The Secret To Waffles That Melt In Your Mouth Is Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a delicious and always welcome staple on breakfast tables. Whether dense and creamy or whipped into a light and airy cloud, straight up or flavored with a seasonal twist — we love to see it. When that stuff is slathered on toast or English muffins, smeared onto a scone, or generously sandwiched between slices of a toasted bagel, it's hard to argue that it isn't the quintessential morning condiment.

But there may be one way to use cream cheese that you haven't yet quite considered. And that is worked into a plate of piping hot, buttery, fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside classic waffles. There are a few ways to marry these morning heroes. You can either simply spread the cream cheese on top in place of whipped cream, and then garnish it with fresh berries or bananas, or you can whip up a batter in which the cream cheese is the star ingredient.

If you opt to incorporate cream cheese into your waffle batter, it's a simple step that yields big flavor and textural benefits. Most waffle batters are prepared with wet and dry components, which are then combined into a final mix before making the jump into the waffle iron. Here, you just add cream cheese to your wet mixture, about 1 tablespoon per serving should do the trick — then proceed to prepare the rest of your recipe as usual.

Cream cheese is made with lactic acid bacteria, and has a slight tang to it that brings a beautiful balancing element to the sweet, buttery waffle batter. Its inherent rich and creamy texture can help make for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that takes your waffles to new levels of deliciousness. You can experiment with both the classic brick-style cream cheese, or a tub of the whipped version to see which you prefer, but either way, you may never go back to a cream cheese waffle-free world.

Waffle batter, similar to those for quickbreads, muffins, and cakes, is extremely versatile. This means you can keep it super classic here and not add a single thing to your warm and toasty cream cheese waffles. You can simply allow the flavor of this creamy, tangy ingredient to come through — or — you can use your new creation as a canvas for various inspired takes.

Toppings are an easy go-to when it comes to waffles. Classic maple syrup, or honey, satisfyingly fills each little square, while drizzled chocolate or caramel sauce adds a dimension of indulgence to your breakfast spread. For a more nutritious start, fresh fruit is a sound choice, or for a punch of protein, a nut butter like peanut or almond pairs well.

Much like cheesecake, which is also typically made with cream cheese, the flavor pairings for your new waffles are practically limitless. Fortunately, with this easy addition to your morning menu, there's no reason not to try them all.