How to Make Waffles in a Toastie Maker
You can make proper waffles in a toastie maker if it has waffle plates, which most 3-in-1 sandwich makers do. Use a slightly thick batter, pour about 4 tbsp per waffle well, and cook for 4–5 minutes until steam stops pouring from the sides. On ordinary triangle plates you'll get a waffle-ish pancake pocket, not a waffle.
Quick answer: preheat the waffle plates, brush with melted butter, pour batter to just cover the grid (about 60ml per well), close and cook 4–5 minutes without opening. The batter should be thick enough to coat a spoon and drop slowly off it.
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Recipe: 3-in-1 toastie maker waffles
Ingredients
- 150g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- Pinch of fine salt
- 1 medium egg
- 200ml whole milk
- 40g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus a little extra for the plates
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Fit the waffle plates and preheat the machine with the lid closed until the ready light comes on, then give it 1 extra minute so the plates are fully hot.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. In a jug, whisk the egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk just until no dry flour remains; a few small lumps are fine. Rest for 5 minutes while the machine heats.
- Brush both waffle plates lightly with melted butter. Pour about 4 tbsp (60ml) of batter into each well, just enough to cover the grid; spread it into the corners with a spoon.
- Close the lid and cook for 4–5 minutes without opening, until the steam from the sides has almost stopped and the waffles are golden.
- Lift out with a silicone spatula or wooden chopstick, cool on a wire rack for 30 seconds to crisp, and repeat with the rest of the batter, brushing the plates each time.
Why this batter suits toastie maker plates
3-in-1 waffle plates are shallower than a dedicated Belgian waffle iron and usually run at a fixed temperature. A thin, pancake-style batter runs out of the sides and steams instead of crisping; a very thick batter doesn't fill the grid before the lid closes. This ratio (150g flour to 200ml milk) sits in the middle: it spreads with a nudge, rises with baking powder into the top plate, and the butter in the batter helps release.
The steam test is the most reliable timer. While water is boiling off, the waffle is still soft; once the steam slows to a wisp, it's crisp. Opening early splits the waffle between the plates.
How much batter, by machine
| Machine | Batter per well | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-in-1 with 2 square waffle wells | 4 tbsp (60ml) | 4–5 min | Most common layout |
| 3-in-1 with 4 small waffle wells | 2 tbsp (30ml) | 3–4 min | Smaller, crisper waffles |
| Dedicated waffle maker | Per manual | 4–6 min | Deeper, fluffier result |
| Triangle toastie plates | 2 tbsp per triangle | 3–4 min | Pancake pockets, not waffles |
If you don't have waffle plates yet, our guide to the best 3-in-1 toastie makers compares swap-plate machines, and the Breville 3-in-1 page covers that model in depth. Machines with removable plates are much easier to clean after batter; see toastie makers with removable plates.
Variations
- Savoury cheese waffles: drop the sugar and vanilla, add 50g grated cheddar and a sliced spring onion. Great with a fried egg.
- Chocolate: swap 20g of the flour for cocoa powder and add 30g chocolate chips; watch for scorching at 4 minutes.
- Banana: mash half a ripe banana into the wet ingredients and cut the milk to 170ml.
- Wholemeal: use half wholemeal flour and add 2 tbsp extra milk; slightly denser.
- Toastie waffles: put a buttered cheese sandwich on the waffle plates for a waffle-pressed toastie, about 3–4 minutes.
- Hash brown waffles: squeezed grated potato works on waffle plates too; see hash browns in a toastie maker.
Serving ideas
Classic: butter and golden syrup, or maple syrup with crispy bacon. Fruity: Greek yoghurt, berries and honey. Sweet tooth: chocolate spread and sliced banana, the same pairing as our Nutella and banana toastie. For more breakfast ideas from the same machine, see toastie maker omelette and what to make in a toastie maker.
Mistakes to avoid
- Batter too thin: it floods out and steams. Add a spoonful of flour if it pours like single cream.
- Overfilling: just cover the grid; the batter roughly doubles.
- Skipping the butter on the plates: waffle grids have far more surface area than toastie plates, so batter grips.
- Opening at 2 minutes: the waffle tears in half. Wait for the steam to drop.
- Stacking hot waffles: they go soft. Cool on a rack or keep warm in a 100°C oven.
FAQs
Can I make waffles in a normal toastie maker?
Not true waffles. Batter on triangle plates makes thick, sealed pancake pockets, which are still nice with a spoonful of jam inside. For the grid pattern you need waffle plates.
Can I use ready-made pancake mix?
Yes. Make it slightly thicker than the packet says for pancakes, and add 1 tbsp melted butter per 150g mix to help it crisp and release.
Why are my waffles soft?
They came out too early or the batter was too wet. Cook until the steam almost stops and cool them on a rack, not a plate.
Can I freeze toastie maker waffles?
Yes. Freeze in a single layer, then bag. Reheat from frozen in a toaster or back in the toastie maker for 2–3 minutes.