Fluffy Waffles with Cinnamon Cream Syrup

Joe and I used to go out for breakfast every Sunday morning, but in an effort to be more frugal, lately I've been making breakfast at home on the weekends. I used to make breakfast for us a lot, but at some point I just got out of the habit. It's nice to be doing it again.

I found this recipe in one of my trusty Taste of Home cookbooks, and I thought it sounded intriguing. I'd never heard of anything remotely like cinnamon cream syrup before -- but it sounded delicious, and I knew I had to give it a try. Both the waffles and the syrup turned out so well. The waffles were light and fluffy, just as the recipe's name promised, no doubt because of the beaten egg whites. In fact, I'm pretty sure that this waffle recipe is going to be my go-to base from now on.

The cinnamon cream syrup was the real star of the show, though. I couldn't use my stovetop to make it (my oven is currently defunct, a nightmare which I'd rather not discuss at this moment), so I used the microwave to heat it up. While it probably wasn't as thick as it would have been otherwise, the flavor was absolutely delicious. I thought it made the waffles taste like cinnamon toast. Joe said it tasted like Christmas, which is absolutely true. I'll definitely be making this breakfast again!

Fluffy Waffles with Cinnamon Cream Syrup
Source: Taste of Home's Best of Country Breakfast and Brunch

For the waffles:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

For the syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg yolks, milk, and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

2. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.

3. Meanwhile, for syrup, combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 mintues or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Serve with waffles.