Brilliant Waffle Iron Recipes for Every Meal of the Day

Special Ingredient: Dark chocolate cake mix

Now this is the ultimate waffle dessert recipe! Chocolate waffles made from cake batter are piled high with banana cream and topped with chocolate ganache for a towering waffle cake that will make jaws drop.

Special Ingredient: Cornmeal

Not all waffles are sweet. We call for cornmeal instead of sweeter ingredients like sugar in this waffle batter. From there, choose your own topping adventure: Southern chicken and waffles, chili, Mexican breakfast, or taco. Whip up these waffles from scratch for the ultimate brunch or a breakfast-for-dinner weeknight meal the entire family can agree on.

Special Ingredient: Brownie batter

There's no way to pass these off as breakfast, so go ahead—pile on the ice cream and toppings because these are clearly dessert waffles.

Special Ingredient: Ramen noodles

Bet you've never tried this! Bake the ramen noodle mixture in a waffle iron for a crispy-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside starch. Then top with coleslaw, barbecue chicken, and an egg for a hearty meal. It looks so special, but is a really easy waffle recipe—especially if you are using a rotisserie chicken from the store or your own leftover cooked chicken for the meat.

Special Ingredient: Cornmeal and cheese

A bit of cornmeal and cheese in the batter gives the waffle base a distinct flavor, but the real treat comes in what's piled on top of this easy waffle recipe. All your BLT favorites—mayo, lettuce, tomato, and warm bacon jam—create a lunch or dinner waffle unlike any you've had before.

Special Ingredient: Crumbled bacon

Bacon makes breakfast better—even homemade waffles are better with bacon in the batter. These once-separate breakfast staples find happiness together in your waffle iron. Stick to classic syrup as your topper or make things extra hearty with crumbled sausage, a fried egg, or any of your other favorite breakfast ingredients.

Special Ingredient: Hash browns

Hash browns are made from potatoes, and these waffles are made with hash browns. So waffle latkes are basically vegetables. Channel baked potatoes and top with sour cream and chives, but swap the typical bacon bits for smoked salmon, or heck—add 'em both.

Special Ingredient: Bourbon

These buttery waffle cookies are spiked with bourbon before getting perfectly pressed by a waffle iron. The light and airy texture (and dusting of powdered sugar) makes them taste like a mash-up between a beignet and a sugar cookie. Just try it—there's no way you won't love these dessert waffles. 

Special Ingredient: Whole grain bread

No need for a panini press when your waffle iron can serve double duty (if you have both, we won’t judge). Just think of all the possibilities for waffle sandwiches! This one fits squarely in breakfast territory with its cream cheese, granola, and fresh fruit filling. Make it recipe No. 1 of your new waffle iron breakfast recipes collection.

Special Ingredient: Canned pumpkin

It's comfort food time! And it's in the form of irresistible pumpkin waffles. Pair up pumpkin with your waffle iron for a match made in breakfast heaven. And that maple-pecan cream? It's heavenly, too. The pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg flavors make this breakfast waffle perfect for fall days, but we know you'll want to make it in the off-seasons, too.

Special Ingredient: Cookie batter

Up your cookie-exchange game with these elegant shareable treats. The peppermint-chocolate glaze adds beautiful sheen and extra decadence. For those of you who like to plan your parties in advance, you can freeze these chocolaty waffle cookies for up to 3 months.

Special Ingredients: Loose green tea and grated ginger

Your waffle iron can bake a variety of foods—and it's not even intimidated by beverages. The green tea in these waffles lends a subtle flavor that's perfectly complemented by the fruity peach sauce.

Special Ingredient: Chocolate

Chocolate and coffee: classic flavors that can completely transform a recipe. Don't worry about this dessert keeping you up all night, though, because the recipe calls for coffee liqueur, which is much lower in caffeine than actual coffee. These tender chocolate waffles are best served warm with a generous scoop of ice cream.

Special Ingredient: Refrigerated biscuits

This ooey-gooey sandwich looks like a typical waffle, but take a bite and you'll discover crispy bacon, creamy avocado, and melty mozzarella hiding inside! It's our favorite so-simple waffle recipe to make for a weekend lunch when the waffle iron is handy.

Special Ingredient: Sweet potatoes

Use up leftover sweet potatoes from your Thanksgiving feast in this creative waffle recipe. Or celebrate Thanksgiving any morning of the year with this holiday-flavors recipe. The taste of sweet potatoes and cranberries will have you feeling extra thankful all year.

Special Ingredient: Bacon and apples

Instead of serving waffles, bacon, and apples at brunch, why not combine all three in one dish? The waffle iron makes mealtime much more efficient.

Special Ingredient: Cookie batter

One great perk of waffle iron recipes is how they free up the oven for additional baking. The only appliances your kitchen needs for this one are a waffle iron and a sink. So go ahead: Bake or roast your dinner while making waffle cookies at the same time.