Basic Chaffle Recipe

What is a “chaffle”? The arguably unattractive name comes from the combination of cheese plus waffle, and signifies a waffle made from an egg-cheese batter, rather than a flour-based one.

Or at least that’s what it meant in the beginning. Now you’ll find cheese-free chaffles as well, including one that chaffle fans swear tastes “just like Wonder Bread!” That may not sound like an admirable goal to some of us, but for many people whose diets limit or prohibit bread, the Wonder Bread chaffle suddenly makes sandwiches part of their lives again.

Naturally, as with many such trendy foods, there’s a specialty appliance involved. In this case, it’s the Dash mini waffle maker, which makes personal-sized waffles about 4 ½ inches in diameter, one by one. There are several other brands, and all are inexpensive and small enough to tuck into a drawer for storage. But any chaffle recipe may be made in bigger waffle irons as well; as the recipes here note, just double the amounts to make chaffles in a larger iron.

Once baked, chaffles can be incredibly versatile. There are recipes online for chocolate-chocolate chip chaffles; for pizza chaffles; for pumpkin-spice chaffles; for chaffle French toast; for little chaffle layer cakes with cream cheese frosting — the permutations are nearly endless.

Because they are high in protein — and sometimes high in fat — chaffles are filling and they keep your tummy happy for a long time.

Around my house, a basic chaffle spread with cream cheese and a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning has become a breakfast standard. Because they’re so quick and easy to prepare, little chaffle “pizzas” make a lazy dinner satisfying.

Will this trend last, or is it a mere flash in the waffle maker? It’s hard to say. I think, however, that when a trend satisfies a need, it’s probably here for the long run.

Basic Recipe:

Sprinkling a little cheese on the waffle iron before adding the batter adds additional crispness, but it’s optional. The waffles will be soft when first removed from the iron but will crisp as they cool. This recipe is designed for a personal-sized waffle maker. Double this recipe if you’d like to prepare it in a larger waffle iron. Refrigerate any extras for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.