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.
Waffle Brownies from Scratch
Ingredients
Instructions
Brenda says
I remember making something similar as a kid....I can tell you, they did not look nearly as tasty as these do. I think I’ll have to try this recipe!
Rachel says
Delicious! I cut the recipe in 4 because I was using a mini waffle maker and making them after my husband was already in bed. I have lost much of my sense of taste due to COVID and was still able to enjoy the fudgey chocolate of these brownie waffles! A perfect edition would be some chopped walnuts and some vanilla ice cream on top!