbrae’s Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, which come in a carton and are real, pasteurized egg whites)
- cheese: use flavourful cheeses, like strong cheddar cheese, aged cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, crumbly cheese like feta (blotted dry to remove the brain) or even crumbled blue or goat's cheese.
- spices: I kept this recipe, flavouring the waffles with salt and pepper, but feel free to incorporate other spices that you think may go with the cheese you've chosen, for example, chilli powder (for a tex-mex vibe) or chilli flakes to add some heat. You could then top them with avocado and a fried egg!
How to Make Cheesy Waffles
Step 1: Whisk the milk with the eggs (image 1). Separately whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a Danish dough whisk (image 2).
Step 2: Incorporate the shredded cheese with the dry ingredients so it's all coated and the pieces are all distinct and separated, then add the wet ingredients (image 4).
Step 3: Incorporate the melted butter (image 5). The waffle won't be very thick (image 6), so let it sit for 30 minutes before cooking.
Step 4: Preheat your waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions. I like to lightly brush the hot surface with canola oil (image 7) and use a 3-¼ ounce disher to scoop the waffle batter evenly (image 8).
Step 5: Cook the waffles until golden brown (image 9) and keep them warm in the oven (image 10) while you make the rest.
Tip: if you cook these on a standard waffle iron, you'll get about 8 waffles. If you cook them on a mini waffle iron, you'll probably get 14–16 waffles, and if you opt for a Belgian waffle maker, you may only get 4 of them since these irons require more batter per waffle because they are much thicker.
Savoury Toppings for Waffles
Get creative with your cheesy waffles! Savoury cheese waffles call for savoury toppings but you can also incorporate a little sweet too! Serve them with:
- Bacon and egg with maple syrup
- Fried chicken with maple syrup (for a play on chicken and waffles)
- Smoked salmon (or lox or gravlax), crème fraîche or sour cream, and a little caviar and capers
- Salad and/or fresh herbs like chopped chives, dill or watercress, drizzled with lemon juice and a little olive oil. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sliced avocado and fried egg with a little chilli crisp
Waffle FAQs
Place finished waffles on a cooling rack over a baking sheet, then place in a warm oven, around 200 °F (93 °C). Note that if you pile the waffles on top of each other, they will become soft and may deflate. Keep them warm in a single layer to keep their texture.
Other Savoury Recipes
If you are looking for more savoury recipes, check out all these savoury baking ideas!
If you tried this recipe for savoury cheese waffles (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Savoury Cheese Waffles
Ingredients
- 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
- 10 mL baking powder
- 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 85 grams shredded cheddar cheese
- 2.5 mL freshly ground black pepper
- 375 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
- 2 large egg(s)
- 60 grams unsalted butter melted
- canola oil for brushing on the waffle iron
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, combine the milk and eggs. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to combine into a batter. Fold in the melted butter. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the waffle iron. Brush a little canola oil on both sides of the waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions. Cook the waffles until they are a light golden. Do not let the waffles brown too much as the cheese will burn.
- Serve the waffles with maple syrup or a light salad of mâche, chili pepper, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.
Notes
- For lighter waffles, you can replace the two eggs in the batter with 100 grams of egg whites (like Burnbrae Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, found in the dairy fridge case at most grocery stores in Canada, usually on a shelf next to the cartons of eggs).
- You can replace the cheddar cheese with any grated semi-firm or hard cheese that is flavourful (like parmesan), or even a crumbled soft cheese like blue, goat, or feta cheese.
- To make these waffles, I used a very basic waffle iron that makes heart shaped waffles, similar to this one on Amazon.
- Serve these savoury waffles with eggs and bacon and maple syrup (for a salty-sweet breakfast) or even fried chicken (for a play on chicken and waffles). You can also serve them with smoked salmon and sour cream with chopped herbs (chives, dill, etc), or serve them plain with a lightly dressed salad for a light breakfast or lunch.
- Place finished waffles on a cooling rack over a baking sheet, then place in a warm oven, around 200 °F (93 °C). Note that if you pile the waffles on top of each other, they will become soft and may deflate. Keep them warm in a single layer to keep their texture.
Nutrition
This post was sponsored by Burnbrae Farms. I was compensated monetarily and with product coupons.
Leave a Reply