Oatmeal Waffles
Not to draw a line in the sand here, but I’d take waffles over pancakes every time. I love how the browned, delicately crisp exterior gives way to a tender, practically creamy interior. And the pockets in the waffle pattern are custom-made for pooling syrup and melted butter.
A couple of tips: First, to make absolutely certain that your waffles don’t stick to the iron, even if it has a nonstick finish, give the iron a quick shot of cooking spray when you begin and then again after every couple of waffles. Second, batters differ in consistency; when you pour a thin batter, such as that for the yeasted waffles, onto the iron, it will spread across the surface. But thicker batters, such as those for the oatmeal or gingerbread waffles, require a little help – you can use the back of your ladle. Third, an easy enhancement to any of the waffles here is to sprinkle a tablespoon of chopped toasted pecans (or crumbled cooked bacon – or both) over the batter before closing the waffle iron.
Old-fashioned rolled oats, thick-cut if you can get them, are best for these waffles. To intensify the flavor of the oats before cooking them, try toasting them for about 5 minutes in a large dry skillet over medium heat.
¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons packed
light brown sugar
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups cooked oatmeal, cooled
Cooking spray, for the pan
Heat a waffle iron. If you wish to serve all the waffles at once, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Set a wire rack on a large, rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt, and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Adjust the speed to high and continue to beat until whites are thick, glossy, and hold soft peaks, about 45 seconds, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar and milk to dissolve the sugar. Add the egg yolks and melted butter and whisk to combine well. Add the oatmeal and whisk to combine well. Add the dry ingredients and, using a large flexible spatula, fold to combine (batter will be lumpy; do not overmix). With the spatula, gently fold in the egg whites to incorporate (a few white streaks can remain).
Spray the waffle iron lightly with cooking spray and make waffles according to manufacturer’s instructions (use about ½ cup batter for a 7-inch round iron), spraying again after every couple of waffles. Serve at once as they’re done, or transfer them to the wire rack in the warm oven and hold for up to 15 minutes before serving.
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