Maple Bacon Waffles

I don’t make waffles as often as I make pancakes, simply because it is easier to clean a griddle than it is to clean my waffle iron. But I like waffles at least as much as I like pancakes and they’re always a great breakfast on a lazy weekend morning. A good waffle should be tender inside and crisp outside – and a great waffle should be filled with crunchy bits of chopped up bacon, like these Maple Bacon Waffles. The batter is made with butter and buttermilk, sweetened with maple syrup and loaded with crispy bits of freshly cooked bacon. They’re buttery and a bit savory, thanks to the bacon, and they have just a touch of sweetness to them.

You can use any kind of waffle iron to make these waffles. After your batter is mixed up, pour a scoop of batter onto the hot, lightly greased iron. Sprinkle bacon on top of the batter and add a little bit more batter, just to cover some of the bacon, then cook until golden brown. The exact amount of batter that your waffles will need will vary based on the size of your waffle iron. The Belgian waffle iron I used here took about a cup of batter. Make your first waffle a touch smaller so you can gauge how much batter you need. When the waffle is done, the bacon should be nestled inside so you get some in every bite!

Any bacon you have on hand will work in these waffles. I like to cook the bacon until it is very crisp and break it into small pieces so that I get some in every bite, but you can leave larger pieces in your waffles – especially if you have a flatter waffle iron that can more easily accomodate them. The bacon won’t get any crispier in the waffle, so make sure it is nice and crisp before starting. If you want even more bacon flavor, you can actually grease your waffle iron with bacon fat, but keep in mind that it isn’t quite as easy to do as using cooking spray.

Waffles should be served immediately, while they are crispy, but if you can’t serve them right away you can put them on a rack in a low oven (250F) to stay warm and crisp until you’re ready to serve. Accompany the waffles with plenty of maple syrup and a few slices of crispy bacon. Leftover waffles can be wrapped and frozen to make your own frozen waffles, which you can reheat in the toaster on busy mornings when you don’t have time to cook.

Maple Bacon Waffles
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in milk, buttermilk, butter, eggs maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk together until fully combined.
Let batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat your waffle iron.
Coat the waffle iron with a light spritz of nonstick spray/vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Ladle a scoop of waffle batter onto the hot iron. Top with about 1/2 ounce chopped bacon, and add a small amount of additional batter to cover the bacon. Cook waffle according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until golden brown.
Serve immediately with more maple syrup, butter and crispy bacon.

Serves 6-8