You guys were so sweet last week, I felt you deserved a sweet treat in return. Also, I may have a waffle problem. Last time it was savory, now it’s dessert. It’s the best sort of problem to have.
My favorite nine year old calls this the “Epic Dessert,” and I think he’s right. Epic is pretty much the only phrase you can use to describe waffle brownies.
You see, I think the best part of brownies are the crunchy edge bits. And with a waffle iron, you get almost all edge. How clever.
Then I actually tried it—adapting a brownie recipe from Chow.com—and the result. Well, let’s say all I can think of these days are brownies. And I’ve never been the biggest brownie fan. I haven’t made them myself in years, and bakery brownies are so hit and miss.
But now, all I can think of is waffle brownies. I never want a normal brownie again.
This particular recipe is a winner—it has a depth of chocolate, brought out by the addition of coffee to the mix. The flavor is deep, with a fair bit of salt to give good contrast. And it’s all crunchy edge bits.
Not that these need any jazzing up—because eating them plain on a plate is pretty much heaven—but I decided to see where I could take this brownie. First I added vanilla ice cream, that melted down into the depression marks from the waffle iron. If you really wanted to go to town, I’d recommend lashings of salted caramel sauce. Oh my.
Then, when I took these brownies to my friend’s house, we topped them with whipped cream and berries. This is what made the nine-year-old christen them “Epic Dessert.” His father suggested I sell the concept to a local restaurant for their menu. He would like easy access to this dish whenever.
But to be honest with you. as amazing as these brownies are with toppings, my favorite is just plain. In fact, I have been dreaming about them. Chocolate, coffee, salt, with lots of crispy edge? I can’t stop thinking about it.
A few things to note:
I made one batch of these without the coffee (because I didn’t want to give ground espresso to children right before bedtime), and they weren’t as good. The coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor. Skip it if you need to, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
I used a chunky grey salt, and would highly recommend something along those lines. The little bits of salty flavor were fantastic.
The full batch made two waffles for me—because I have a huge and deeply cratered Belgium waffle iron (each waffle got divided in fourths, as you can see here, for a single serving). If you have a smaller, square waffle iron (like my old one), I would imagine it would make four double waffles, which would still serve eight.
This is the dessert for summer months, as you don’t have to turn on the stove, and they cook in mere minutes.
If you want to go over the top chocolate and add chocolate chips, use the mini-chips, not full sized. You need to maintain the structural integrity of the batter to make sure the waffles stay together.
I should warn you that getting the brownie waffles out of the waffle iron may take some maneuvering. They are so soft when freshly cooked, you can’t tug them out the way you might with a waffle. I have a very unusual waffle iron with removeable (and washable!) plates, so I just put a clean plate over the iron and flipped the whole thing over. You may be able to improvise something like that yourself, but the surer approach is to open the iron, unplug it, and let the whole thing cool off, at which point they are easier to remove. You just want to make sure you open it up early enough to avoid overcooking. As every waffle iron is different, you might need to play around to get the hand of yours. But dang, that just means more waffle brownies to nibble. Even the mistake batches are going to be good.
Because really, I think you need to try these. If you like chocolate, that is. They are pretty much all I can think of right now.
INTENSE WAFFLE BROWNIES
Adapted from Chow.com, serves eight
6 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick unsalted butter (8 tbs)
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground espresso or espresso powder
½ teaspoon chunky salt
2 cup flour
1-2 tsp neutral flavored cooking oil (I use canola) for greasing the waffle iron.
In a medium saucepan melt the chocolate and butter over medium low heat. Stir frequently until melted and fully combined. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a large bowl combine the eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, espresso, and salt and stir until combined. Add the chocolate butter mixture and mix until smoothly blended. Add flour and mix until just combined.
Grease your waffle iron and cook according to directions (which, naturally, are not meant for brownies). I found two minutes on high heat was sufficient. While warm the waffle will be very soft and hard to get out of the iron. Either leave it in with the waffle iron open until it cools, or flip it out by turning the waffle iron upside down (this may not be possible with your waffle iron, and will require careful orchestration to avoid burns from hot iron; be forewarned).
Let cool if serving plain. With ice cream, a slightly heated waffle (use the toaster oven) is pretty divine.
