Strawberry Shortcake Waffles

Light and airy Strawberry Shortcake Waffles make a perfect weekend brunch item! Prepared with delicious homemade waffles and layered with whipped cream, sliced fresh strawberries, strawberry shortcake crumbs, and syrup, this is one scrumptiously impressive and flavourful treat!

If you read yesterday’s post about those addictive Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs, you’ll note that I’m following through on my promise to deliver to you a week of strawberry shortcake inspired recipes. And, I couldn’t think of a better place to start than with these Strawberry Shortcake Waffles!

For years, I have seen waffle recipes being shared predominantly by American food bloggers. Seriously, what is with Americans and their love affair with waffles and pancakes? I shouldn’t be surprised! Isn’t IHOP an American-based restaurant chain? Speaking of IHOP, have you eaten at one? I’ve only been twice and I think once was in Milwaukee and the other was in Niagara Falls. Nevertheless, I can’t let my American blogger friends have all the fun. I’ve jumped on the waffle bandwagon too!

John.e has heard me talk about those recipes enough. So, for Christmas this past year, he surprised me with a waffle maker. I love kitchen appliances, but I think long and hard about buying them, because I cannot stand the thought of owning an appliance that never gets used. Seriously, it took me years to buy an Instant Pot! And, we just got a microwave two years ago! Did I really need a waffle maker?

Well, it turns out, I did! Since there’s just the two of us, he bought the cutest little waffle maker. And, he kept true to my appliance brand of choice – Breville! This is the exact model I have. I really didn’t know I needed a waffle maker until I got one and tried it. I’m hooked and these Strawberry Shortcake Waffles are proof that the gift has indeed been put to good use already.

WAFFLE TALK

Did you know that all waffles are waffles, but not all waffles are Belgian waffles? I used to think that waffles were called Belgian because that was where they were invented. Later, I thought that Belgian had something to do with the flavour or the ingredients. Turns out, I was wrong on both counts – they are Brussels Waffles named for the capital city they originated from!

The Belgian waffle made its first American appearance at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle. But, at the 1965 World’s Fair in Queens, N.Y, Maurice Vermersch, a Belgian native, and his family, are responsible for the popularity of the waffle we are most familair with today. They served waffles are the fair in two ways. One way was the crispy outside and airy inside waffle which was served plain. And, the other was with whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Apparently, the demand was so great, there was a team of 10 people just slicing strawberries!

The family understood how little the rest of the world knew about Belgium and decided that calling them Brussels waffles would hinder its popularity, so Belgian waffles were born. They may have been flexible with the name, but not so much about maintaining the proper way to eat them. One of the daughters said that her mother refused to provide forks and knifes to customers, because that was not how they were eaten on the streets in Belgium. Don’t you just love food history!?

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

You might have guessed by now that you need a batch of Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs. I shared that recipe yesterday, and you can find it here. Go ahead, click on the link. It will open and new page so you won’t lose this one. The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

For the Crumbs:

• Vanilla Pudding – Just a plain box of the powdered mix is all you need. There’s no need to mix it according to the instructions on the package.
• Strawberry Jello – Again, this is just the powder. You will use the powder as it is – no need to mix it and let it set.
• Flour – Regular all-purpose flour is good.
• Butter – I used salted butter to offset some of the sweetness. Unsalted butter is certainly okay too.
• Golden Oreos – These are the vanilla flavoured Oreos. You’ll use one full package of Golden Oreos.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CRUMBS

For the Waffles:

• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Sugar – The sugar will help the batter to spread, and will create a crispness to the waffle.
• Baking Powder – This is used to increase the volume of the batter and to add texture as well.
• Salt – This is a common ingredient in baking and it helps to enhance and balance sweetness.
• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Milk – When a baking recipe requires milk, I always use whole milk, unless otherwise stated. 
• Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature! To be perfectly honest, I have made these with both salted and unsalted butter and there’s no difference in taste or appearance once all is said and done. Use what you have on hand.
• Vanilla Bean Paste – This has a strong vanilla flavour and has vanilla beans in it. It’s a more economical way to get the little black flecks of vanilla beans into baked goods without buying expensive pods!

