Crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, these Red Velvet Waffles are full of flavor and loaded with the most delicious cream cheese filling!
Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Although I’ve been a single pringle for way too many Valentine’s Days to admit, there are a few things I enjoy about this holiday. For one thing, the decor is predominantly pink, red, and white, which is probably one of the girliest color schemes one can think of. Secondly, there’s chocolate EVERYwhere! From chocolate-covered strawberries and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates to chocolate tarts and chocolate cakes, there’s absolutely no shortage of chocolate. And lastly, there’s the day AFTER Valentine’s Day in which stores mark all of their Valentine’s candy half-off!
Along with candy clearance sales, one thing I can’t get enough of is red velvet. With a deliciously subtle cocoa flavor and bold red hue, there’s really nothing more fitting for Valentine’s Day than red velvet. That’s why it’s absolutely crucial for you to make these Red Velvet Waffles for your honey (or yourself) this Valentine’s Day!
Now, have you ever seen a stack of waffles more gorgeous than this?
I didn’t think so…
I’m not sure how anyone could eat a plain ol’ waffle after seeing this red velvet bombshell. If Jessica Rabbit was a stack of waffles, this is what she would look like.
While these waffles might look as intimidating as Jessica Rabbit herself, I promise you they’re not that difficult to make. In fact, it’s really not much different from making traditional waffles. You start off by combining some milk with a little lemon juice, which is essentially making buttermilk. I never have buttermilk on hand, so this milk solution makes for a very convenient substitute!
Next you’ll combine all of the dry ingredients–flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Why the cornstarch? This seems to be a secret ingredient for everything when it comes to baking. In this case, cornstarch prevents the waffles from getting soggy from the steam when cooking in the waffle iron, leaving you with perfectly crisp and tender edges.
Another tip for achieving the perfect texture is to whip the egg whites seperately instead of just whisking them whole with the other wet ingredients. Why? Beating the egg whites beforehand gives you fluffier, taller waffles with a nice and crispy exterior. Once they’ve been beaten to soft peaks, I add the sugar, then continue beating until stiff and glossy. The sugar makes it easier to fold into the batter.
Once the egg yolks, vegetable oil, vanilla, and homemade buttermilk are combined, the red food coloring is added. To avoid over-mixing the batter, I prefer to add the red food coloring to the wet ingredients before incorporating the dry ingredients. Depending on the type of food coloring (gel or liquid), it’s a little difficult to gauge exactly how much should be added in order to get that vibrant red hue. I tend to add a few drops at a time, stir, add a few more drops, stir, etc. I suggest making the mixture as RED as you can since the addition of the whipped egg whites and dry ingredients will reduce the boldness of the color.
After the wet ingredients are combined with the dry ingredients and the egg whites, it’s time to cook up the waffles. Having a good waffle iron DEFINITELY helps if you want those fluffy, tall, and evenly browned waffles. Using a flip waffle iron allows the batter to spread out evenly, creating a complete waffle without all that drippy batter mess. But honestly, these waffles are going to taste phenomenal whether you have a fancy waffle iron or not, so don’t stress it if you have a traditional waffle press.
Since red velvet is NEVER complete without its delicious counterpart, cream cheese frosting, I stacked these waffles between layers of fluffy cream cheese filling. It’s just a simple mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipped topping. Quick, easy, and absolutely divine…
If the waffles and cream cheese filling weren’t enough, I decided to dress this brunchelicious dish up even more with some melted chocolate and toasted pecans. Because why not? It is Valentine’s Day, isn’t it? Besides, the extra richness of the dark chocolate along with the nutty crunch of the pecans adds a whole new level of heavenliness that’s nothing short of exquisite.
I gotta say, if there’s one thing to be grateful for when it comes to flying solo, it’s not having to share mouthwatering dishes like these with ANYone…
Red Velvet Waffles
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 6 ounces whipped topping thawed
Waffles:
- 2 ¼ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs separated
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Red food coloring*
Optional Extras:
- Melted chocolate
- Toasted chopped pecans
Instructions
Make the Cream Cheese Filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add a third of the whipped topping and continue beating.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the rest of the whipped topping. Refrigerate filling until ready to serve.
Make the Waffles:
- In a medium bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice. Allow to sit while you work on the batter. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt together; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, using an electric beater on high speed, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, then continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Add the egg yolks, oil, vanilla, and food coloring to the milk mixture and stir until combined. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined--batter should be lumpy. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites.
- Cook batter in a waffle iron according to manufacturers instructions. If not serving immediately, place waffle onto a wire rack that's on top of a baking sheet and into a preheated 200ºF oven.
- When ready to serve, top waffles with a dollop (or two) of the cream cheese filling. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle toasted pecans on top.