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How a neglected garden taught one family to grow. Buy a copy at 
must you tempt me so early in the morning. plotting how to make these soon. very soon.
So sorry! Now we’re both suffering
This sounds AMAZING.
We don’t currently own a waffle iron, but I know someone who does…
Does a single batch of brownie mix make one giant waffle, or do you use part of the batter for one waffle and save the rest until the iron has cooled off and you can get the first one out?
Thanks!
Good question, Catherine. My waffle iron is huge and this recipe made two waffles (then divided into 4ths). I think with a smaller waffle iron (like my old one, which made two smaller square waffles) it could stretch to four. I just let the iron cool and reheated it for the next round.
Thanks for the good question. I will update the recipe to reflect that info.
Now I’m going to be dreaming about these. Can’t wait to try this!
Okay, this just seems too good to be true! I think I’d top them with coffee ice cream, but then I’d eat rocks if they were mocha flavored!
I grew up eating a similar treat, which we called chocolate turtles (instead of filling the whole waffle iron to make a solid sheet, we’d put a blob of batter in each quarter so the edges would ooze irregularly into the grooves and form what an imaginative eye could see as heads and legs). My mother would sprinkle them with powdered sugar after they cooled, if any were allowed to cool.
That is BRILLIANT. And I bet they are easier to get out of the waffle iron as well!
Thanks so much for sharing. I am going to try that soon. Turtles, I love it.
Dream realized. I want this!
And for those of us roasting in the summer heat without A/C, this recipe avoids the it’s-too-hot-to-bake problem. Can’t wait to try them.
Yes! I hadn’t thought of that. The waffle iron does get a bit hot, but it’s over in a few mins, and the reward outweighs the discomfort.
Not to mention, yet another excuse to eat ice cream in the summer! Not that you need one
Oh my…I havn’t had much luck in my own kitchen with brownies, so I’ve stuck to brownie pie – however the prospect of brownie waffles may be my motivation to try again!
Brownie pie? What is brownie pie? And how is it that I’ve never heard of it before?
I’m not a brownie baker either, but this have converted me. I crave them all the time now.
I’m not sure what it’s origins are – but it’s been the version of brownies in my family for my whole life. I guess I consider it somewhere between a rich and delicate chocolate cake and a moist brownie – but it’s not a cake-y brownie, if you know what I mean. Here’s the recipe I posted for it – perhaps someone smarter than I can determine what the difference may be from a brownie by the ingredients. http://glutenfreetravelette.squarespace.com/blog/2012/4/4/chocolate-brownie-pie-with-orange-zest.html
Oh my! My daughter and I happen to love brownies. My Beloved husband not so much but…. I think I will have to convert these to gluten free so he can indulge with us. I think it will be very unique with my very old-fashioned waffle iron though.
Probably worth every bit of the laughter!
I have to say, I’m not the biggest brownie fan either, but I LOVED these. Shouldn’t be hard to convert to GF, not much flour in there to start with.
Please report back on waffle iron hijinks! Hope you like them.
If you like I can post the GF brownies on my site for you:)
Oh Tea, this looks SO good and I must try making them soon! x
What a perfect recipe for those sweltering days when one is craving something baked, but the thought of turning the oven on is unbearable. Thank you, Tea!
You just combined two of my favorite things. This looks incredible!
fantastic idea. I just made a batch of gluten free brownies that were fantastic, i bet they would work well in the waffle iron too. But a recipe with coffee, chocolate and chunky salt sounds blooming great! once i have burned off the others i will try yours:)
Brilliant, Tea, just brilliant. I am also a fan of the edges of the brownies, the chewier, crispier, edgier, the better. We have the two square waffle iron from William-Sonoma, with deep, deep pockets. It will be interesting to see the yield of the recipe is with that one. I just LOVE the idea of the irregular turtle brownie waffles suggested above. Will definitely try that as well.
We have Eden grey salt – very smooth, not a chunky sea salt, and Maldon salt – chunkier, but not grey so much. Which would you recommend for this recipe?
I don’t think I will ever write a cookbook, but if I did it would be called: All The Crispy Edges.
Use the Maldon! And don’t the brownie turtles sound good? Yum.
