Bacon Chocolate Chip Waffles

With the classic salty-sweet combination, these Bacon Chocolate Chip Waffles are sure to be a hit for your next weekend brunch!  

a stack of five bacon chocolate chip waffles with maple syrup poured on top.

Waffles are about as high maintenance as it comes for breakfast.  They’re not hard to make and I feel like waffles are almost universally adored.  But they just take so dang long to make a whole batch.

Pour in the batter.  Flip the waffle iron.  Wait 4-5 minutes.  Flip again.  Open the waffle iron.  Peel out the waffle.  Pour in more batter.  Repeat.  For a batch of 8 waffles, that is a lot of standing around and waiting time.

Heck, even poached eggs, which are much more logistically difficult, can be made 4 at a time!

Waffles are not part of our regular breakfast routine.  They are reserved solely for lazy weekend mornings with guests.  Friends and family sitting around the table, leisurely chatting, in no rush to eat breakfast.

Company hanging out in the kitchen while I (wo)man the waffle iron for the better part of an hour.  Waffles are for company.

At two years old, my son has already figured this out.  My parents came to stay with us this weekend and when he went upstairs to read books with Grandma and Grandpa, I said I was going to go bake some blueberry blintzes for breakfast.

“No Mommy!” he declared.  “Grandma and Grandpa here.  We have waffles for breakfast!”

And who am I to argue with a two year old who knows that overnight guests mean waffles?  So we made a batch of these bacon chocolate chip waffles for my bacon-loving 2-year-old, which was met with rave reviews “Mommy, BACON is hiding in my waffle! I found it!”

overhead images of a bacon chocolate chip waffle with syrup and extra chocolate chips and bacon sprinkled on top.

Easy to Make Waffles

Let’s talk for a minute about how easy these waffles are to prep (although of course, they do take some time to make!).

First up, you’ll need some cooked and crumbled bacon if you want to keep these as bacon chocolate chip waffles. You can make these ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator – they’ll heat and crisp up again when they’re cooked with the waffles.

Gather two bowls. In one bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar). In the other bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (buttermilk, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, and melted butter). Make sure you bring the buttermilk and milk up to room temperature and allow the melted butter to cool before mixing together – otherwise, the cold milk will cause the melted butter to harden in little lumps!

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing to combine with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Don’t overmix; a few lumps are okay, but no big pockets of flour. Fold in the bacon and chocolate chips.

You’ll notice that the batter is pretty thick – much thicker than typical pancake batter. Why is this so important for waffles? We can answer with my favorite subject – kitchen chemistry!

Kitchen Chemistry

Waffles are known for their characteristic pockets (perfect for trapping syrup or butter!). A thicker batter provides the necessary structural support for these pockets to form during the cooking process. The viscosity of the batter prevents it from spreading too much in the waffle iron, allowing the pockets to develop and create the crispy exterior and fluffy interior. 

waffle batter with mini chocolate chips and bacon pieces on top.

How to Keep Waffles Crispy

Speaking of that crispy exterior… it’s one of the best parts of the waffle! But all too often, waffles are soggy.  So let’s talk about how we can prevent that.

First up, make sure to not overwork the batter – lumps are okay when you mix by hand!  And for something like this, you should mix by hand – a stand mixer will overbeat the batter.

Secondly, how you store the hot waffles makes a huge difference.  If you’re waiting to serve all the waffles together, you might be tempted to stack them on top of each other on one plate.  Don’t do this! The steam released from the hot waffle sandwich makes them super soggy.

Instead, let each waffle sit in a single layer on a plate, on a cooling rack, or even directly on the oven racks in a warm oven. But don’t create a giant waffle stack (you know, like pictured here… do as I say, not as I do!) unless you want soggy, extra chewy waffles.

five bacon chocolate chip waffles stacked on a white plate.

Freeze Leftovers for Easy Mornings

Don’t want to deal with waiting one at a time to make waffles for guests?  Make them all ahead of time!  Also perfect for a weekday morning breakfast.  Whenever I make waffles, I make a few extra and store them, and my toddler loves a piece in the morning before I head off to work.

