14 Sweet And Savory Waffle Recipes

Waffles are a delightful, classic breakfast item. You'll usually see them paired with maple syrup and butter, but there are plenty of innovative waffle recipes out there if you want to mix things up. No matter what way your taste buds lean on a given day, there are sweet and savory waffle recipes to suit your craving. Perhaps you're seeking protein with your waffles and want to try the celebrated pairing of chicken and waffles. Maybe you're already familiar with that combination, so you have a hankering for fried turkey and waffles instead. If you have a sweet tooth, try carrot cake waffles with a cream cheese glaze, or French toast waffles. 

Potatoes are often used for morning breakfast, from hash browns to country potatoes, so why not use sweet potatoes in a sweet potato waffle? Try your hand at homemade waffle cones that you can customize for ice cream night. Once you master them, they'll forever be part of your cooking repertoire. From pastrami waffles to croissant waffles, check out our sweet and savory waffle recipes if you need inspiration on what to make for brunch (or any meal) this weekend.

Add a veggie to your breakfast with sweet potato waffles. Sweet potato offers a nutritious component to your waffles since they contain fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, copper, potassium, niacin, and other vitamins and minerals. This slightly sweet waffle has a dash of cinnamon and a distinctive texture compared to a standard waffle. The sweet potatoes give a hint of sweetness, but the waffles can be made sweeter or altered into a savory version, depending on your mood. 

Add avocado, scallions, sliced radishes, tomatoes, sour cream, chili flakes, or freshly chopped herbs like chives or tarragon to make it a savory waffle. For a sweeter waffle, add a scoop or two of your favorite flavored yogurt, orange slices, honey, maple syrup, chocolate chips, or nuts like pecans or walnuts. Sweet and savory sweet potato waffles are ideal for a weekend when everyone wants something different. Create a toppings bar so each person can garnish their waffles as they wish.

Recipe: Sweet and Savory Sweet Potato Waffles

Enjoy deep-fried turkey with your waffles. Chicken might be the more prominent poultry option when it comes to waffle pairings, but there's no rule that says you can't use turkey. Whether you have some leftovers you want to use up or you've got some frozen turkey in the freezer, making fried turkey and waffles is a hearty way to start the day. It's crispy and delicious. 

For this particular recipe, you can use Thanksgiving leftovers such as stuffing for the waffles and cranberry sauce to make a tart yet satisfyingly sweet cranberry maple syrup. This unique spin on waffles helps you use any leftovers while remaining innovative and fun. The turkey is crispy yet tender due to being double dredged in buttermilk and flour. No need to save this recipe for a once-a-year holiday treat, either. While you might not have stuffing year-round, you might just have a can of cranberry sauce in your cabinet that you can use for the cranberry maple syrup. When pressed for ideas, make standard waffles and craft a waffle sandwich with fried turkey, sliced cheese, lettuce, and tomato.

Recipe: Fried Turkey and Waffles

These vegan flax waffles are a fantastic food to add to your breakfast rotation. The flaxseeds provide fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, and grinding them up makes them easier to digest. When using whole flaxseeds, grind them in a food processor, blender, or coffee grinder. If you have flaxseed meal from the store, skip the grinding step and just add water. 

Whether you run out of eggs or want to cut down on animal products, this recipe is completely vegan. The ground flax turns into a gel-like consistency once mixed with water, acting as a binding agent that allows you to eliminate eggs. Make the batter as directed or include an extra pinch of cinnamon, cloves, or allspice if you want some warming spices in your waffles. These are a tempting option if you're vegan or simply want to make a plant-based breakfast. Top your flax waffles with coconut flakes, vegan butter, or fruit like diced apples, bananas, or canned pineapples in syrup. 

Recipe: Vegan Flax Waffles

Waffle cones are a delicious and nostalgic ode to childhood. You can't help but recall those fond memories of the comforting smell wafting through the air as you pick which flavor of ice cream you want. Get the same effect at home with these chocolate and sprinkle-dipped waffle cones. Waffle cones are the perfect canvas to bring a little color into your life to brighten the dullest days. Use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate for dipping. This recipe calls for sprinkles, but you may add other candy bits, crushed cookies, or whatever brings you joy. 

Allow an afternoon to make these since it takes around three or four hours for the waffle cones to harden and then at least another hour for the chocolate to set. You'll need a waffle griddle, ice cream cone machine, or a crêpe pan to get the desired look. Once you've cooked it in your griddle or pan, it's time to shape it into a cone; use a specialized tool or make your own cone-shaped mold. Once they harden, it's time to dip your cones. Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and dip as you please. These are delicious, crispy, and a perfect addition to enjoy with your ice cream.

