Cornmeal Waffles

Bacon lovers, these Cornmeal Waffles are tailor-made to get your day off to a great start.

These sweet and savory waffles are a delicious combination of cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, maple syrup, and bacon.

A quick breakfast or brunch recipe can easily become a new family favorite!

The Very Best Cornmeal Waffles

If you love the taste of cornbread, then you will love this waffle recipe! They have the same mildly sweet and earthy flavor but are lighter and crunchier.

Aside from adding flavor, yellow cornmeal also imparts a warm amber hue and a coarser texture that you won’t get with a classic waffle.

We might be a household of French Toast and Belgian Waffles lovers. But let me tell you, my waffle maker has been busy making bacon cornmeal waffles!

My husband thinks these are the best waffles ever and loves taking leftovers to work for a Monday lunch.

This great recipe incorporates bacon bits into the batter to infuse a savory crunch in every bite. Then, I drizzle maple syrup and add more bacon on top. It is the perfect way to enjoy a decadent, full-on, sweet, and tasty morning meal!

Why We Love Cornmeal Waffles

EASE: Make the batter while the bacon is in the oven. Combine bacon and batter, and let your waffle maker do the rest! You’ll have a wholesome breakfast ready in less than 30 minutes.

PANTRY INGREDIENTS: Making this waffle recipe requires only a handful of pantry ingredients. And if you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily substitute (see recipe variations below).

TEXTURE: This recipe produces a crispy waffle that is light and airy on the inside with delicious bits of bacon.

CUSTOMIZABLE: These Cornmeal Waffles are a great addition to your morning meal rotation. Add a fried egg, extra slices of bacon, or a side of fresh fruit compote.

Ingredients

CORNMEAL: Cornmeal is ground from dried corn and has a sweet, earthy taste and coarser texture than wheat flour.

BACON: Use thick-cut bacon for best results.

BUTTERMILK: Using buttermilk is one of the secrets to making fluffy waffles.

MAPLE SYRUP: We’ll add a touch of pure maple syrup to the batter and, of course drizzle more on the finished waffles.

TIP: For serving, warm the maple syrup in the microwave for 15-30 seconds before drizzling over the finished waffles. Yum!

EGGS: For this recipe, we use whole, large eggs. Unlike other waffle recipes in which you need to separate egg yolks and egg whites, you don’t have to do this for this recipe. So you don’t need a separate bowl to beat the egg whites. That means making the batter go a lot quicker.

BUTTER: Make sure to use unsalted butter. Melted butter adds richness to the batter and gives the waffles a crisp texture.

FLOUR: We don’t just use coarse cornmeal for this recipe! Instead, make a flour mixture by combining all-purpose and corn meal.

Leaving Agents: For this recipe, we use a combination of baking powder and baking soda to achieve an optimal rise.

Recipe Variations and Additions

• If you have folks who do not like bacon (for some reason), you can omit the part where you fold them into the waffle batter and serve them separately for those who want them.
• If you can’t find buttermilk, use milk and mix it with a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for five to ten minutes before using it!
• Make a vegan waffle version using non-dairy milk instead of buttermilk, vegetable oil instead of butter, and applesauce instead of eggs. You can use vegan bacon or omit it entirely.
• Are you trying to cut out gluten? No problem. Substitute the flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Serve with sliced strawberries or fresh blueberries.

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How To Make This Recipe

1. Bake bacon in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 400º Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, whisk wet ingredients until smooth and well combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in chopped bacon.
3. Ladle a cup of batter into the greased waffle maker and bake until golden brown and crisp.

Recipe Success Tips

• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using your waffle maker. Different waffle makers have specific methods to be followed for the best results. My waffle maker has a buttermilk waffle setting.
• Use room temperature ingredients. This makes it easier to mix everything. The batter requires gentle mixing only, which will be difficult if your buttermilk, eggs, and butter are chilled.
• Add some fried chicken, and you’ve got a version of southern cornmeal waffles.
• Do not overmix the batter, or you will have flat and chewy waffles instead of light and fluffy ones. The cornmeal batter does not need to be very smooth; small lumps are okay.
• If your waffle maker does not have a built-in signal, steam is your best indicator for doneness. Once the steam stops, the waffles should be good to go.
• When making a big batch, transfer waffles to a baking sheet and into a warm oven until ready to serve. This will keep them nice and crisp until you are ready to serve.

Leftovers

STORE – Allow the waffles to cool completely before storing them. Place in an airtight container or a resealable ziplock bag and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

FREEZE – Place the leftover cornmeal waffles on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour. Transfer the waffles into a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Freeze for up to three months. Don’t forget to date the bag!

REHEAT – When you want to reheat your frozen waffles, place them on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350º Fahrenheit.

If you need to reheat them in the microwave, place them on a paper towel-covered plate and cook on high for 30 seconds, flip, and repeat. They won’t be as crispy but are still quite delicious.

Another way of reheating frozen cornmeal waffles is to use your toaster. Put the frozen waffles into the toaster and choose a low setting.

More Easy and Delicious Breakfast Recipes

SWEET POTATO HASH – sweet potatoes, ham, and eggs … perfect for holiday leftovers

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS – hands down the best muffin recipe in the land

AUSTRIAN PANCAKE BITES – known as Kaiserschmarnn, these Austrian pancakes have a royal history

GERMAN APPLE PANCAKES – my German Oma’s recipe

BANANA NUT BREAD – moist banana bit with crunchy pecan nuts

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