Cool each waffle on a wire rack, then freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet until hard.  Move the frozen waffles into a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.  Whenever you want a bacon chocolate chip waffle, remove from the freezer and reheat straight from frozen in a toaster or oven.  Easy peasy!

And believe me, you will want these often.  Salty, smokey bacon with sweet and melty chocolate chips.  It’s easy to see why these bacon chocolate chip waffles are so crowd-pleasing!

action photo of maple syrup pouring on a stack of bacon chocolate chip waffles.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Bacon Chocolate Chip Waffles

  1. Preheat the Waffle Iron: Ensure your waffle iron is thoroughly preheated before pouring in the batter. This helps achieve a golden brown exterior and prevents the waffles from sticking.
  2. Let the Batter Rest: While the waffle iron preheats, let the batter rest for a few minutes before cooking. This helps the liquids fully hydrate the flour and ensures a more consistent texture.
  3. Watch the Cooking Time: Keep an eye on the cooking time, especially if you’re not used to your waffle iron. A slight adjustment in heat or time can make a big difference in achieving the perfect crispness without overcooking.
  4. Make as Belgian Waffles: These are designed as regular waffles, but if you want to up your game and make super crunchy Belgian waffles, whip the egg whites separately. Mix the yolk into the liquid batter, combine the wet and dry ingredients, and then fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. The air trapped in the whipped egg whites provides the extra lift to make a classic deep-pocket Belgian waffle.
  5. Convert to Pancakes: No waffle iron? No problem! These bacon chocolate chip waffles can become bacon chocolate chip pancakes – just reduce the melted butter to 1/4 cup and increase the milk to 1 cup. If the batter is still thicker than your desired pancake batter, add an additional 1/4 cup of milk.
  6. Serve Warm: Waffles are at their prime when served fresh and warm. Place your already-cooked waffles in a preheated oven directly on the oven racks to maintain their temperature while you finish the rest.
  7. Freeze Leftovers for Later: Leftover waffles can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Heat the waffles in an oven or toaster oven until heated through and slightly crispy.

More Chocolate Breakfast Recipes:

Bacon Chocolate Chip Waffles

Bacon Chocolate Chip Waffles

Yield: 6 waffles
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

With the classic salty-sweet combination, these bacon chocolate chip waffles are sure to be at hit for your next weekend brunch!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspo0n baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
  • 3/4 cup (170 grams) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (170 grams) milk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup (177 grams) miniature chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat waffle iron to desired setting (recommended: medium).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, and melted butter, stirring until smooth.
  3. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture, whisking to combine. Do not over-mix; batter will be lumpy but no streaks of flour should remain. Gently fold in the bacon and chocolate chips.
  4. Scoop 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into the waffle iron, spreading if necessary. Cook as directed by your machine. Remove cooked waffles and store on a cookie rack if not serving immediately (this will prevent waffles from getting soggy).
  5. Serve while still hot with your favorite toppings.

Notes

  1. While the waffle iron preheats, let the batter rest for a few minutes before cooking. This helps the liquids fully hydrate the flour and ensures a more consistent texture.
  2. To make these as extra crispy Belgian waffles, whip the egg whites separately. Mix the yolk into the liquid batter, combine the wet and dry ingredients, and then fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.
  3. To make bacon chocolate chip pancakes, reduce the melted butter to 1/4 cup and increase the milk to 1 cup. If the batter is still thicker than your desired pancake batter, add an additional 1/4 cup of milk.
  4. Waffles are at their prime when served fresh and warm. Place your already-cooked waffles in a preheated oven directly on the oven racks to maintain their temperature while you finish the rest.
  5. Leftover waffles can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze in a single layer on parchment paper, then combine frozen waffles into a freezer bag. To cook, place the waffles on a metal cookie cooling rack and bake for 10 minutes at 400 °F, or until fully heated throughout.

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Bacon Chocolate Chip Waffles: Take your brunch to the next level with this crowd pleasing salty-sweet winning combination.