These cheddar and chive savoury waffles make the perfect breakfast, brunch or dinner. Crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, these waffles are packed with the savoury flavour of a sharp, aged cheddar and fresh chives. Serve topped with a poached egg and some avocado for a delicious meal.
After binge watching Antoni Porowski on Easy-Bake Battle, mum and I ended up with a massive craving for savoury waffles so headed out to Kmart to pick up a waffle maker and walked out with the cutest mini one for just $15.
I really wanted to share that you don’t need expensive or complicated appliances to make delicious food!
And so our adventure with testing waffle recipes began. My first attempt was quite doughy and not at all crispy and severely lacked flavour, so I outsourced the recipe development to mum who discovered that buttermilk was the key to getting that perfect waffle texture.
These waffles are so delicious and make the perfect extra special savoury breakfast. They are tasty on their own but are made even better topped with avocado and an egg.
And before you ask, yes most of my recipes on my site are dairy-free, this one is not. However it is lactose free due to the aged cheddar I use. Just like I explained in my carbonara recipe, some hard cheeses like parmesan and cheddar are naturally lactose-free due to the cheese making process.
Basically, most of the lactose present in milk is in the whey, which is then separated from the curds during the cheesemaking process. The ageing process then breaks down any remaining lactose that could be leftover. To be safe, always look for cheeses aged over the 12 month mark to ensure there has been enough time to break down the remaining lactose.
Key Ingredients
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make these savoury cheese waffles. Most of the ingredients should also be pantry staples.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Milk – I use dairy free milk such as oat milk in these waffles as that’s what I prefer using in my cooking but you could also substitute with any dairy free or lactose free milk you like to keep the recipe ok for those with a lactose intolerance.
- White vinegar – this is added to the milk creating a ‘buttermilk’ substitute that is going to keep our waffles soft and tender.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Corn flour – also known as cornstarch in the US, helps give the waffles the best texture.
- Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) – gives the waffles rise and keeps them light and soft.
- Egg – keeps the batter together so the waffles hold their shape.
- Olive oil – helps prevent the batter sticking and helps create crispy edges.
- Aged cheddar cheese – just like parmesan, some aged and mature cheddar cheeses contain very little to no lactose making them safe to eat for those people with lactose allergies or intolerances. Again, like parmesan it comes down to the cheese making process and the period of ageing as to how much lactose it may contain. The brand I trust to eat is Mainland Vintage 24 months aged or the Epicure 32 months. Both give a sharp, strong flavour without the lactose. You can substitute any cheese you prefer with a strong flavour including a dairy free version.
- Fresh chives – adds flavour and freshness to the waffles. They are seriously delicious in this recipe.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make these savoury cheese and chive waffles, you will of course need a waffle maker. I was hesitant to go out and buy yet another new appliance and have it take up space in my kitchen but I really wanted to make waffles. That’s when I found the perfect waffle maker at Kmart.
This is a mini waffle maker that costs $15 and I love it. It’s small and compact, inexpensive and most importantly super cute.
Start by pouring the lactose-free milk into a small bowl. Add the white vinegar and give it a good stir. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes creating a homemade buttermilk substitute. This is the key to the soft and tender texture of these waffles that make them super addicting.
Make your batter by combining the plain flour, corn flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. In another bowl, beat the egg and then add the olive oil. Now, pour in the buttermilk mixture you made earlier. Give it a good mix until everything is well combined.
Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir gently until they come together, but remember not to overmix. A few lumps are perfectly fine and will make your waffles extra fluffy.
Finally, it’s time to FOLD IN THE CHEESE (IYKYK). Mix through the grated cheddar and chopped chives using a spatula until combined.
Heat your waffle iron and give it a spray with cooking oil to prevent the batter from sticking. For the Kmart mini waffle maker, it needs just ¼ cup of batter per waffle but adjust the amount of batter needed for your waffle maker.
Close the lid and cook until the waffle is golden and crispy. Repeat until all of the batter has been used.
Serve your waffles as is or with your favourite savoury toppings. I love them with a perfectly poached egg and avocado.
Recipe FAQs
Waffles keep well covered in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Waffles reheat very well in the toaster or in the air fryer until warm and crispy.
More breakfast or brunch ideas:
Breakfast Potatoes with Asparagus and Egg
Dutch Pancake
The BEST Vegan Banana Bread
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
Cheddar and Chive Savoury Waffles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup lactose free milk
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 cup plain flour
- ¼ cup corn flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup grated aged cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the lactose-free milk and white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to create a buttermilk substitute.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, corn flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then add the olive oil. Pour in the prepared “buttermilk” mixture and mix well.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
- Gently fold in the grated cheddar cheese and chopped fresh chives into the batter.
- Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Lightly grease the waffle iron with a small amount of oil or cooking spray. Pour enough batter onto the preheated waffle iron to cover the waffle grid (for my mini Kmart waffle iron, this is ¼ cup batter per waffle). Close the lid and cook until the waffle is golden brown and crisp.
- Carefully remove the waffle and repeat the process with the remaining batter.
- Serve the Cheddar and Chive Savoury Waffles warm, either on their own or with your favourite savoury toppings, such as poached eggs and avocado.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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