Have you ever longed for delicious waffles but don’t own a waffle iron? And have you ever wondered if making waffles without a waffle iron is possible?
Yes, it is possible to make waffles without a waffle iron. You can make them on a griddle or in a frying pan. We’ll show you how to cook perfect Belgian waffles without a waffle iron.
You might want to experiment with a few of these approaches to determine which works best. The best part is that whatever you use, it will be delicious!
Method 1- Bake in a Silicone Waffle Mold in The Oven
Silicone waffle molds are found in square and heart shapes. Oven-baked waffle molds are made from flexible silicone. One option is to bake your waffles in the oven, which requires a silicone form to pour the waffle batter into. Silicone molds come in various shapes and sizes, such as round and square.
Most silicone waffle molds include little spikes to assist in shaping the batter and getting that crispy exterior. It’s critical to use a waffle mold built specifically for waffles; a flat tin will result in a square of waffle batter that will cook adequately and undoubtedly have a different texture.
A silicone mold will perform far better than a metal one; you may tip the waffles out, and they should not stick even if you don’t use much grease. If they do stick, they will be simple to remove.
The key to making waffles in the oven is to get the oven hot before adding the batter – a waffle maker would be hot. Therefore, you want to emulate this as nearly as possible by preheating your oven to 350°F (190°C) before adding the waffles. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the top is golden.
One of the great things about this method is that if you have several molds, you can prepare a complete batch of waffles at once, eliminating the need to keep some warm while others cook.
Cooking tip: Place the silicone molds on a baking sheet before pouring in the waffle batter, and then bake the tray with the filled molds.
Method 2 – Cook Waffles On a Ridged Grill Pan
You may also create waffles in a ridged pan to simulate the ridges on a waffle maker. This will encourage the batter to spread and puff, allowing you to approximate the waffle shape.
Make sure your pan is well-greased so the waffles stay put. To get a good coating, use butter, oil, or spray oil, but take this step, even if you’re using a nonstick pan.
Again, you want the pan to boil before adding the batter, as this will give you a nice “sear” outside the waffles. Reduce the heat slightly while they cook, then return to high to “sear” the opposite side when you flip them.
It can be tough to flip waffles in a ridged pan, but it doesn’t matter if the waffle breaks when you flip it. Turn the broken pieces and continue to cook as usual. They’ll still be delicious.
More miniature waffles may be easier to prepare when cooked in a ridged pan. This makes turning them easier and prevents you from having too much batter; the waffles will just spread.
If you prefer to make one large waffle, that should also work; make sure you have a spatula that will slip under it and maintain its weight as you turn it over, and don’t add more batter than the pan can handle.
When flipping the waffles, use the spatula to lightly press on the top to ensure proper contact between the waffle and the ridges. It’s a good idea to line the same parts of your waffle up with the ridges on both sides, but this is more for show.
Method 3 – Use a Sandwich Maker As A Waffle Maker
How about waffles cooked in a sandwich maker? Sandwich makers and waffle irons have many similarities, so if you have a sandwich maker but no waffle iron, you’re lucky – you can cook waffles quite fine with a sandwich maker. They will not be the same shape!
You may need more ingredients to fill the sandwich forms correctly, but this will result in more giant waffles. They should be excellent, with a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior.
Make sure the sandwich maker is nice and hot before adding the batter, and don’t forget to grease it a bit, so the waffles don’t cling – they won’t be as easy to get out as a sandwich, and you don’t want a mess of batter stuck all over the sandwich maker.
Method 4 – Cook Waffles In Skillet
What if you don’t have any of those ingredients but still crave waffles? You certainly have a skillet that you can use, and you can cook waffles with nothing more than a flat skillet.
You should slightly increase the sugar in the batter to help it crisp up correctly, as cooking in a shaped mold or ridged pan does not provide the same benefits. Your waffles will be flat and need a suitable balance of crunchy and soft. However, the top and bottom will be crispy at first, but the skillet waffles will turn floppy, similar to pancakes, if you plan to keep them for later.
You may also notice that syrup and other toppings slip off because there are no “pockets” for them to collect in, but you’ll still be able to enjoy crisp waffles even if you only use a flat skillet.
It’s best to make skillet waffles only a little thick; with pockets, the batter will take a little longer to cook in the middle. Flipping them will help, but it’s still ideal to aim for waffles that are closer in thickness to pancakes. Before serving, make sure they are thoroughly cooked.
Method 5 – Criss Cross Pancake Waffle
If you have a piping bag, you can solve some problems by cooking in a flat skillet. You can make those pockets and crispy edges, resulting in something that resembles a waffle in shape and possibly texture.
Fill your piping bag halfway with waffle batter, then pour it into your hot skillet. It will spread somewhat as it cooks, forming those delightful “pockets” to fill with syrupy sweetness.
You may wind up with an unusual hole, and your crisscrosses will be a little goofy compared to a good waffle machine, but this will not affect the flavor or waffle experience! As a bonus, your children will most likely enjoy the look, especially if you allow them to assist with the piping bag. Enjoy your waffles while embracing the rustic aesthetic.
Method 6 – Drizzle Waffle Batter Onto A Hot Skillet Using A Funnel
If you don’t have a piping bag but a funnel, you can make a funnel cake version of waffles and have a lot of fun generating waves and wiggles out of your waffle batter.
You can even design shapes to amaze your visitors, but don’t go too far and sacrifice waffle quality.
To cook waffles in a skillet with a funnel, grease and heat your skillet as described above, and then get a funnel. Prepare a clean, spare bowl to place the funnel if/when necessary (to avoid making a mess on the counters or accidentally dripping batter everywhere).
Wash your hands thoroughly, and then fill the funnel’s bottom with your non-dominant hand’s finger or thumb. Fill the funnel halfway with the batter. Place the funnel over the heated pan and allow the batter to drop, snaking it around.
This method will produce numerous pockets and dips, much like a standard waffle, but in a much less uniform manner. You can make the waffle as large as you want and then break it up to serve it or create several small waffles.
Allow the batter to brown, crisp, and puff before flipping to cook the other side. If your waffle ends flatter on the bottom than the top, use the spatula to gently press it on the pan, ensuring it receives excellent contact with the hot surface, so it crisps up properly.
Method 7 – Bake Waffles In A Yorkshire Pudding Tin
This approach yields circular waffles that resemble flattish disk-shaped muffins. Despite their odd shape, they taste pretty excellent. You can cook waffles in the oven with a standard waffle mix and a Yorkshire Pudding baking tin. The steps are as follows.
- Fill each portion with the Yorkshire Pudding tin only halfway. Fill the tin to just below the lip.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Grease the Yorkshire Pudding pan with a bit of butter or oil.
- Pour the waffle batter into a prepared Yorkshire Pudding baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the Yorkshire Pudding tin for 10 minutes or until golden brown. The finished “waffles” will be 4-inch-wide fluffy circles with a slight rise in the center.
- Remove the round “waffles” top with your preferred toppings, and serve!
Conclusion
If you don’t have a waffle iron, don’t worry; there are plenty of other simple ways to get your waffle fixed and satisfy your cravings, and you might even enjoy the outcome!
Waffles baked without a dedicated iron are unlikely to be as neat or picture-perfect, but they can be just as delicious. Experiment with numerous approaches until you find one that works best for you, resulting in crispy, steaming waffles every time.
Silicon Waffle Molds
Panini Press by Cuisinart
OXO Grill Pan