Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles

I don’t make waffles at home very much. Our waffle iron is small and old and crotchety and…well. You get the idea. It sucks, is what I’m saying.

HOWEVER. When I saw this recipe, I knew it would be worth the mess and the hassle. Brown sugar-coated bacon. In a waffle. Doused in maple syrup. Um, where do I sign up to eat that EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?

We loved these waffles, which should be a surprise to exactly no one. I did wish they were a bit sweeter, so next time I make these I’ll add an additional quarter cup of brown sugar to the batter. Served with some cheesy hash browns on the side, these waffles were the perfect breakfast-for-dinner treat.

There are few things on this earth that taste as good as bacon caramelized in brown sugar. So even though the recipe only calls for 10 strips, I recommend making a full pound of bacon so you’ll have some left over for snacking. Trust me, you’ll want to snack.

Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles
from Joy the Baker

10 slices of bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray and line with foil. Arrange bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with 1/4 cup brown sugar. Place in the upper third of the oven and bake until sugar is caramelized and bacon is brown and crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately remove bacon slices using a pair of tongs. Place them on a cutting board to cool before chopping. Once cool, chop the bacon into bite size pieces and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, set up your waffle iron on a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat.

3. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Whisk to blend. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold. Once almost fully incorporated, add the bacon. Stir.

4. Cook according to your waffle machine instructions.