Carrot Cake Waffles And Cream Cheese Glaze Recipe

Carrot cake enthusiasts know that you can never enjoy too many spinoffs, be they carrot cake muffins, cupcakes, or perhaps even waffles. If you're looking to infuse the sweet-spiced dessert into your breakfast routine, then these carrot cake waffles — which come topped off with a luscious cream cheese glaze — will no doubt be a recipe you'll want to make. "I love carrot cake, so if you also love carrot cake then you have to try these," recipe developer Jessica Morone raves, adding, "The waffles have tons of carrot cake flavor, and the cream cheese glaze is so good that it almost tastes like ice cream."

Even if you aren't typically keen on sweet breakfasts, you'll be thrilled to learn that these waffles don't go too overboard with the sugar. The waffles themselves only feature a touch of sugar, while the cream cheese frosting effortlessly balances sweetness with cool, creamy flavors and the tang of cream cheese. Combined, the spiced waffles and creamy glaze make for a delightful twist on your run-of-the-mill waffles, and best of all, you can whip them up right in your own kitchen. 

For the waffles themselves, you'll need all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, granulated sugar, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla extract, grated carrots, and chopped walnuts. For the glaze, you'll need softened cream cheese, softened butter, some more vanilla extract, confectioner's sugar, and heavy cream.

Turn on your waffle iron to preheat. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract.

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk together until fully combined.

Add the grated carrots and walnuts to the bowl and mix together until just combined.

Lightly spray your waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray if your iron requires it. Then pour ½-¾ cup of batter evenly into the waffle iron. Cook for 3-5 minutes (based on your waffle iron instructions) until the waffle is golden.

Remove the cooked waffle from the iron to a plate, or keep warm in your oven until the glaze is made.

Add the cream cheese and softened butter to a large bowl. Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to beat them until fluffy.

Add the vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar to the bowl, and then pour in the heavy cream. For a thicker consistency use ¼ cup of heavy cream and for a glaze use ½ cup. Beat until smooth.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooked waffles and serve warm.

Waffles are typically a blank slate — they have a pretty neutral base, so you can add fruit, syrup, spices, or really anything you'd like to your heart's content. These carrot cake waffles are similar in that you can customize them, though you don't want to stray too far from the original formula. One of the easiest swaps would be to switch up the nuts; even those who aren't fans of walnuts can get in on the fun. "You can definitely swap in a different type of nut, pecans would be really good in these for example," Morone says. "Or you could omit the nuts completely if you don't like them or have an allergy."

Another possible tweak would come in the form of the dairy — in this case, the buttermilk. Morone tells us that "Buttermilk is always the best option for waffles," but in a pinch, you can whip up your own buttermilk and spare yourself the grocery store run. "If you don't have it you could make a buttermilk substitute using regular milk and lemon juice," Morone advises.

There's never a bad time to enjoy waffles, much less carrot cake waffles. So if you get the hankering for a treat on a Tuesday morning, by all means, whip up this recipe. Of course, because waffles are made one at a time and need a little attention, they do seem better suited for a slow Saturday morning or perhaps even a special occasion. "These are a perfect option for a weekend brunch or a holiday breakfast," Morone says, adding, "They aren't very hard to make, but they are sure to impress everyone."

While some people may be satisfied with a big old plate of waffles, others prefer to enjoy them with side dishes, and luckily, these waffles pair well with just about any breakfast fare. They would go well with fresh fruit or warm spiced stewed fruit, and a side of bacon or sausage would make for a heartier meal. "These are great with any other breakfast/brunch foods, like eggs or potatoes," Morone suggests. "And any breakfast beverage like coffee or tea goes well." And if you've made these for a special occasion or a bunch of friends, how about a mimosa?