12 Creative Ways To Use Frozen Waffles For Breakfast

The breakfast section of the frozen food aisle is nothing short of a treasure trove. Not only do you have every type of potato hash-adjacent product imaginable, but also frozen breakfast sandwiches, egg bites, smoothie packs, and our personal favorite: frozen waffles. These treats, which come in a range of styles — including classic buttermilk, Belgian-style, fruity-flavored, chocolatey, and even fun shapes – are a busy parent's saving grace. While they are great at pacifying kids and helping you get breakfast on the table fast, they're also a functional item to keep in your freezer as an adult.

Too often, these waffles are relegated to a short trip in the toaster, a paltry pat of butter, and a swipe of syrup — if you're lucky. But this breakfast food's utility extends far beyond this classic and common preparation. In an effort to highlight the versatility of this frozen staple, we've come up with a list of breakfast dishes where frozen waffles can be used as a substitute for, or in addition to, another ingredient. Their pockets, buttery flavor, and crispy texture make them an asset — you just have to think outside of the (waffle) box to help them achieve their fullest potential. 

Breakfast tacos are a great brunch food — and an even better way to use up your leftover toppings from taco night. Pack eggs, meat, cheese, and your toppings of choice — like avocado, pickled red onions, and salsa — onto soft corn or flour tortillas, and you have a portable, simple breakfast at your fingertips. The next time you're looking to turn a normally sweet breakfast savory, try swapping out your tortillas with frozen waffles. 

Frozen waffles are slightly thicker than a paper-thin tortilla, but as long as you get an unsweetened waffle, like an original or multigrain, you'll be just fine. The toppings will seep down into the waffle, and any moist ones, like salsa or hot sauce, will soak into the pockets and infuse every bite with flavor. 

The most challenging part of making this substitution is getting the waffle to bend perfectly without breaking or snapping. That said, you don't want to toast it too much, as it still needs to be pliable enough to fold. 

There is a lot to love about breakfast sandwiches. Not only are they incredibly versatile — allowing you to add any number of breakfast-adjacent fillings, like eggs, meat, sauces, avocado, and veggies — but you can also swap out the bread for a tastier alternative. A bagel guarantees a hearty sandwich, while an English muffin will give your sauces tons of nooks and crannies to hide in. While these conventional alternatives are tasty, frozen waffles are an even more compelling bread substitute. 

This portable frozen waffle hack is perfect for breakfast on the go or for times when you want to experiment with sweet and savory flavors. Waffles are quite large, and their square or rectangular shape makes them very conducive to sandwiching. Plus, the pockets will trap any dripping sauces or avocado, making them an excellent base for particularly messy fillings.  

You can toast your waffle to your heart's content, and then assemble your sandwich as you would with any other type of bread. Original and Belgian waffles are a great fit for your sandwich and can mesh well with an array of fillings, including veggies. Try using maple-infused frozen waffles as a sweet complement to a bacon or sausage sando. 

Avocado toast is the pinnacle of light (yet filling) breakfasts. It's relatively simple to make; all you need are an avocado, a base, and your toppings of choice. If you are all out of hearty multigrain bread or want a switch-up from your usual sourdough, consider reaching for frozen waffles instead. 

Frozen waffles don't just offer a buttery, subtly sweet flavor; they're also sturdy enough to support the weight of the avocado and your toppings. Since avocado toast tends to lean savory, thanks to toppings like canned fish and poached eggs, you'll want to opt for an original or multigrain waffle rather than a flavored variety. Waffles also tend to be quite hearty and dense, so you may want to spruce up your toast with acidic condiments like pickled red onions, lemon zest, cottage cheese, or a couple of dollops of ricotta. It's a simple yet still refreshing breakfast — and a great illustration of just how versatile frozen waffles can be.

If you're ordering brunch at a restaurant, you just have to get eggs Benedict — or some fancy, newfangled variation, like one made with lobster or fresh herbs. In its simplest form, eggs Benny brings together a toasted English muffin, ham, a poached egg, and more hollandaise sauce than your taste buds know what to do with. While the English muffin is a timeless component of this sandwich, it's not the best you can do. A toasted waffle has just the right number of pockets to soak up all that hollandaise sauce (arguably the best part of the meal). These waffles are also quite sturdy, so if you opt for the handheld approach instead of using a fork and knife, you won't have to worry about them crumbling under all those delicious layers. 

As expected, plain original waffles work great for this recipe, as they don't distract from the other components of the sandwich like a fruity or sweet waffle would. Though you might get away with a maple-infused waffle — which will complement the flavor of the ham — you're better off sticking to tradition and opting for a plain one instead. 

Yogurt is a terrific, light breakfast to kick off your day. But as any yogurt lover knows all too well, it's a food that can get boring fast. To make it more exciting, you need to consider layering it with differently textured ingredients to make the bite less monotonous. 

Frozen waffles are a great add-in for your yogurt bowl or breakfast parfait. Although they are soft, a quick trip to your toaster will help them retain their structure and prevent them from getting too soggy. While you shouldn't assemble your parfait with waffles the night before, the waffle cubes will generally stay fresh long enough for you to enjoy your bowl. 

This is one occasion where you can use sweeter and more unique waffle flavors. If you're already adding strawberries or blueberries to your parfait, consider stocking up on frozen blueberry or strawberry waffles. Maple waffles make a great sweet complement to honey-vanilla yogurt, while a chocolate chip waffle would draw more attention to a chocolatey granola. 

