– Katie Czerwinski

Waffle irons can be pretty misleading – after all, the name itself says “waffle.” Besides making waffles, waffle irons can be used to make a variety of different dishes, ranging from sweet to savory, breakfast to dinner. When the microwave or stovetop can’t seem to get the job done, try out your waffle iron to see what you can “waffle.”

Croissants

This recipe is even simpler than any waffle you might’ve made: just fit an oiled sheet of puff pastry to your iron and press it down. The best part is you can fill your croissant with anything your heart desires – whether it’s chocolate chips, cheese, Nutella, or butter – just by folding the puff pastry around the filling before pressing down.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are easy alternatives because, like croissants, the ingredients are already made for you. Simply separate the cinnamon rolls and press them in the waffle iron, then drizzle that delicious glaze over the top once they’re done.

Quesadillas

Quesadillas are the perfect vehicle for almost any filling, and now you can make them with ease in a waffle maker. Spread oil on two tortillas and place one on the waffle iron, oil-side down. Top it with your desired ingredients, like cheese, cooked chicken, or veggies, and then place the other tortilla on top before pressing the iron down.

Pizza

All that you need for pizza waffles is some premade biscuit dough and pizza toppings. Stretch out the biscuit dough, place it on the iron with cheese, pepperoni, tomato sauce, or whichever toppings strike the mood, then place another piece of biscuit dough on top to cover the filling before. Press the iron down and after a few moments, congratulations, you’ve made a pizza waffle.

Hash Browns

Sometimes waffles just don’t cut it for breakfast. Make a side dish of hash browns by peeling and shredding russet potatoes and combining them with flavorful additions like sour cream, garlic, pepper, or onions as well as 2 beaten eggs for binding. After 5 to 10 minutes, you can reap the rewards with a crispy plate of hash browns.

Grilled Cheese

Skip the skillet or panini press and use your waffle iron for your next grilled cheese. Butter two slices of bread and put one in the waffle iron butter-side down, then add cheese (and any additional ingredients like avocado, tomatoes, or cooked bacon) and the other slice of bread before heating up your grilled cheese.