We're Only Making Egg-In-A-Hole With Waffles From Now On

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it's time for the breakfast crossover of the summer. Egg-in-a-hole waffles are a twist on a traditional breakfast dish that combines the savory of over-easy eggs with the sweetness of waffles. A match made in both flavor and texture heaven, once you make this breakfast upgrade, you'll never go back.

Egg-in-a-hole is exactly what it sounds like: A runny-yolk egg cooked in a hole cut in the middle of a piece of bread. The idea is to dip the surrounding bread into the runny yolk in the center, all for a one-stop hearty breakfast. Swapping the toast for waffles adds to both the fun and flavor of the dish by combining the sweetness of the waffle batter with the savory egg. This twist on egg-in-a-hole only requires a few extra steps and opens up a whole new world of flavor combinations and fun presentation ideas. Not to mention the potential for new names, of which egg-in-a-whole already has many, including toad-in-the-hole or egg with a hat. So, time to grab your waffle makers and a frying pan and get cooking.

Egg-in-a-hole is a charming and easy recipe that usually only requires a handful of steps — our only addition here is preparing the waffles. A batch of simple classic waffles can be ready in under 30 minutes, but they should be prepared ahead of time for easier assembly. After the waffles come out of the maker, you'll want to cut a medium-sized hole with either a knife or cookie cutter or use a glass in the center where your egg will cook. Note that in a traditional egg-in-the-hole recipe, the bread toasts as it sits in the pan with the egg, but your waffles should be fully cooked beforehand. 

When it comes to preparing the egg, you'll crack it directly into the hole at the center of the waffle so it cooks in the pocket as you season it with salt and pepper. Egg-in-a-hole is made with a runny yolk, or over easy, egg that requires flipping the egg and the waffle. For the best over-easy egg, one pan tip you can't skip is making sure it's non-stick and big enough to hold your waffle and egg. This also applies to the hole you cut in the waffle, which needs to be large enough for the egg to cook thoroughly. You'll know your egg is done when the whites are soft but not firmly fried, and the yolk will be drippy once broken.

With this dish already being a sweet and savory combo, it's easy to lean into that with the toppings, too. Cook up some maple braised bacon and cut it into bits to sprinkle over your waffle and egg for a protein-filled crunch. This will also give you that sweet and savory flavor profile to tie the meal together. You can also make a homemade hollandaise sauce — as used in eggs Benedict waffles — which adds a richer and buttery layer with lemon and Dijon mustard that pairs well with the eggs and sweet waffle. Finally, you could change up the flavor of the waffle itself by adding parmesan cheese to your batter before baking. The cheesy flavor will infuse the waffle as it cooks, and the sharper taste of parmesan will pair nicely with the egg. 

You can also use the waffle pieces you punched out to make a side dish or its own meal. Keep them on the plate to dip in the runny yolk of the egg, or set them aside to make a brunch staple: chicken and waffle sliders. You can store your mini-waffles in a plastic bag or reusable container in the freezer for a few days after cooking if you plan to use them later. This way, you make the most of your waffles and have minimal food waste.