Transform Your Frozen Waffles Into A Totally New Breakfast Dish

Popping frozen waffles into the toaster is a great way to get breakfast on the table in a hurry. While adding butter, syrup, or fresh fruit to frozen waffles will certainly do the trick when it comes to a quick and tasty breakfast, frozen waffles can serve as the base for another beloved morning meal — French toast.

French toast is typically made by drenching bread in a mixture of eggs, milk, and flavorings like cinnamon and vanilla, and then pan-frying it until it's golden brown on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Most recipes call for sturdy bread like challah or brioche, but frozen waffles also work well. Simply replace the bread in your favorite classic French toast recipe with your favorite frozen waffles, and you'll have a hybrid breakfast dish that's sure to be a hit. Although the process takes slightly longer than simply toasting the waffles, the result is worth the extra effort, and most French toast recipes call for pantry staples, so you won't need to do a big grocery store haul for this dish.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when making this dish is that you don't want your waffles to be frozen (or rather, in this case, you don't want your frozen waffles to be completely frozen to the core), but you don't want them to be completely cooked, either. Thaw your waffles before you begin making the French toast by toasting them for about 30 seconds, which is just long enough to defrost them without making them crispy. After all, you want to achieve the crispiness from the pan, not the toaster.

Another frozen waffle-specific tip is to put your egg and milk mixture into a wide bowl. The waffles won't bend as well as a pliable piece of soft bread, so you want to be sure you have enough room to get the entire waffle coated. Frozen waffles come in various flavors, so don't be afraid to experiment with blueberry or chocolate chip waffles for French toast with a twist. You can add the same toppings you'd usually add to regular French toast. The nooks and crannies in the waffles are great for holding add-ons like berries or maple syrup. Branch out by adding some tropical flair with coconut French toast, or turn breakfast into brunch by adding triple sec to your French toast for an easy boozy upgrade.