Waffles all day long
Recently I received a waffle maker as a gift – one of the few small electrics for the kitchen that I had not acquired, but one I had been meaning to get for quite some time.
Lately, we’ve been purchasing frozen blueberry waffles from Whole Foods, and thought at nearly $3 pop, it would be much more economical – and fun – to make the waffles ourselves. After all, nothing beats the flavor of homemade waffles.
The great thing about making waffles, is that you can make them just like you like them – with blueberries, or without. With whole wheat flour or with a pumpkin spice batter.
The other great thing about waffles is that they can be enjoyed all day long. They can be made ahead of time, and frozen until ready for use. Then, pop them in the toaster to defrost and heat up.
Now that we have our own waffle maker on hand, we’ll be using it for much more than breakfast waffles. We love to experiment, so they’ll be a handy snack for the kids in the afternoon when topped with peanut butter, or for a more indulgent snack, I’ll fill them with ice cream to make ice cream waffle sandwiches.
Experimenting is great too. We’ll add unsweetened chocolate to the batter, or nuts, fruit, spices (such as cinnamon) or even coconut. In addition to whole wheat waffles, try sweet potato waffles, pumpkin spice, or even yogurt and fruit.
There are a wide variety of waffle makers available, so I thought I’d offer up some suggestions on how to choose the right one for your needs.

Features to consider:
Variable Browning Control: allows you to select the desired waffle texture – higher for waffles that are crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.
Indicator Light: tells you when the waffle maker is ready for baking, and one that lets you know when the waffle is ready. Some makers have an audible tone that signals when it is time to fill the waffle iron, and when they are properly baked.
Multifunctional: My VillaWare waffle maker includes three interchangeable plates – one for waffles, another for pizzelles, and a third for making grilled sandwiches. With a cone form, you can even transform the pizzelles into ice cream cones.
Stay cool handles: important especially when kids are around. The Cuisinart Waffle Dippers has stay-cool housing.
Nonstick surface: for preparation of waffles with minimal fat, and for easy removal.
Design: They run the gamut from squares, hearts and circles to Belgian waffles, waffle sticks, Mickey Mouse and more. In addition to the design of the waffles, some makers are designed to catch overflow batter, keeping it from dripping outside the machine and onto the counter. Cord storage is important, and a stand-up design that lets you store it standing on end in small spaces in the cupboard.

It is recommended that a waffle maker have at least 1,000 watts of power to ensure good, fast baking.


Models to consider:
VillaWare - This company has been making waffle irons for years, and currently have around 15 or so models in their repertoire, including the classic Mickey Mouse shape and also a Cinderella version. The one I have is the InterBake 3 which has three sets of plates to make deep pocketed waffles, sandwiches and pizzelles. It is pretty straightforward, not having any bells and whistles, although it does come with nonstick surface, stay-cool handles and easy to remove plates. It retails around $50.
Cuisinart offers a range of waffle makers, including the Traditional Waffle Iron, 6-slice Traditional Waffle Iron, and Waffle Dippers.
Features include a red power on indicator light, locking latch to keep the unit closed while baking and storing, nonstick plates, convenient cord wrap. Cuisinart has a six-setting browning control that allows you to customize your waffle preferences from light to dark. The 6-slice Traditional Waffle Iron and the Traditional Waffle Iron have stay-cool handles, and the Waffle Dippers has stay-cool housing. Six-slice Traditional Waffle Iron ($120), Traditional Waffle Iron ($60) and Waffle Dippers ($80).
KitchenAid ProLine Series Waffle Baker– For those who truly love not only eating, but making them. This powerhouse of a waffle maker is a double-sided baking unit that rotates (upside down) so that both the lower and upper plates are coated for even cooking. The waffle baker makes two, 7 ½ inch diameter by 1 ½” thick Belgian waffles. The machine is truly a professional and comes with a hefty price as well - $349.99.
Chef’s Choice Belgian Waffle Pro (850) – makes four deep-pocket Belgian waffles at once in a quick 1-1/2 – 2 minutes. Features include a ready beep, nonstick surface, automatic countdown timer, sleep mode, hast heat up and quick recovery for continuous preparation. It also features a baking system that lets you adjust the baking time and temperature for customized waffles. It retails around $140. Chef’s Choice also has the WafflePro express (840), Waffle Pro (830) and Pizzelle Pro.


That should be enough to help you enjoy waffles morning, noon and night.
Until next time, enjoy Food, Family and Friends
Laura