Have fun with it! I did (a little too much, actually:-)
All the Crispy Edges! I love it, with the love usually reserved for chocolate and white truffle oil and strawberry-rhubarb compote.
Thank you for the salt tip. Making this afternoon for my sister’s arrival from Canada – a worthy thing to celebrate.
DEFINITELY a worthy thing to celebrate. I hope the brownies lived up to the occasion!
This has convinced my husband and I that we need a waffle iron in our graduate student household!
I’m wondering how many impulse waffle iron purchases I can rack up this month
Try thrift stores and garage sales. They often have unused waffle irons (new and in box) for cheap.
there are two things i need and am reminded of time and time again: a waffle iron and a popsicle mold. They look incredible and what an excellent idea for a party where you can get four servings from one go in the iron. Lovely, Tara!
I think you DO need them both. Especially the popsicles for summer. I have a terribly tempting collection of boozy popsicles on my Pinterest boards…:-)
My husband really wants me to make this one! Hmmm might have to borrow my mothers waffle maker. They just aren’t too popular here in Australia, it’s something that seems to be reserved for the USA like pumpkin pie and roast turkey. It just doesn’t happen here!
That’s interesting. But isn’t it true that down under it’s possible to order pancakes with ice cream? At least I’ve heard that is true. So perhaps you guys have a leg up on our breakfasts anyway
of course ice cream goes on pancakes!
Most of America would be stunned to learn this. And we are the poorer for it
The fact is that you are an evil woman and I LOVE you for that.
Heh heh heh.
I call my friend Maggi “Evil Temptress.” Perhaps she is rubbing off on me
Oh my goodness – this is Heaven on A Plate!! How brilliant … and I’ve got just the topping for it. Here in Maine we have Gifford’s Ice Cream, a locally owned and run business – it’s awesome ice cream. This year in honor of LLBean’s 100 years in business, they created a flavor to honor LLBean called “Muddy Bean Boots” … It’s their award-winning vanilla ice cream with caramel ripple in it and brownie chunks … it’s fantastic … it would be so great on a brownie waffle! I know what I’m going to dream of tonight
OH MY, that ice cream sounds amazing. I KNEW I was missing out by not living in Maine. I might be dreaming of that too tonight
Oh Trace I’m drooling!
These look and sound amazing!
Guess what? I’ve got everything I need here to get waffling.
My hubby isn’t a brownie fan but I think you may convert him!
Oops apologies Tea…I wrote Trace because I’ve just been writing an email to a Trace.
Such a numpty…I need something sweet and chocolatey and waffley to get me back on track ~ hehe
Not at all. I have one of those funny names people often get wrong. Doesn’t bother me at all.
But yes, you need chocolate waffles. Will make things all better
I had chocolate waffles at a food show topped with – get this – strawberry/beet compote! The chef who created this was a (lesser known then) Marcus Samuelsson. Simply amazing.
Wow! That sounds quite interesting. He is such a talent, isn’t he?
Ok – OK – I’ll go looking for a waffle iron tonight. I was reading this post, thinking to myself, Tea really needs a waffle intervention because this is getting a bit crazy. Brownie waffles – wow. And the turtle idea, love it. So now I’m thinking I may get the waffle iron and teach my guys how to make these because the will want to eat them all the time. And if they make waffles, they can make other things…hehehe. (I have my own evil plans now…) And I think I need to go back to Maine for that ice cream. And I think you should get a kick back from all the increased waffle iron sales you are generating with these recipes!
I SO need a waffle intervention. Just wait until you see what I’ve been up to lately!
But I like the idea of luring the kids into the kitchen with waffles. I’ll let you know if I’m able to set up any revenue opportunities with the waffle iron producers
And doesn’t that ice cream sound good? I want some right now.
Oh my goodness this sounds so good. Loved all the pictures too. I really need to pick up a waffle iron, i see what am missing now:). You have a fantastic blog…am glad to find your blog. Will keep coming.
Thanks, Nina. Welcome!
And to think I hadn’t thought I needed a waffle iron before now!
The last time I had waffles was at a friend’s house in Japan a few years ago. I think I need to get back into the kitchen and make up a batch of these! Thanks so much for sharing:)
My office mates are convinced that we should make these for an afternoon office party. Do you have any advice on how to prep ahead for this? We were thinking about combining all the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients… Would this work? Can I melt the chocolate & butter ahead of time? I anticipate we’d be doubling or tripling the recipe if that has an impact. Thanks!
