These cheddar cornbread waffles are deliciously savory, making them a perfect foundation for the best chicken and waffles you’ve ever had. If that’s not your style, then a simple drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of chives is just as fantastic.

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a bite of waffle on a fork on a white plate with a whole waffle this recipe

Start with the cheese

Get a block and shred it yourself. I promise, it’s much better than the pre shredded kind. Plus, you can control how fine the shred is, which is important here. If the shreds are too big and chunky, they’ll burn on the waffle grates. Most box shredders have a small/fine side that will work perfectly.

You can certainly add more cheese if you’d like, but I wouldn’t go with more than a cup. After that, you start to lose the flavor of the cornbread.

Use melted butter

Instead of oil. They are interchangeable, but the butter really gives these cheddar cornbread waffles better flavor.

Separate the eggs

Although these waffles call for baking powder, they get some more lift from egg whites beaten into stiff peaks. This also helps to give the waffles a crisper edge. Gently fold the whipped whites in once the rest of the batter comes together. It will be fairly thick before adding the egg whites, but once they’re all folded in, things should loosen up a bit and become more pourable.

waffles with chives sprinkled on top and a cup of coffee
a bite of waffle next to a whole waffle on a white plate

Cook on medium

No matter what waffle iron you have, there should be room to choose low, medium and high. Whether that’s a dial or button, choose medium. Even though it might claim to be nonstick, always oil the inside grates before adding the batter. It’s just extra insurance against sticking, especially with the cheese in this recipe.

My waffle maker rotates, so I always add the batter, close the waffle maker, and let it cook for 3 minutes. Rotate and cook for another minute and a half. This always gives me perfectly browned waffles, but you should really defer to the instructions that came with your specific waffle maker. Some of you might not have rotating waffle makers, and that’s ok! You’ll still have a stack of these amazing cheddar cornbread waffles.

Serving & Storing

Like I said before, these waffles are perfect to pile up with fried chicken for chicken and waffles. We like to dunk them in either honey or maple syrup and sprinkle with chives. That cornbread + cheese + honey + onion-y chive is just SO GOOD. Make sure and refrigerate any leftovers and eat within a couple days.

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a bite of waffle next to a whole waffle on a white plate

Cheddar Cornbread Waffles

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  • Author: Megan
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 large waffles 1x
  • Category: Brunch
  • Method: Waffle Maker
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Tender and delicious cornbread waffles get a savory edge from sharp cheddar cheese.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 2 cups whole milk buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup + 2 TB honey
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup fine ground cornmeal
  • 1 TB + 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 TB vegetable oil for greasing the waffle maker

Instructions

  1. Preheat your waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, making sure not to use the highest setting. I like to keep mine on the middle setting, which is a 3 on a 1-6 scale.
  2. Separate the eggs, adding the yolks and whites to separate medium mixing bowls.Β Add the buttermilk and honey to the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Set aside. In a larger mixing bowl (large enough to hold all of the finished batter), whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and shredded cheese together until combined. Pour the buttermilk/egg yolk mixture into the flour/cheese, and add the melted butter. Fold everything together with a spatula until well combined. The batter should be thick, almost spreadable. Set aside.
  3. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites into stiff peaks and fold them into the batter.
  4. Brush your preheated waffle maker with some of the vegetable oil, and add the amount of batter recommended by the manufacturer’s instructions. Refer to those instructions again to figure out how long to cook the waffles for, each waffle maker is different. Make sure to brush the grates with oil before you cook each waffle.
  5. Serve hot with minced chives and honey, or maple syrup if desired! Leftover waffles should be refrigerated and eaten within a couple days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 waffle
  • Calories: 437
  • Sugar: 15.8 g
  • Sodium: 19375.2 mg
  • Fat: 29.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 18.5 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 33.3 g
  • Fiber: 0.6 g
  • Protein: 10.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 128 mg

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