Croutons are often relegated to salads, but it turns out there are ways that you can integrate this timeless crunchy topping into the most important meal of the day, too. Grab a pack of frozen waffles, cut them into small pieces, and bake them in the oven (from frozen) until crispy. You'll have a simple garnish for your eggs, breakfast hash, or side of seasoned veggies. 

What we really love about this breakfast hack is that you can easily shift the flavor balance of these waffles to make them more savory. For example, if you're pairing your waffle croutons with a sausage-stuffed omelet, you may want to add the same spices in the sausage to your croutons. A sprinkle of sage, rosemary, or thyme can give your croutons a flavorful upgrade and create better synergy between the plate components. You can also give your croutons a blast of umami by adding some Parmesan cheese. The dry cheese offers the perfect amount of salt, as well as an irresistible savory flavor that meshes well with a variety of breakfast foods. 

You can also use your waffle croutons for sweet breakfasts, including yogurt bowls or oatmeal. Toss your waffles (plain or flavored) with cinnamon and sugar, then bake until perfectly crunchy. 

Bread pudding toes the line between a breakfast and a dessert. That said, it's appropriate to eat before 10 a.m. as long as it's called "French toast bake" — so we're calling it a breakfast food.

Traditionally, bread pudding is made by tossing cubed bread with a sweet custard and baking it until it sets and browns on top. It's sweet, flavorful, and a great way to use up leftover bread — or in this case, frozen waffles. This is one case where thick frozen waffles are preferable to the thin ones, as you'll get a more decadent and soft bite. 

You can leave your waffles whole or cube them into bite-sized pieces for this recipe. Once assembled in the pan, layer them with your custard and pop the tray into the oven. This is a super family-friendly breakfast that is easy to customize depending on the type of waffle you're using. Fruity waffles could benefit from a handful of dried fruit tossed into the custard, and you can make your breakfast even more decadent by adding a few spoonfuls of chocolate chips to the mixture before sliding it into the oven. 

If you have or work with kids, you know that getting them to eat can be exhausting. Making food fun — by cutting it into unique shapes, pairing it with different spreads, or switching up the way you serve it — can make foods seem both more exciting and enticing. 

When picky kids start giving you the eye-roll and the inevitable "Waffles ... again?" try getting creative by serving your waffles on skewers. You can cut the waffles out into bite-sized pieces using cookie cutters, then stick them on wooden skewers with sliced fruit. This can also be an excellent way to encourage your kids to eat more nutrient-dense foods like fruit alongside more sugary breakfast options like chocolate chip waffles. You don't have to stick to sweet waffle kebabs, either. Try adding small pieces of bacon or sausage to your skewers and serve them alongside a ramekin of maple syrup for dipping. 

Kids aren't the only ones who can appreciate these skewers. They're a great option to pass around if you need a sophisticated, yet low-budget finger food for your next brunch.

We would be remiss not to mention chicken and waffles on this list of the best ways to enjoy frozen waffles for breakfast. Sure, there are few better things in life than a homemade waffle topped with a piping-hot piece of fried chicken. But if you don't have a waffle maker at your disposal — or just don't want to complete the arduous task of making the batter, waiting for it to cook, then uttering a chain of expletives when you open the iron and realize it's either underdone or burned — it might be worth using frozen waffles instead. Choosing a convenient frozen waffle alternative also lets you focus your attention on perfecting the fried chicken. 

You can eat the chicken and waffles traditionally, or transform it into a sandwich by tucking the crispy chicken between the two soft waffles. Serve them as sliders at your next upscale brunch — just don't forget a little side of maple syrup for dipping. 

French toast or waffles? Don't worry, we're not going to make you choose — because you can have the best of both worlds when you pan-fry your waffles like they're French toast. Dredging the waffles in custard gives them a more flavorful, crispier shell that, yes, is reminiscent of French toast. Plus, you get the added bonus of extra pockets to hold your toppings. 

All you need to do for this simple recipe is place your thawed waffles in a bowl, coat them well on each side, then place them in the pan to cook. In a matter of minutes, the exterior should be perfectly browned and ready to eat. You can serve them with any toppings you would normally use for pancakes or waffles, including butter, maple syrup, or fresh berry compote. Regular waffles, or ones studded with fruit, chocolate chips, or maple syrup, are all excellent options for this tasty breakfast upgrade.

If you're serving a crowd, breakfast bakes are the way to go. Like a casserole, you can throw almost anything into one and it will still come out fine. One popular option under this umbrella is a savory breakfast strata, which often brings together ingredients like cheese, sausage, ham, and veggies. Instead of using chopped bread, swap in cubed, toasted waffles. The extra surface area and pockets offer even more places for the flavors to stick, making your meal all the more satisfying. 

Multigrain or original waffles work best for a savory breakfast bake. Their flavor profile is relatively neutral, meaning you can pair them with sharp or mild cheeses, including cheddar and Gruyère, and meats like bacon, sausage, smoked ham, and soppressata. 

There are tons of foods you can use for crust instead of pizza dough, including frozen waffles. Their pockets are the perfect vehicle for tomato sauce and cheese, and the crunch is absolutely top-tier. 

Pizza waffles hit the spot for an afternoon snack or a fridge/freezer raid dinner, but you can also use them for breakfast pizzas, too. To assemble your mini pizzas, add a swipe of white gravy (like the kind you'd make for sausage gravy and biscuits) before layering on cooked eggs, your breakfast meat of choice, and cheese. Since your eggs are already cooked and your waffles are already toasted, you don't want to leave your assembled "pizzas" in the oven for too long — a couple of minutes so the cheese can melt should suffice. These mini pizzas are super kid-friendly and a great way to switch up your normal breakfast routine.