How To Cut Potatoes For The Absolute Best Waffle Fries

Waffle fries are a bit of an enigma. If you don't know the secret behind the lattice-like pattern, it seems like a feat of engineering — or even outright magic. You're not alone in your confusion. A Google search reveals commenters on TikTok and Reddit stating that they'd always believed the fries were made by putting mashed potatoes in waffle irons or by braiding fries together. Either way, they seem out of reach for your average home cook. 

In reality, waffle fries are deceptively simple. All you need is a fairly common kitchen tool: a mandoline with a wavy cut blade (also known as a waffle blade). Mandolines are versatile tools with adjustable blades to help cooks cut food into thin slices, and they're the key to making waffle fries at home. If you have a crinkle cutter — a type of knife with a wavy blade — you can use that too. 

Waffle fries are made by cutting a slice of potato, then rotating 90 degrees and cutting again — thin enough that the second cut overlaps with the first, creating the holes. With a little practice, you can do it in your own kitchen. Craving Chick-fil-A on a Sunday? No problem. 

Clean your potatoes — starchy ones are best for making fries at home — and gather your supplies. You'll need a bowl of ice water and either a mandoline or a crinkle cutter. Alton Brown skips the hand guard when using a mandoline, but you'll want to use safety equipment unless you're a chef of his caliber. 

If you're using a mandoline, adjust it so the slices are just a little thicker than the wavy edge of the blade. It'll probably be around  ¼ inches. Be careful not to make the slices too thin, though, as they'll fall apart. Experiment a bit to get the right width. 

Slice off the end of your potato, rotate, and slice again. Keep going, putting fresh slices into the ice water bath. That'll help keep them crispy when it's time to fry them. Once you're done, put the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes. Use the wait to heat a pot of oil to 260–310 degrees Fahrenheit; you can also use an air fryer. 

Dry your potatoes with a paper towel, then use a slotted spoon to lower them into the oil in batches. Wait for about 3-5 minutes, removing them before they start to take on color. Once they're all cooked, turn up the heat and let the oil reach 350-375 degrees. Then, put the potatoes back and let them cook again until they're golden brown. Season and enjoy.