Recipe: Homemade Waffle Cones

Anyone who loves carrot cake will adore carrot cake waffles. It's the same familiar taste but in a new shape. The waffle itself is spiced and sweet but not overly saccharine. The sweet tanginess of cream cheese frosting brings it all together. Gather the family to make this for a weekend brunch. Grate your carrots, or use the prepackaged grated carrots if you're in a pinch. Combine the ingredients to make the foundation of the waffle batter and then mix in the carrots and walnuts. Don't worry if your batter is on the lumpier side with the carrots and walnuts — the added texture is great. 

We recommend prepping your batter and making your cream cheese glaze before cooking your waffles. This way, your waffles remain warm and you don't have to wait around impatiently for the glaze to be ready. Spray your waffle iron with cooking spray or butter and cook until golden colored, about three to four minutes. The cream cheese glaze is decadent and delicious, but if you want additional flavor, include a pinch of cinnamon in the glaze. Carrots are vegetables, so technically, you're eating veggies for breakfast.

Recipe: Carrot Cake Waffles and Cream Cheese Glaze

Wow your family or friends with a colorful, flavorful version of waffles with charred rhubarb. Charring the rhubarb enhances the flavor, giving it a little more depth than you would find in a rhubarb pie. Before you get to the charring process, you'll need to poach the rhubarb in a saucepan with grapefruit juice and sugar or substitute with orange juice if you prefer. This process only takes a couple of minutes, but it allows the rhubarb to become slightly tender and coats it in a sweet and tart mixture. 

Once poached, char your rhubarb in a pan. The smell from this step alone will entice your family to come to see what's cooking. Whip up your batter, fold in the charred rhubarb, and then pour it into your waffle maker. This colorful breakfast allows you to experience this red vegetable in a format other than pie. Serve with whipped cream and maple syrup. If you're having trouble finding fresh rhubarb, see if your grocery store has any frozen bagged versions, which will work much the same.

Recipe: Waffles with Charred Rhubarb

Make these Belgian waffle cookies if you're looking for a cool new recipe to try. They are crunchy and have an entertaining shape compared to standard cookies. These are a wonderful choice to serve or bring to a party or a potluck since they're eye-catching but not too laborious to make; you can create four at a time by adding a spoonful of batter into each quarter of your waffle maker. If your waffle maker doesn't have the sections, it won't take long to get the hang of where to space them out. 

These Belgian waffle cookies take about three or four minutes to cook. You'll know they're done when they appear golden brown. They'll be quite soft upon removing from the waffle maker, but they should be crispy to the touch once they fully cool. They're sweet from the sugar but not cloyingly so. Dip half of the cookie in chocolate for extra pizzazz, or dump them in cinnamon sugar for a snickerdoodle-esque Belgian waffle cookie. These are adorable, dainty, and, of course, delicious.

Recipe: Belgian Waffle Cookies

There's a reason the chicken and waffles combo is such a popular brunch choice that has gained popularity in restaurants and menus all over the globe. They're super filling thanks to the carbohydrates, protein, and sugar. It all works together harmoniously for a sweet and savory meal. Rather than going out to eat, you can make classic chicken and waffles at home. However, this recipe isn't something to attempt on a chaotic day when you have to pack lunch for the kids and commute to work. This recipe calls for brining the chicken for at least an hour, if not overnight, for best results.

If you are short on time, you can skip a few steps and use grocery store chicken tenders instead. Heat them in the oven as you make the waffle batter. The bourbon maple syrup brings it all together, or try it with cinnamon and cayenne for a sweet and spicy kick.

Recipe: Classic Chicken and Waffles with Bourbon-Maple Syrup

Savory waffles are an enticing way to mix up your carbohydrates. As delicious as bread is, sometimes you want another vehicle to have a sandwich on or to eat your food with. Pastrami and waffles might not be the first thing that comes to mind for how to eat waffles but don't knock it until you try it. These potato-based pastrami waffles will satisfy all your savory food needs.

Made with shredded potatoes and onion, this recipe blends a waffle with a latke. You'll also need salt, pepper, eggs, olive oil, instant mashed potato mix, and diced pastrami. These are salty, crisp, filling, and a distinctive way to eat waffles. Serve them with sour cream, cream cheese, chives, parsley, capers, or pickled onions. Add some color to the mix by topping with arugula, spinach, or your favorite greens. Or use them to make a waffle sandwich with pastrami, mustard, dill pickles, and Swiss cheese.

