Waffle Brownies from Scratch

Waffle Brownies from Scratch are perfect when you don't want to turn on the oven! They make a delicious, unique dessert. Just top 'em with ice cream and enjoy. 

A few weeks ago my kids came home from a play date talking about Waffle Brownies. Always curious when the word "brownies" is involved, I questioned my friend who had hosted them for the afternoon.

Turns out, Waffle Brownies were her mother's solution to the dog days of summer. When it's too hot to turn on the oven, Waffle Brownies to the rescue.

I talked her into texting me a photo of the recipe so I could make the magic happen at my house. The photo showed a wrinkled, stained, and water marked recipe with all the handwritten notes in the margins - the hallmark of a well-loved and sure-to-be-delicious recipe. It did not disappoint.

With the August temperatures here in New Mexico hitting the 90's daily, oven-free desserts are the only kind of desserts happening in my kitchen. I made quick work of that well-loved recipe and figured out for myself why they're such a hit. Quick, simple, delicious, and a little more fun than an ordinary pan of brownies.

There's just something a little extra special about a waffle shaped brownie. And when you stack them up? Well, you have an irresistible dessert that is sure to get people talking! 

And can I tell you again how much I love not turning on the oven in August?! The Waffle Iron is such a handy kitchen tool. Thank you waffle irons everywhere for making hot fudgy brownies possible, even during the dog days of summer.

If you're aiming for simple, these are delicious with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar. If, however, you're looking for something to show off, this recipe is your golden ticket. Just stack them up, drizzle hot fudge, add a big, melty scoop of ice cream (or whipped cream), and put a strawberry (or cherry) on top. It will for sure elicit some wows.

Then, dig in. They're not cakey, because I hate cakey brownies. They are, however, crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and incredibly delicious while they're still hot.

Here are a few recipe notes before you get cooking:

• How many waffle brownies you end up with will depend somewhat on your individual waffle iron. I used this Cuisineart Round Belgian Waffle Maker and it made 4 full 8 inch waffles (16 wedges).
• How much batter you put on the waffle iron at a time will also depend on your waffle iron. The original recipe said to put a tablespoon of batter. This did not work for my Belgian Waffle Maker. I put approximately ½ cup of batter onto my waffle iron and spread it around just a little before closing the lid.
• These cook quickly, but exact cooking time may also vary with different waffle irons. I set my waffle iron temperature dial to 5 (out of 6) and let it cook until the ready light came on - approximately 45 seconds.
• The original recipe, as written by my friend's mother, says to use a "largeish" pan. This made me laugh, so I kept it in my version too.
• When the brownies are ready to remove from waffle iron, they are still very soft and delicate. After they are removed they begin immediately to crisp up into that delicious brownie texture and they won't be delicate at all. However, you will need to remove them from the waffle iron very gently. I found that it helped to open the waffle iron and let them sit for a few seconds before I tried to remove them.
• If on your first try at "gently" removing the waffle brownies, you happen to crumble a few, no worries. Just make Waffle Brownie Ice Cream Parfaits and enjoy every crumb.
• These are really excellent fresh off the waffle iron. Because we haven't yet managed to not eat every single hot (or warm) waffle brownie this recipe makes, I can't speak for how they are cooled.

Yield: 8 servings, 2 waffle wedges each

Waffle Brownies from Scratch

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Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Total Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (or 1 cup) unsalted butter
• 7 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat waffle iron. Spray generously with cooking spray.
2. In a largeish saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the cocoa and remove from heat. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed and stir well to combine.
3. When waffle iron is hot, drop spoonfuls of batter on and cook approximately 30 seconds. Please see detailed notes for cooking above.
4. Serve warm plain or with favorite brownie toppings.