Friday is National Donut Day! I am a huge fan of donuts. So much so that the other day, while at the supermarket, I was overcome by a donut craving. I could have gone to a bakery or a donut shop, but it was late and at the time a 12-pack of bad supermarket donuts seemed like a quick fix. Sadly, it wasn’t just the thing. I’m sad to say that the donuts were (unsurprisingly) bad. The next day, when I woke up, I saw the offenders on my counter top – 12 glistening donuts, one with a bite taken out of it. It was so bad that after the first bite I put the donut back in the package. Mike saw the damage and asked me just what the heck I was doing. Long story short, he suggested the waffle maker.
Total game changer, for real. I almost didn’t want to put this post up because, really, what kind of recipe is: buy glazed donuts and waffle in a waffle iron? But seriously, friends, waffled donuts need to be made! What started out life as a sad, stale, grocery store donut turned into a crispy, caramelized, creamy treat.
The outside, with it’s caramelized sugar glaze, reminded me in the best possible way of a Liège waffle. Liège waffles tend to be denser, sweeter, chewier and more delicious than your regular waffle and if you can’t be bothered to make yeasted waffle dough (which is what Liège waffles are made out of) a glazed yeast donut is the best possible stand in.
I loved the contrast between the crust, creamy insides and fluffy un-waffled spots. It’s pure genius! Of course, it’s not my genius – I’ll be the first to say that waffled donuts are not a new invention. People have waffled pizza, falafel and of course, donuts. However, I did discover, after a little research, that most people make waffled donuts in 1 of 2 ways: cake donut batter “baked” in a waffle machine or waffles cut out and deep-fried like a donut.
This is definitely the simpler route and may be a fraud of a recipe, but one bite and I think you’ll forgive me. How could you not!? WAFFLED DONUTS! Super-easy and super-delicious. It’s almost the weekend, time to get your donut on!
i am waffle, i am donut: i am wonut!
Waffled Donut Recipe
makes as many as needed
- glazed donuts, as many as needed
Heat up your waffle maker. Place donut in waffle maker and waffle until waffle is crisp, caramelized and delicious. Enjoy as is or topped with toppings of choice. I topped these ones with vanilla ice cream and raspberries, but during the testing period (read: basically an excuse to eat as many waffled donuts as possible) I ate them plain.
Notes:
I found the best kitchen utensil to place the donut on the waffle machine and take them off were chopsticks. Nice and small and easy to slide under the wonut.
Also, consume your wonut while it’s still warm. If you let it cool to the point at which the sugar cools down completely, you’ll have a tough nut – it’s the nature of hardened caramelized sugar. That being said, the caramelized sugar is HOT, so be careful not to burn the roof of your mouth in your excitement.
Clean-up is annoying, but worth it. It’s easier to clean a waffle iron while hot, using damp paper towels and chopsticks, so you can push the paper towel into all the crevices without burning your fingers.
It’s a DONUT PARTY! Please check out these other wonderful donuts by some of my favorite like-minded donut lovers:
The Faux Martha made the prettiest naturally sprinkled Mix and Match Donuts.
My Name Is Yeh also rocked the natural route, with Naturally Colored Glazes on Biscuit Donuts.
Hummingbird High has some deliciously deep-fried Sour Cream Donuts.
Wit + Vinegar whipped up some Baked Peanut Butter Oreo Donuts inspired by Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap.
Studio DIY with donut MARSHMALLOWS. I die. Kelly’s even MORE donut projects here.
Edible Perspective is a donut master and she has Gluten Free Samoa Baked Donuts, Savory Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Donuts AND Classic Buttermilk Donuts.
Coco Cake Land made Milk Tea Donuts. So. Good.
A Cozy Kitchen has some cozy Rhubarb Poppy Seed Baked Donuts and some notes on Let’s-Get-Our-Nails-Did-And-Then-Eat-Tacos-Day!
And if you’re still looking for more donuts, you can check my previous donuts out here, here, here and here.
ahhhhh i need this now!!! this is the best way to eat a doughnut that i’ve ever seen!!!
hahaha! thanks jessica!! xoxo
Wow. So many donuts I bought on impulse from Vons could have been vastly improved this way. At least now I know!
ugh, impulse donut buying is the worst. i always impulse buy :(
OY YOY YOY!!! crisp caramelized waffle-ized!!! the waffle press makes everything better!! such a hilarious idea and i LOVE it. obviously i have a waffle maker so i will most definitely be trying this! (there’s actually a tim hortons like 3 blocks away from our house so i could get a regular old glazed there…) xoxo GO DONUTS!!!
3 blocks away!? walking?! that’s dangerous lyndsay… :D
They always say ‘think out of the box’ and you totally did, Steph! Or should we thank Mike for this waffle donut amazingness? Well, it doesn’t really matter cause you’re probably not going to patent this anyway.
heehee it was ALL mike. but i’ll take credit for the execution :) thank you so much sini!! xoxo
me: look! steph made waffle donuts!!!!
nick: OHHH, I HATE HER!!!!!
(which is code for he loves you.)
hahahaha. i see glueten free donut waffles in your future :D
OH MY GOD. THIS IS HOW THE MAGIC IS MADE. GENUIS. I LOVE THIS SO HARD.
i love YOU so hard! xoxo
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. Seriously. You are amazing. I’ve poured doughnut batter into my waffle maker before, but THIS!? So freaking fantastic. Rock on, lady.
ooh, coming from a donut expert..i blush ashley! thanks lady! xoxo
This. Is. Amazing. (And 12 donuts with one bite out of one — I lol’ed in my office.) I am so in love with all of this, because is there anything better than making something mediocre and storebought into food heaven? The ultimate hack. If that weren’t enough, I’m kind of in love with any recipe that is as cute and dinky-compact as the little box above. “Glazed donuts, as many as needed” — I think I need a lot.
Love this SO MUCH Steph!!!
heehee…everyone needs a different amount of donuts :)
xoxo
This seriously is unlike anything I have ever seen, heard or tasted! Soooo good! Need to make these stat!
:D the best part is…they’re SO easy!
Hahaha I love the comments here. This is genius, for shurrrre! Oh my gah. The perfect antidote to day-old or crappy-quality donuts! Waffle everything. Waffle falafel? AHHH
–Oh, remember your mapo tofu waffle??
–Oh, and your clean-up method with CHOPSTICKS is as genius as this whole donut hack itself! <3
yes, yes, yes!! chopsticks are magical kitchen tools :)
yes to waffling errthang!!