Recipe: Pastrami Waffles

Croissant combos are nothing new. From croissant donuts to croissant sandwiches and croissant muffins, there are plenty of fun ways to use the flaky French pastries, and the croffle, aka croissant waffle, falls right in that wheelhouse of croissant mixtures. This particular recipe calls for the frozen croissant dough, which you can easily find at your local grocery store. These are dense and can be made into a sweet or savory option since the buttery croissant allows room for creativity. 

You simply need to fold your pastry onto itself so it fits in the waffle maker. Add your cooking spray and place it in your waffle iron for around two minutes, but continue to keep an eye on it to ensure that cooks thoroughly. These waffles offer an interesting texture and taste if you are in the mood to try something new. For a sweet version, top it with berry yogurt, fruit, cream, almond butter, cinnamon, honey, chocolate syrup, or ice cream. For a savory version, use two croissant waffles with ham, bacon, cheese, and egg for a croffle breakfast sandwich. 

Recipe: Croffle (Croissant Waffle)

Bring the flavor of buttermilk pancakes into waffle form. While the buttermilk in this recipe contributes a tanginess, you can make these waffles into a sweet or savory delicacy. You will need buttermilk, but you could use buttermilk substitutes such as milk and lemon juice, milk or nut-based milk and vinegar, cream of tartar, or applesauce to get a similar effect.

These waffles don't lean any which way, as far as sweet or savory, so you get to craft them however you want. Top with fresh blueberries, mango chunks, orange marmalade, mini chocolate chips, or caramel sauce for a sweet waffle. Add smoked salmon, bacon bits, sliced tomatoes, hollandaise sauce, pesto, or spinach and feta for a savory version. These waffles are pretty easy to whip up, so make a batch and leave it up to each person on how they want to top it.

Recipe: Buttermilk Belgian Waffles

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a fantastic way to add extra nutrition to your meal. Chickpeas provide protein, fiber, calcium, iron, folate, phosphorus, and other vitamins and minerals. These chickpea waffles can be made any time of the day, whether you're yearning for a savory breakfast or an unusual dinner (nobody will be expecting falafels in the shape of a waffle).

There's no shortage of flavor in this recipe. To add extra zing, top your golden brown waffles with Armenian cucumber slaw made with carrots, parsley, cucumber, onions, lemon juice, red or white wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt. If you'd like to simplify the recipe and just make the falafel waffles without the slaw, try topping them with fresh cilantro, parsley, and tahini. Every crevice of this waffle is crammed with flavor that'll leave you pondering why you didn't try it sooner.

Recipe: Best Chickpea Waffle

French toast is a staple as far as brunch options go. Get the same French toast flavor but with a different texture by adding the usual ingredients to your waffle maker. This is a scrumptious and an amusing way to mix up your weekend breakfast for the kids. To make this fun take on a waffle, follow the same process as regular French toast, but cook the pieces in a waffle maker rather than frying them up in a pan. For the batter that coats your bread, this recipe suggests adding a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg, but you can sprinkle any spices you enjoy such as clove, cardamom, or allspice.

Once the battered bread is cooked and plated, top it off with some maple syrup, butter, and powdered sugar to seal the deal. You can use brioche bread, challah, white bread, or whatever you happen to have, but since this is a sweet waffle, you'll want to avoid anything like an asiago rosemary focaccia. Finally, enjoy your eggy, soft, and refreshing spin on this popular breakfast item.

Recipe: French Toast Waffles

Fruit is no stranger to waffles. You'll often see all types of berries, bananas, jams, or marmalades topped on a waffle. Why not experiment with an unexpected fruit? If you're in the mood for something familiar but different, these waffles are a foolproof option. The honey butter and pickled plums provide a sweet, creamy, tangy combination that just might send your taste buds into a whirl. 

You might also find delight in the various textures like the melty goodness of the honey butter, the surprising crunch of the pearl sugar, and the refreshing crisp bite of a plum. If don't happen to have plums, replace them with a different stone fruit such as peaches, apricots, nectarines, or cherries, and then pickle them as directed in the recipe. These waffles look like something served at a fine dining eatery, except you don't have to leave your home to eat them.

Recipe: Waffles with Honey Butter and Pickled Plums