Make a stack of these savory cornbread waffles, and your next brunch or lip-smacking lunch is just a few steps away. Add some crisp bacon and/or melted cheese, and you’ll want these waffles on repeat for weeks to come. They are perfect for stowing in the freezer, offering an instant heat-and-eat option that’s healthy and satisfying.
Don’t most things taste better in waffle form? Cornbread is no exception. It’s probably fair to say that I have made more waffles and crêpes in my life than I have made pancakes. That’s probably due, in no small part, to my late grandmother’s influence. Another reason that I pick waffles over other options they don’t require turning on the oven.
Simple, crisp, and elegant, waffles deserve a spot on the table beyond weekend mornings. Add some bacon, grilled eggplant, fresh tomato, and melted cheese. Then sprinkle with green onion and see if you don’t agree that your waffle iron is able to do more than earn its keep.
Cornbread Waffles
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup cornmeal (gluten-free if needed)
- 3/4 cup pancake mix or baking mix (such as Bisquick or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Mix)
- 1 +1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 + 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar or other sweetener
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 eggs, separated
- 1 cup almond milk, coconut milk, or dairy milk
- 3 Tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted
- Optional: za’atar or Italian spice blend, to taste (around 1/2 teaspoon or more)
Directions:
- Combine first five dry ingredients in a medium or large mixing bowl. In another bowl, blend together egg yolks, almond milk, and oil or butter. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Preheat waffle iron.
- Add milk mixture to dry ingredient bowl and stir until batter forms. Fold in beaten egg whites until integrated into batter.
- Bake batter in a waffle iron until waffles are crisp and golden. Serve warm, as a side in place of bread, or top waffle with savory ingredients (such as bacon, cheese, tomato, eggplant, avocado, etc.) to make an open-faced sandwich. Freeze any leftover waffles for future use.
Swirls and Spice 
Love these! They would be good with some corn kernels in the batter too. Yummy as a sandwich. Why did your grandmother make waffles for you instead of pancakes?
I’m not sure why, but for almost every visit I remember her making waffles. I still have her delicious recipe. She also made lefse sometimes.
Yum…..I remember many evening meals were waffles, bacon. Mom, your grandmother, made delicious waffles and Swedish crepe/pancakes. Also your Grandpa’s homemade maple syrup was always on the table too for those meals. Hugs. Your cornmeal waffles sound yummy! Hope we can taste them with you sometime.
Yum! They look really good!
Oo! I love cornmeal everything. And I finally have access to a waffle maker because my new roommate brought one with her when she moves in. Assuming she lets me use it. 😛
I hope she does. Then maybe you could both enjoy some waffles!
We LOVE waffles and it’s been too long since I’ve made them. These cornmeal ones look SO delicious!
Thanks, Kelly! I am really enjoying wafflewiches for my lunches. Tuna melts, bacon, avocado & tomato, and the eggplant combo make for a lot of great options. 🙂
Ooooh, these look really good and I love that you made them savory – Kat
This is genius.