For the Toppings & Assembly:

• Strawberries – The strawberries are sliced and layered between each stacked waffle. You will need about 3 large strawberries for every layer, so purchase accordingly.
• Whipped Cream – You can buy whipped cream in a can from the store or you can make your own. I took the easy way out and used store-bought.
• Syrup or Honey – A little bit of extra sweetness goes a long way in this recipe. Use syrup or honey to moisten the waffles and add that sticky sweetness we all love about stacked waffles!
• Chocolate Chips – These are optional, but I love the combination of chocolate and strawberry. I used little chocolate hearts, because I think these waffles would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day brunch.

RECIPE TIPS AND TRICKS

• In the photos, I stacked the waffles four high. You can certainly do less or more to suit your needs. In fact, these are quite filling, especially with all of the bells and whistles, so one whole waffle just might be enough!
• If you don’t have a waffle maker, you can either buy frozen waffles from the store and toast them up. Or, you can use pancakes for this recipe. I have not tested this waffle batter recipe in pancake form.
• Don’t have vanilla bean paste? No worries! You can use vanilla extract instead. In fact, if you want even more strawberry flavour, you could use strawberry extract as well.
• Keep your waffles warm between batches by placing cooked waffles on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. Waffles should be positioned in a single layer. Keep them in the oven at 200 degrees.
• Leftover waffles, if they have not been layered with toppings, can be frozen. Place cooled waffles in a food-safe, resealable bag and push out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to a month. Reheat buy popping frozen waffles in the toaster for about 45-60 seconds.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE WAFFLES

This recipe most certainly isn’t complicated, but there are a few steps involved. To make these waffles a success, prepare everything first before you start to cook the waffles. It will not only make assembly quicker and easier, but will result in a still-warm waffle rather than one that is a little on the cold side. Follow my step by step instructions for a better waffle experience!

1. Prepare the Crumbs

If you have not already prepared the Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs, do that first. These crumbs take eight minutes in the oven and then at least fifteen minutes of chilling time in the fridge. They’re not cumbersome to make, but from start to finish, you will need about 30 minutes. Get them done and out of you way first.

2. Prepare the Toppings

Next, slice up the strawberries. If you plan to stack or layer the waffles, you will need about three large strawberries for each layer. You might also want to garnish the top of the waffle stack with a strawberry or two, as well as the plate. So, keep that in mind when buying strawberries. For the stack you see in the photos, I used about half a pint, or one cup.

Next, determine if you’re using honey, syrup, both, or neither! You can use the syrup or honey cold or at room temperature. They can also be warmed over medium-low heat in small saucepan. Transfer them to a small pitcher for easy pouring.

If using chocolate, place the pieces in a bowl so that they are easy to get at. You’ll thank me when assembling that you took the time to get the toppings out and ready! Finally, have your whipped cream ready. If using the canned, store-bought stuff, keep it in the fridge until ready to use. If making your own, keep it in the fridge as well until ready to use.

3. Cooking the Waffles

This recipe is quite easy and fast, so before you start to mix the waffle batter, preheat your waffle maker according to the instructions that accompany your appliance. DO NOT grease the waffle irons yet! Now, in a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined. Pour in the melted and cooled butter and vanilla bean paste or extract. Whisk to combine and set aside. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients to combine them.

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and use a whisk to combine everything together. Do not completely overmix the ingredients. A few small lumps are fine and encouraged. Now you can coat the waffle irons. DO NOT use butter! Use a non-stick cooking spray. Butter will burn and some of the water content will evaporate after each use, so by waffle number three, there is bound to be sticking. Avoid sticking by using non-stick cooking spray!

Depending on the size of your waffle maker, scoop out the desired amount of waffle batter and position it right onto the center of the bottom iron. (I’m using 1/2 cup of batter for each waffle.) Close the waffle maker lid and cook according to your maker’s instructions. Cook in batches, keeping cooked waffles warm by placing them in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. Keep in a 200 degrees F pre-heated oven.

THE FUN PART!!! Assembling the Waffles:

Place a waffle onto the center of a plate. Sprinkle over a heaping tablespoon of the strawberry shortcake crumbs. Top that with a layer of sliced strawberries. Drizzle over a little syrup or honey if using. Then, add a few small dollops of whipped cream. Add a few pieces of chocolate if using. Place another waffle onto the pile and layer again in the same order – strawberry shortcake crumbs, sliced strawberries, syrup or honey, whipped cream, and chocolate.

When your stack is to the desired height, garnish with more crumbs and a bigger dollop of whipped cream. Add some more chocolate and little bit more crumbs. Top that with a whole, unsliced strawberry or two, and serve immediately! Yum!!