I made the batter ahead of time and took it to a friend’s house. The batter does get very stiff in the fridge (butter!), so if you can take it out and let it soften up before then.
But, most crucially, I would do a trial run and make sure you can (and want!) to deal with whatever contortions you need to go through to get the waffles out of your waffle iron. Every one is different, and as I said, I am lucky mine has removable plates. If you are going to make that many, you want to make sure you’re okay with the process and effort and aren’t going to be cursing and hating me for sending you down this path
And having to do some taste testing ahead of time is hardly a bad thing. RIght? More chocolate!
Another option is to make them all ahead of time. Waffles are such a time consuming thing to make for a crowd, I like to do it before so I can be a happy hostess with my guests, and so people don’t have to wait for their waffle. You can heat them up briefly in a toaster oven or toaster if you want them warm.
Hope that helps. Good luck!
Delicious! And what’s this restriction on espresso for kids?! Ha!
I think that may not apply to Seattle babies, seeing as they probably have coffee running in their veins anyway
Oh wow. Wow! Wow. Can I clear my schedule tomorrow and just make these??
Far be it from me to stop you! I have made and eaten a scary number of brownie waffles since I thought up the idea
I’d read this through via another blog.. and love it! I was quite certain I’d left a comment then, but someone in this house must have distracted me from it. So.. Love, love this, especially the unique idea of pressing dessert into an unexpected shape.. I think you could make a brownie waffle cone out of these:) xo Smidge
I was thinking about the same idea a month or so back. My girls have got us on Waffle Wednesday, I’m always looking for ways to change it up. Not that there is anything wrong with crispy waffles dripping with maple syrup.
I’ve always wanted a waffle iron and you really aren’t making things easy (must get looking for one!). These looks AMAZING :-p
So sorry, Emma (ha, not really). You will find good uses for it, I am sure!
A reader mentioned that waffles and waffle irons are less common in Australia. Is that true?
Tea, I love, love, love your blue and white plates (and cups).
Thanks so much, Charlotte. I am a huge sucker for blue and white pottery. It’s an illness
My husband and daughters are in Iowa for the week. And I am home all alone, wallowing in my misery without them. I’m thinking brownie waffles for dinner will help me in my depression. With some butterscotch sauce. And whipped cream. I’m beginning to feel better already.
See, that’s the spirit! They are like magic medicine
hi,
love waffles, usually the buttermilk kind with fruit and/or maple syrup. Need to try the brownie version – maybe when bing cherries are in season.
OT – any current favorite Kale recipes? First time i’ve grown it – 4 types: cavalo nero, red Russian, Scotch curled, and Portugese) – all doing well (except a pair of very cute partridges have been sampling the portugese variety). Beautiful plants – i was hoping for a favorite, but i like them all. The red Russian may have an edge flavour-wise, and the lacinato has such wild leaves. So far, i’ve been picking the very tasty, tender leaves for fresh salads with lemon and olive oil. Half a dozen leaves make a lunch! I’ve seeded a few more (and pixie cabbages) for a younger fall patch. It looks like there will be a nice supply of kales for the next few months so i’m on the search for a few good recipes – I would appreciate any suggestions
How is your garden doing? Cool, wet June here, so a slow start (except for Kale and about 700 french breakfast radishes), even the spinach hasn’t done much. A sorrel tart on the weekend cooking agenda!
cheers,
jake
Waffle brownies with cherries sounds amazing!
Isn’t kale great? I grow mostly cavalo nero and red Russian, but want to put in some curly for the fall/winter.
Some of my favorite recipes:
http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2011/10/polenta-and-kale-with-poached-egg-for-breakfast.html (good way to get kale in breakfast)
http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2011/07/the-emerald-city.html
http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2010/11/rule-of-thirds.html
You can also put kale in this noodle dish, just let it cook down a bit to soften. This is how I use up all the excess greens from the garden:
http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2011/07/cure-for-the-plague-curry-noodles-greens.html
And I make a lot of green smoothies. About 2 cups fruit (always a banana, then some frozen blueberries, strawberries, mango, etc), up to 2 cups kale or other greens, enough water to cover, blend in blender. Add some orange juice concentrate if it’s not sweet enough for you.
