Ladies and gentlemen it is time to get our waffle on! Not for any particular reason, but just because waffles are where it’s at. And these waffles have a very special outfit on. They’re waffles disguised as jelly donuts…or jelly donuts disguised as waffles? Again, it’s not important. What is important is the anatomy of these waffles.
Photography and recipe by Sarah Coates of The Sugar Hit (who’s new book The Sugar Hit! Sweets that pack a punch comes out September 8th. Order here!)
Let me run you through it: you’ve got a nutmeg-scented, crisp, traditional waffle, a crunchy coating of cinnamon sugar, and a healthy dollop of whatever jam or jelly your heart desires (mine always desires raspberry). If it’s after 5pm I like to add a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream on top, but that’s because I’m a deviant.
If you wanted to, you could easily replace the jam with some fresh fruit, and I should tell you that without the sugar coating, this is a solid waffle recipe, just waiting for some butter and syrup. But we’re not just shooting for standard breakfast fare, here. This is a waffle recipe to make Leslie Knope proud! In fact, she would probably sprinkle a little extra sugar on top, but I had to draw the line somewhere.
There are a couple of general, waffle making tips which it always helps to keep in mind. Firstly, this recipe calls for oil, not butter. That’s because oil in the batter is the only way to a consistently crispy waffle, and I do love a crispy waffle – you could easily swap it out if you prefer butter. Secondly, make sure to preheat your waffle iron so that the first one cooks nicely, there should no need to sacrifice a waffle to the bin. And finally, if you can be bothered, you really should read the instructions! They’re actually useful, as crazy as that sounds!
And then once all that boring stuff is out of the way, you’re left with nothing but pure, donut-flavoured, waffle-icious, happiness.
Jelly Donut Waffles
Makes 6 Waffles (1/2 cup batter each)
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
½ cup flavorless oil (peanut oil or canola oil)
1 tsp cinnamon
Your jam or jelly of choice
To make the waffles, place the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the egg, milk and oil, and stir together with a wooden spoon. Don’t worry if the batter is lumpy – just don’t overmix. On a large flat plate with a lip, stir together the remaining 1 cup sugar and the cinnamon – make sure the plate is big enough to fit your waffles.
Bake the waffles on a medium-high setting on your waffle maker – they should be nice and dark golden brown. They will seem soft at first, but a few seconds out of the waffle maker, they will be crispy! Now, quickly transfer the waffles to the cinnamon sugar, and coat on both sides – it might clump and fall off, but just persevere. Continue until all the waffles are made, and then serve with a dollop of your favourite jam.
