13 Next-Level Waffle Recipes

When Michael Mina was a boy, his parents used to take him to the now-defunct Four Seasons hotel in Seattle for Christmas brunch, where he always ordered waffles. "They were dynamite," he recalls. This recipe is as close to the one of his childhood as he could get it. Cornmeal makes the waffles crispy; ricotta keeps them moist.

Jen Pelka of The Riddler in San Francisco makes supercrunchy and delicious waffles using Tater Tots. One of her more hearty ways of serving the waffles is topped with prosciutto and mixed greens, along with a quick mix of crème fraîche and mustard.

Finely ground roasted almonds add terrific flavor to these crispy buttermilk waffles.

Thomas DeGeest went to Belgium to learn from master waffle-makers and perfect his own recipes. He came back with ideas for two styles of waffle, including this light, crispy Brussels version. Toppings can include dulce de leche, maple syrup and Belgian Chocolate-Fudge Sauce.

Jeff Potter offers a waffle recipe made with yeast instead of baking powder in his book, Cooking for Geeks. A yeast enzyme called zymase helps make the waffles rich and sweet.

A lot of butter in the batter makes these waffles extra crisp. As a general rule, adding less butter to a batter results in a fluffier waffle.

Malin Elmlid bartered her bread for Belgian pearl sugar, the key ingredient in these Liège-style waffles: The smooth balls of sugar add pops of sweetness and caramelize to make the exterior crisp. Elmlid sometimes flavors her waffles with saffron, but the vanilla-scented ones here are more traditional.

Jen Pelka of The Riddler in San Francisco makes supercrunchy and delicious waffles using Tater Tots, then tops them with poached eggs and truffles, making them ideal for brunch.

Jen Pelka of The Riddler in San Francisco makes supercrunchy and delicious waffles using Tater Tots. One of her more hearty ways of serving the waffles is topped with prosciutto and mixed greens, along with a quick mix of crème fraîche and mustard.

Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s Belgian Waffles are light and crispy, with plenty of deep, large squares for butter, syrup, whipped cream, and fresh berries.

When we made these dead-simple waffles from Pam Anderson's cookbook, Cook Smart, their rich buttermilk flavor and crisp yet light texture won over even longtime yeast-waffle fans.

Instead of serving blini alongside a tin of caviar, Justin Chapple makes these adorable handheld snacks. Waffles are cut into strips, and the pockets are filled with caviar, crème fraîche, and snipped chives to form the perfect pop-in-your-mouth morsel.

Turn your basic waffle batter into a super-savory meal by adding fiery kimchi and gooey cheddar cheese