how to make waffles without a waffle maker

Are you wondering how to make waffles without a waffle maker? You’re in luck.

While a waffle maker certainly simplifies the art of creating waffles at home, you won’t always need one to create the perfect dessert. If you have a grill pan and other baking or cooking tools, you can still whip up a batch of waffle batter and make mouthwatering waffles.

As with most things, you might need to experiment when cooking waffles with the methods mentioned below. However, if you’re willing to test your options thoroughly, you’ll soon discover how easy it is to make waffles without a waffle maker.

Let’s start checking out some of the techniques you can try.

How to Make Waffles Without a Waffle Maker: 3 Ways

Method 1: Using a Silicone Waffle Mould

Just like making your waffles without a waffle maker in a pan, you can use the same ingredients and recipe you would use for your waffles in a silicone waffle mould. This strategy involves using a waffle mould inside the oven when you’re cooking without a waffle iron. Because you’re using a mould to make your waffles, you can still achieve the crispy edges and square indentations for delicious waffles.

To make your waffles, start with your waffle recipe, whisked together in a bowl until they’re smooth. Use your whisk to get rid of any lumps of powder as you combine all the ingredients.

Place your waffle moulds on a baking sheet (making sure it fits well into your oven). You can then preheat the oven to around 430 degrees before filling the moulds with your recipe. Level the waffle mould with a ladle if necessary, and be careful not to fill the waffle mould too far.

Bake your waffles in the oven for around 9-10 minutes, until the edges start to look golden brown and the batter appears to be well cooked. Remove the waffles from the moulds, and be careful not to touch the tray with your hands after baking your waffles.

You can serve these new waffles with a delicious range of ingredients, from sugar and vanilla ice cream to fresh fruit, homemade jam, whipped cream, and maple syrup.

Method 2: Using a Griddle Pan

Grill pan waffles, or waffles made with a griddle pan, are a popular choice among many. Making griddle pan waffles without a waffle maker is so much easier that you might wonder why anyone bothers investing in a waffle iron in the first place.

Grill pans are used to make all kinds of foods, from vegetables and meats to homemade paninis. The unique texture of the pan makes it excellent for whipping up a set of waffles for your fried chicken, with the same texture and taste you know and love. Don’t be concerned if your griddle pan waffles look a little like pancakes – they still taste like delicious waffles.

Step 1: Mix a Batch of Waffle Batter

To make waffles with a pan, you’ll need to start by creating one batch of waffle batter in a large bowl. To mix the batter, find your favourite recipe and carefully combine the wet ingredients with dry flour and sugar.

Mixing the wet and dry ingredients carefully can help maintain some of the extra air you want to keep in your traditional waffle experience.

Step 2: Place Your Grill Pan Over Medium Heat

Prepare your grill pan by placing it over medium heat so it can start getting hot. You’ll need some canola oil, butter, or vegetable oil to stop the waffles from sticking when cooking waffles without a waffle maker. The best option is to brush the warm pan with butter before you add the batter. Make sure you wait until the butter starts to melt before you get cooking.

Step 3: Add the Waffle Mixture

When the butter is sizzling, you can add the waffle mixture carefully, spooning large batches and allowing the mixture to spread evenly around the pan. You can add more of the recipe to your pan than with pancakes. The ridges in the pan might make the finished product look a little weird, but don’t worry about that – the result will still be delicious.

With the heat on medium-low, allow the waffle to simmer, cooking until bubbles begin forming on the top. The edges should look crispy and dry before you grab your spatula. Flip the mix so the other side of your waffle can cook too. Don’t worry if you’ve made a little mess during this process.

Step 4: Press the Waffle Using a Spatula

Pressing down on the top of the waffle with your spatula will get your waffle to stick to the pan’s ridges, which will create little indentations for your toppings to drip into.

Step 5: Let the Waffle Cool on a Wire Rack

When your waffles are finished cooking, transfer them from the non-stick pan over to a wire rack to cool. You can keep your waffles in the oven on very low heat or the warming setting to keep them at the right temperature if you’re making more than one waffle.

Method 3: Using a Sandwich Maker

Using a sandwich maker is another alternative – but it might be a messy way to make waffles, particularly if you regularly use a waffle maker. To use a sandwich maker to make waffles, you’ll need to coat the inside of the maker in oil or melted butter to ensure the recipe doesn’t stick to the metal. Pour some of your mixtures into the machine where you would typically place your sandwich, and close the lid, allowing it to cook for at least one minute.

Serve immediately after removing your waffles from the sandwich maker, adding whatever toppings you like to the mix. Some sandwich makers might not have a deep enough pan to make waffles, so check this before you start mixing up your recipe.

Method 3: Using a Cake Pan and an Oven

Another option for creating waffles without a waffle iron is to try a cake pan. There are special cake pans out there designed for preparing waffles. Make sure you research your options carefully, depending on whether you want soft or crispy waffles. Some pans are designed for thinner or thicker waffles, which can affect the recipe’s outcome.

Your pan will bake your waffles evenly, giving you a delicious golden brown finish. As with any strategy for making waffles without a waffle maker, make sure you coat the inside of the pan with butter or oil to ensure the waffle batter doesn’t stick. You’ll also need to follow the instructions on how to make waffles with your specific pan. Depending on your oven and pan choice, you may need to bake your waffles at a certain temperature.

Is Pancake Mix The Same as Waffle Mix?

The most important part of learning how to make waffles without a waffle maker is getting the ingredients right. Whether you’re using a mould or a pan, you’ll need to find the right recipe.

Notably, while pancake batter and waffle recipe batter have a lot of the same ingredients, they’re not the same. Your waffle recipe includes baking powder to help the waffle rise when you’re cooking it, which generally isn’t needed with pancakes.

The wet ingredients are usually similar to a pancake, like eggs, milk, and sometimes vanilla extract. However, waffles usually contain more sugar and fats. You can also use wheat flour and similar ingredients within your dry ingredients to make your waffle taste different. Your dry ingredients can also include salt and cinnamon for extra flavour alongside your chosen flour.

To make a waffle, you can keep the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then make sure they’re thoroughly mixed before adding the eggs, milk, vanilla, and other wet ingredients. When mixing the milk and eggs into the flour and sugar, make sure you don’t leave any pockets of powder behind. You’ll need to whisk thoroughly to break any remaining powder up.

A possible recipe to make waffles with could be:

milk, eggs, and butter
  • Milk (whole or semi-skimmed
  • 4 large eggs
  • Oil or melted butter
  • Sugar or honey – 2 tsp
  • Apple cider vinegar- 2 tsp
  • Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
  • All-purpose flour – 3 cups
  • Baking soda – ½ tsp
  • Baking powder – 1 tsp
  • Salt – ½ tsp
  • Cinnamon – ½ tsp
  • Vanilla extract – a couple of drops

Making Waffles Without a Waffle maker

However, if you choose to make waffles without a waffle maker, follow the instructions carefully. For instance, if you make waffles in a pan, you’ll need to wait until the butter starts to sizzle before adding your waffle mixture. Make sure your system is preheated if you make waffles in a sandwich maker or a mould. You’ll need to carefully watch the waffles sticking out of your moulds or pans to check they’re cooking well.

If anything gets burned, you can use substances like white vinegar to clean your silicone waffle moulds and pans with a little baking soda. After little practice cooking waffles without a waffle maker, you should feel confident with everything from your grill pan to oven pans.

Figuring out how to make waffles without a waffle maker isn’t as difficult as many people might think. Of course, if you have trouble, investing in a waffle maker or waffle iron might be a good option – mainly if you’re using a waffle maker alternative regularly.

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