Brian Nagele
If you’re a waffle lover like me, you know that there’s more than one way to enjoy a waffle.
Because I have a waffle maker at home, these breakfast classics make their way onto my table practically weekly, which means that to make sure I don’t get bored, I have to switch up what I put on top of them.
Below are my fifteen favorite toppings for waffles, some sweet, some savory, to ensure that no matter what mood you’re in, there’s something on this list that you’ll want to try.
Thes best part about these waffle toppings is that they’re easy to find at the store, and there’s a good chance you’ll already have a lot of the toppings lying around your house.
So, without further ado, here are the best waffle toppings.
Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is a classic topping for desserts, but it goes great on waffles as well.
If you’ve ever ordered waffles at a restaurant, they’re likely to serve them to you with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
You can replicate this presentation at home and on top of virtually any sweet waffle with a dollop (or more) of whipped cream.
Whether you prefer store-bought whipped cream or you like to make your own, this classic whipped topping goes particularly well with fruit toppings like peaches and strawberries.
If you’re a waffle connoisseur, you can put fruit directly into your waffle batter instead of as a topping, and then the only thing you need to complete your waffle is a dollop of whipped cream!
Maple Syrup
Perhaps the most classic waffle topping, there was no way I could write an article about waffle toppings and not mention maple syrup.
Whether you like table syrup or pure maple syrup, plain waffles with syrup are a classic combination, and sometimes it feels good to get back to the basics.
Best of all? Both table syrup and pure maple syrup have a long shelf life, so even if you feel like the initial investment is costly (in the case of pure maple syrup), it will last for a long time, so you can keep coming back to this treat over and over again.
Cinnamon Sugar
A classic topping for any breakfast treat and especially popular amongst kids, cinnamon sugar is an excellent addition to any waffle.
You can easily combine it with other toppings like bananas and whipped cream.
Store-bought cinnamon sugar is a staple in many pantries, but don’t panic if you’re out; you can make it at home with the same two ingredients in its name: cinnamon and sugar.
To make, simply pour some white sugar into a bowl, using a fork to break up any chunks that have formed. Next, pour in the desired amount of cinnamon (start with a few dashes and work up from there) and mix.
Store any leftover cinnamon sugar you have for next time, or pour it straight into your waffle batter to spice things up!
Ice Cream
If you love whipped cream on your waffles, you’re really going to love ice cream.
This frozen treat makes a great topping on any waffle, and vanilla ice cream goes well with any other sweet topping.
The best way to enjoy ice cream on your waffles is to put it on right as you take your waffle out of the waffle iron, so it’s extra melty.
This way, some of the ice cream has time to absorb into the waffle, making it creamy and delicious, while you can still enjoy a little bit of what’s left of the frozen portion in each bite.
Check out the most popular ice cream brands to add to your waffle!
Bananas
Bananas are another classic waffle topping, and they’re a great addition if you’re looking to make your waffles a little healthier.
Bananas are naturally sweet, so this calcium and potassium-rich food is an excellent option if you’re trying to avoid adding sugar; pair bananas with peanut butter for a healthy sweet and salty breakfast option.
You can also chop fresh nuts like walnuts or pecans and sprinkle them on your waffles with bananas. Finally, add cinnamon sugar for a little extra sweetness.
If you’re not afraid of an ultra-sweet breakfast, bananas are great on top of waffles when paired with Nutella or honey.
Peaches
Fresh peaches are one of the best things about summer, and desserts like peach cobbler can be modified and turned into a breakfast treat if you have the time.
For the ultimate waffle experience, try cooking fresh peaches and making a crumble, then serve these on top of your waffles and top it all off with some whipped cream.
A pared-down version of this lavish breakfast can be made year-round with store-bought canned peaches as well!
Simply heat the peaches on the stovetop or in a microwave-safe bowl, and pour them on top of your waffles. Add a little whipped cream and chopped nuts for extra sweetness and crunch, if you want.
Don’t be afraid to pour some of the peach juice on the waffles; it soaks in and tastes extra yummy!
Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the most classic waffle toppings, and with good reason.
This delicious fruit is so sweet and fresh tasting that it perfectly complements waffles.
If you have fresh strawberries on hand, there are a few ways you can prepare them as a waffle topping; first, simply chop them up into bite-sized pieces and place them on top of your waffles, topping it all off with a dollop of whipped cream.
