Chef Capon’s Bacon Cheddar Waffles

These savory Bacon Cheddar Scallion waffles are a recipe from Chef Josh Capon, and they’re mighty delicious. If you’ve never tried a savory waffle before, these are the first to try.

Now that we’re settling into our new (585 square foot!) apartment, I’ve been going through my kitchen inventory as I unpack everything. Since my waffle iron is pretty big, I usually keep it tucked away in the closet and don’t pull it out very often. To be honest, it’s easy to forget I have it. When I unpacked it this past week, I decided I was long overdue for some waffles.

I definitely enjoy a sweet waffle with butter and maple syrup, but I like savory waffles even better. These Bacon Cheddar Scallion waffles are my go-to, and they’re by a brilliant chef by the name of Josh Capon.

Chef Capon made these waffles at an event I went to last Thanksgiving, and I was ecstatic to get the recipe. If you don’t know Chef Capon, he’s known for some excellent restaurants here in NYC, for winning the NYCWFF Burger Bash a few times, and you may have seen him guest judging on Food Network’s Chopped before. He’s hilarious and an awesome guy, but of course, he knows how to make GOOD food.

When I first made these waffles, I was startled to see how much butter is in the recipe. But, I’ve never felt compelled to try cutting down the butter to see what happens. They’re so good I don’t want to mess with them, and if you’re going for low-fat waffles anyway, this is not where you want to do it. The waffles are full of sharp cheddar cheese, smoky bacon, and scallions. Each bite has a ton of flavor.

To get started, whisk to combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl:

For the wet ingredients, whisk to combine egg yolks, milk, and melted butter:

Take the leftover egg whites and whip them to soft peaks with a mixer:

I always take the extra couple minutes required to whip egg whites and fold them into the waffle batter, as it results in a much lighter waffle. If you’ve seen my 5 Secrets to Crisp, Flavorful Golden Waffles post, that’s one of the 5 secrets.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then when they are almost mixed together, add the egg white:

Add cooked bacon, scallions, and grated cheddar as well:

Fold it all together very gently, until mixed. Then portion it out into your preheated waffle iron:

Cook for about five minutes, until golden:

Then, make sure to put the waffles in a 200 degree oven for at least a couple minutes, directly on the oven racks, so they can crisp up and release more steam. This will also keep them warm while you make the other waffles. Enjoy!

PS Since I always get asked, this is the waffle iron I have. It’s definitely an investment, but it’s fantastic quality, and you can make two gigantic waffles at once. Beware though, it is HUGE!

Chef Capon's Cheddar Bacon Waffles

Yield: Makes 5 BIG waffles

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:15 minutes

Total Time:30 minutes

These Savory Waffles have cheddar, bacon, and scallions as the star ingredients. They are a total treat for brunch!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (10 oz)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1.5 cups milk
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2.5 oz grated cheddar cheese
• 3 scallions, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat your waffle iron. Mine only has one setting anyway, but you want the iron to be pretty hot.
2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk to combine the egg yolks, milk, and butter. Set aside.
5. In a large (and very clean) bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until they are almost combined. Add the egg whites, bacon, cheese, and scallions to the bowl, and gently fold them in until combined.
7. Portion the batter into your waffle iron (the amount will vary by waffle iron, but I use about one cup per waffle), and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until golden brown.
8. When the waffle has finished cooking, place directly on the wire rack in the oven, to let the steam escape. Finish cooking the remaining waffles, and enjoy!

All images and text ©Fifteen Spatulas.