You can also make kale chips (tons of recipes out there, google and pick one that appeals to you). I also freeze kale for use in soups and smoothies in the winter.
Enjoy!
http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2011/07/cure-for-the-plague-curry-noodles-greens.html
thnx, thnx, thnx….it’s so great once the garden starts producing. I guess i should have done a search – apologies, thanks for taking the time.
I will be well fed with the kale patch and your recipes. I need to pick up a carton of green curry paste – that recipe will likely be a go to with whatever greens are ready. I also planted a mixed plot of greens inspired by the Greek Horta Plot in One Magic Square by Lolo Holbein – so far small leaves for salads.
I suppose the ribs and stems of Kale would work in a juicer too?
I also found a black kale recipe with white beans and bacon as a topping for polenta – that will be a dish for fall if things are still producing. My stash of Saveur magazines has an article on Cavolo Nero that I checked out too (recipes for salad with pecorino, Ribollita, braised, pesto and bruschetta with prosciutto).
Yeah, Kale chips. those too.
Thanks again!
cheers
I think you will be well-fed, indeed! Lots of good soups too. Enjoy!
Hi Tea!
I’m am so ready to make these. Right away! I love this idea.
you may be my son’s new bff.
actually, you may be america’s new best friend forever
HA!
I’ll take it. I’ll take it
I just saw waffle cookies the other day, but waffle brownies make so much more sense! I have to give these a try.
I think I will be passing this along to my friend who has a waffle iron — and then planning a visit so I can share!
Re the use of coffee, I have used decaf espresso or the Starbucks Via decaf instant coffee in recipes to add the coffee flavor punch without extra caffeine. I think it’s preferable to just leaving it out.
Next time you feel like giving traditional brownies a go, you must try Alice Medrich’s cocoa brownies. I believe the recipe originally appeared in her book, Bittersweet, but has been published many times since. They are the easiest brownies you’ll ever make and are just fabulous!
That’s a good suggestion, Lisa. Thanks. And Alice Medrich’s brownies sound wonderful. I will put those on my list.
A friend with a waffle iron is a friend indeed
i’ve been obsessed w waffleizing things since i got my iron. i even made some out of hummus!
http://theactorsdiet.com/2012/02/28/the-hummus-waffle/
brownies are definitely next!
These look fantastic. One of my favorite things about waffling sweets like cookies and brownies is how quickly they cook up!
Isn’t that great? I like the crispy edges too.
Tea,
Thank you so much for your recipe! I stumbled upon this by accident while looking at recipes for “sick days”:) My little brothers have the sniffles today and when they saw this they got so excited! They LOVE to bake and cook. I had never heard of trying this and it was so very fun for them to do. My brother Jon-Michael said: “look at all her comments under the recipe! Can we leave a comment and tell her how it worked?” I just wanted to share this and thank you for making their day.
And I love your website and look forward to continuing to read!
What a lovely comment, thank you! And thanks to Jon-Michael as well.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. It’s no fun being sick. I hope your brothers are feeling much better soon.
PS. here is another fun waffle recipe: http://www.teaandcookiesblog.com/2012/08/hash-brown-waffles.html
Just wondering….since I’m not much of a baker…can I used a quality boxed brownie mix? .
It’s probably worth a try, Gina. But I have not done it myself, so there is no way I can tell you conclusively whether or not I will work. If you do try, I’d love to hear how it works.
These look pretty easy to do, I will try them on the weekend. Thank you for sharing.
I’m going to try crushing Heath Bars and incorporating them into the batter. Like you say even the mistakes can be good. Now that I have found these great recipes I need to rescue my waffle iron from a garage sale I am going to have.
Love this idea and pinned the hash browns too. I have also made french toast in my waffle iron just soaking the bread in egg mix and laying on the grid closing the lid and waiting till the light goes out. Turned out great and removed real easy.
Great idea, Julie. I will have to try that! Thanks.
I just made these. DELICIOUS! I love how this is on pinterest so people can find a great idea. LOVE!!
Walmart has the waffle iron for 19.00. And tge brownie mix for 1.14