If you prefer sweeter waffle toppings, you can chop your strawberries up, put them in a bowl, and pour a tablespoon or two of white sugar on top.
Mix the strawberries and sugar until they get a little juicy, and leave them in the bowl until you’re ready to serve your waffles.
Stir the strawberry sugar mixture one last time and drizzle the strawberries over your waffles!
You can also make it easy on yourself and just get storebought strawberry topping to keep in your fridge whenever you make waffles.
Honey
Honey is the perfect topping if you want to add a little sweetness to your waffles, but you’re not a huge maple syrup fan.
Honey is a relatively healthy sweetener, and it goes well with a variety of sweet and savory toppings.
You can add honey to waffles that have bananas, nuts, or peanut butter on them if you want a sweet treat for breakfast, or you can even drizzle a fried chicken waffle in honey for a sweet kick.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a perfect topping for anyone looking to add a little protein to their waffle breakfast.
You can use peanut butter as the only topping for your waffles or add other items like honey or Nutella to add a little sweetness to your breakfast.
Consider peanut butter, chopped nuts, and sliced banana as waffle toppings for a delicious but healthy breakfast if you’re trying to eat better.
If you or someone you know is allergic to peanut butter, numerous nut butter substitutes are available, including almond butter and sunflower butter.
Fried Eggs
Fried eggs are an essential element when building a savory waffle.
Savory waffles are delicious and a potentially healthier way to enjoy waffle consumption, and you can prepare your savory waffles in any number of ways.
Keep it simple with a single fried egg atop your waffle cooked poached or over easy so the waffle can soak up the yolk when it breaks.
Or you can fry up some bacon and smother the whole meal in maple syrup for a sweet and savory treat.
If you’re looking to add a little protein to your breakfast and you want to enjoy some breakfast meat or veggies, a fried egg is the perfect building block!
Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is a classic topping, and few things go together quite as well as fried chicken and waffles.
One of the best things about this combination is that there are endless ways to prepare them; you can enjoy the classic dish, which includes fried chicken and waffles drizzled in maple syrup or dress them up any way you want to.
Create a fried chicken benedict by adding a fried egg and smothering the whole dish in hollandaise sauce, or whip up some sausage gravy to pour on the dish.
However you choose to prepare your fried chicken and waffles, it will go down in history as one of the most iconic duos.
Chocolate Chips
Even if you’re a fully-fledged adult, you can’t escape the joy of chocolate chips on your waffles.
Chocolate chips make great toppings on waffles and are incredibly delicious when added to the batter and cooked.
Although I added chocolate chips as a topping, I personally prefer them added to the waffle batter because the chocolate chips melt in the waffle iron and seep into the batter.
You can then top the waffle with anything else, from maple syrup to powdered sugar and bananas.
If you’re looking for a particularly decadent treat, add chocolate chips to your waffle batter and then top the whole thing off with Nutella.
Nutella
Nutella is a classic addition to crepes, a delicious French breakfast, so it stands to reason that it would be just as good on top of waffles.
Nutella is a chocolate-hazelnut spread, and it goes great on its own or combined with other waffle toppings.
An absolute favorite combination of mine is Nutella, sliced bananas, and chopped nuts, but you can enjoy Nutella on your waffles in whatever way you like most!
Blueberries
Blueberries are almost as classic of a waffle topping as strawberries, and you can enjoy this summery fruit in numerous ways.
Pour fresh blueberries directly onto your waffles and then top with whipped cream for a simple and fresh-tasting breakfast, or cook your blueberries down into a berry compote.
Berry compotes make great waffle toppings because you get the sweet berry flavor of the fruit with an almost syrup-like consistency.
Try store-bought blueberry syrup if you want to keep it simple and have an excellent blueberry topping on hand year-round.
Cherries
The final topping on this list might not be something you’ve had on your waffles before, but I assure you, it’s delicious.
If you have an abundance of fresh cherries around the house, you can chop them into small pieces and mix them into your waffle batter to cook them in the waffles.
You can also prepare them like fresh strawberries and mix the fresh fruit with white sugar to bring out their natural sweetness.
But there’s no need to complicate it if it’s not cherry season! Instead, consider buying cherry pie filling from the store and topping your waffles off with whipped cream.
My favourite way to top waffles is simple.
When I was little, whenever we were running late, my mom would pop an eggo in the toaster, put cream cheese on it, and I could eat it in the car. I’m still quite fond of it today, and have it whenever I get the chance