This is the third post in a five part series called Expecting Nugget! I took the liberty to insanely stock our freezer with lots of good eats in preparation for our first baby. I figured I would share them all because everybody needs good freezer meals!
When I was thinking about meals to freeze for our child’s arrival, I didn’t think much about breakfast. After all, it’s pretty easy to toss some cereal in a bowl or whatever and call it good. But, then Betsy reminded me how nice it can be to have a hot meal after a long night (of doing whatever it is that new parents need to do).
There are many good freezable options for breakfast. I’ve covered breakfast burritos and breakfast bowls before, but what Betsy requested this particular time around was really good waffles.
Waffles freeze fantastically and reheat way better than many other foods. I’m not actually sure that I could tell the difference between a fresh made waffle and a reheated one assuming that you freeze and reheat it correctly.
I used my basic buttermilk waffle recipe for this version but obviously the method is more important than the recipe. (But they are good waffles.)
Basic Buttermilk Waffles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Maple syrup, for serving
- Butter, for serving
Instructions
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients to form the batter. Try not to over-mix, but stir out any large lumps. If the batter is super-thick (not pourable) add another ¼-½ cup buttermilk. Stir in melted (and cooled) butter.
- Pour batter into heated waffle iron in ⅓ cup batches. Cook waffles according to waffle iron instructions.
- To freeze: Remove waffles from iron and let cool completely at room temperature to pull off any steam. Wrap each waffle tightly in plastic wrap. Then wrap two waffles together in foil. Freeze waffles. They will keep fine for 3-4 months.
- To reheat waffles: Unwrap waffle and just place right back in the waffle iron! Let heat for 2-3 minutes and serve immediately!
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Buttermilk Waffles
I keep my waffles pretty simple but there are a few changes I made from the standard waffle recipe you might find on google (and even elsewhere on this site).
I used brown sugar instead of white sugar. A small change but it gives the waffles a better color I think. Also, I added in some whole wheat flour not because I’m a health nut but because it gives some density to the waffles that is really nice for syrup soaking.
Like most quick batters, mix together the dry and wet ingredients separately and then whisk the wet into the dry.
Try not to over-mix the batter, but do whisk out any large clumps of flour.
Waffle Irons
There are a huge range of waffle irons out there, but this one is my absolute favorite. Yes. It’s on the pricy side for a waffle iron, but it makes perfect waffles and you can make two at a time which is nice if you’re hosting a brunch or just impatient.
But obviously you can use any waffle maker out there. Just grease up your iron and add the right amount of batter which is usually 1/3-1/2 cup per waffle.
How to Freeze Waffles
There are a few tricks to freezing waffles well.
The first and most important trick is to cool them completely. Once they are cooked, let them cool on the counter until they are room temperature. They can’t be even warm or condensation will form as they freeze and ruin your show.
Luckily, the amount of time it takes to cool down the waffles is about the same as the amount of time it takes to eat a waffle. You get my drift.
Once the waffles are cooled, you can use the double wrap method which is my personal favorite. It keeps moistures and funky tastes out.
Wrap each waffle individually in plastic wrap and then wrap two waffles together in heavy duty foil. You could do up to four in a batch of foil, but I think two works well. The foil/plastic wrapping combo keeps them perfectly.
Don’t forget to label or you’ll forget what these round suckers are in two months.
Reheating Frozen Waffles
Reheating the frozen waffles is so easy. Unwrap a waffle from it’s double wrap and stick it back on the waffle iron. Kind of fit it in like a puzzle so it all it’s nooks and holes are in the iron. Then heat it up for 2-3 minutes and it will spring back to life.
It doesn’t get easier than that!
Mila
I freeze waffles and pancakes all the time as well, never going back to store-bought frozen kind. Reheating in a waffle iron is genius! I just pop them in a microwave or toaster. Will try the waffle iron next time, thanks for the tip! Will give your recipe a try as well, it looks good.
Shirley Henning
After my waffles are cool I wrap each in Glad Press n Seal then seal in a zip lock bag. It’s the best method I’ve found so far. For a 1 1/2 in, I slice and toast in toaster, add butter and syrup as usual—– crunchy and delicious.
Nick
Nice. Thanks for the tip Shirley!
Bet @ Bet On Dinner
Whaaaaat? I have never thought to reheat them in the waffle iron! Genius. I can’t wait to try it!!
PamelaR
I have a Food Saver and totally love it. For softer things like berries, fruit, pancakes & waffles, I freeze first by placing on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, I place two in a package and remove the air and seal with the Food Saver. They seem to store almost forever. I thaw in the toaster. I’m single but cook for four and store the leftovers. I swear by my Food Saver.
Clinton
I opt for ease and once my sourdough waffles have cooled I throw them into a large freezer bag (there is almost always one on the go) and then simply pull the needed number out and toast in the toaster for re-heating. The outcome might be slightly better if I sealed them better but I eat them often enough that I have never felt I needed to do more:-) A crispy toasted waffle beats a bowl of cereal hands down every single time in my books!
Cath Taylor
I’ve never been a fan of frozen waffles, and I don’t think I’ve even tried frozen pancakes. What intrigues me is the trick of putting them back in the iron to reheat them. I may become a frozen waffle convert! I would like to be able to put the waffle iron on the table and have hot waffles hit the plate instantly. I never liked running back and forth to cook, and eat, and cook, and eat (no table in kitchen, too messy to cook in dining room). For what it’s worth, I do like to dip my waffle in syrup just before eating. I find if I pour the syrup all over them, the flavor gets lost. I tend to use way too much syrup that way. I wonder if there is an alternative to syrup that would be foamy/fluffy and not soak into the waffle, so the flavor hits your tongue first. Thanks for the tips.
Kara
I, too, love the idea of reheating in the waffle iron. Smart! Nick, do you have a sourdough starter? Because sourdough waffles are my absolute favorite kind. King Arthur Flour has a great recipe.
My tip to pass on: my family had always melted the butter for topping waffles. So much better coverage that way. :)