I will always be charmed by a little blue box of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix. I would never actually serve the muffins as cornbread—they’re too sweet for that—but they make an incredible corn casserole and, as it turns out, a pretty good waffle (with a few modifications). The mix is also incredibly cheap—under a buck a box—and makes four waffles per batch, or a truly cost-efficient brunch for two.
This is part of Will it Waffle?, the Skillet series where Claire uses her waffle maker to cook everything from eggplant to mozzarella sticks.
When I first started experimenting with these waffles, I mixed the batter up according the box instructions, whisking 1/3 cup of milk and one whole egg into the dry, yellow powder. I poured the batter into my waffle maker and let it cook until the waffles were golden brown. I lifted them out of the maker and gave them a taste. They were OK.
The flavor was a little dull and the texture was a touch dry and too crumbly, but nothing butter and syrup couldn’t solve. Still, I wanted them to be better, so I made another batch with a little more milk and a spoonful of bacon grease. (I don’t know if everyone’s grandmother baked their cornbread in bacon grease, but mine did, and the two ingredients are inextricably linked in my mind.)
Top-rated waffle makers for all of your wafflin’ needs:
- This one feels fancy for the price: Oster Belgian Waffle Maker with Adjustable Temperature Control
- This one has a built-in drip guard (but only one temperature setting): Dash Deluxe No-Drip Waffle Iron Maker
- Claire’s first waffle maker: Cuisinart Classic Waffle Maker
- Just a little guy: DASH Mini Waffle Maker
The second batch of waffles turned out much better—a little more moist, with a whisper of salt and smoke from the bacon fat. They were also sweet and corny in that classic Jiffy Corn Muffin way. In short, they were delightful, particularly with a pat of butter and heavy drizzle of maple syrup. They’re still a bit too crumbly to make a proper sandwich, but they’d make a great support system for a mess of bacon and eggs, or even something more elegant, like this maple-poached beauty.
Easy Corn Waffles
Ingredients:
- 1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon melted bacon grease
Turn your waffle maker on. If it has a temperature control option, set it to medium-high.
Add the mix to a large bowl and break up any clumps with a whisk or fork. Light beat the egg with the milk, then add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and whisk to combine. Pour into heated waffle maker.
Let cook for 4-6 minutes, until lightly golden brown, and the waffles easily release from the waffle maker. Serve immediately, preferably with a maple egg and crispy bacon.