Friday is National Donut Day! I am a huge fan of donuts. So much so that the other day, while at the supermarket, I was overcome by a donut craving. I could have gone to a bakery or a donut shop, but it was late and at the time a 12-pack of bad supermarket donuts seemed like a quick fix. Sadly, it wasn’t just the thing. I’m sad to say that the donuts were (unsurprisingly) bad. The next day, when I woke up, I saw the offenders on my counter top – 12 glistening donuts, one with a bite taken out of it. It was so bad that after the first bite I put the donut back in the package. Mike saw the damage and asked me just what the heck I was doing. Long story short, he suggested the waffle maker.
Total game changer, for real. I almost didn’t want to put this post up because, really, what kind of recipe is: buy glazed donuts and waffle in a waffle iron? But seriously, friends, waffled donuts need to be made! What started out life as a sad, stale, grocery store donut turned into a crispy, caramelized, creamy treat.
The outside, with it’s caramelized sugar glaze, reminded me in the best possible way of a Liège waffle. Liège waffles tend to be denser, sweeter, chewier and more delicious than your regular waffle and if you can’t be bothered to make yeasted waffle dough (which is what Liège waffles are made out of) a glazed yeast donut is the best possible stand in.
I loved the contrast between the crust, creamy insides and fluffy un-waffled spots. It’s pure genius! Of course, it’s not my genius – I’ll be the first to say that waffled donuts are not a new invention. People have waffled pizza, falafel and of course, donuts. However, I did discover, after a little research, that most people make waffled donuts in 1 of 2 ways: cake donut batter “baked” in a waffle machine or waffles cut out and deep-fried like a donut.
This is definitely the simpler route and may be a fraud of a recipe, but one bite and I think you’ll forgive me. How could you not!? WAFFLED DONUTS! Super-easy and super-delicious. It’s almost the weekend, time to get your donut on!
i am waffle, i am donut: i am wonut!
Waffled Donut Recipe
makes as many as needed
- glazed donuts, as many as needed
Heat up your waffle maker. Place donut in waffle maker and waffle until waffle is crisp, caramelized and delicious. Enjoy as is or topped with toppings of choice. I topped these ones with vanilla ice cream and raspberries, but during the testing period (read: basically an excuse to eat as many waffled donuts as possible) I ate them plain.
Notes:
I found the best kitchen utensil to place the donut on the waffle machine and take them off were chopsticks. Nice and small and easy to slide under the wonut.
Also, consume your wonut while it’s still warm. If you let it cool to the point at which the sugar cools down completely, you’ll have a tough nut – it’s the nature of hardened caramelized sugar. That being said, the caramelized sugar is HOT, so be careful not to burn the roof of your mouth in your excitement.
Clean-up is annoying, but worth it. It’s easier to clean a waffle iron while hot, using damp paper towels and chopsticks, so you can push the paper towel into all the crevices without burning your fingers.
It’s a DONUT PARTY! Please check out these other wonderful donuts by some of my favorite like-minded donut lovers:
The Faux Martha made the prettiest naturally sprinkled Mix and Match Donuts.
My Name Is Yeh also rocked the natural route, with Naturally Colored Glazes on Biscuit Donuts.
Hummingbird High has some deliciously deep-fried Sour Cream Donuts.
Wit + Vinegar whipped up some Baked Peanut Butter Oreo Donuts inspired by Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap.
Studio DIY with donut MARSHMALLOWS. I die. Kelly’s even MORE donut projects here.
Edible Perspective is a donut master and she has Gluten Free Samoa Baked Donuts, Savory Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Donuts AND Classic Buttermilk Donuts.
Coco Cake Land made Milk Tea Donuts. So. Good.
A Cozy Kitchen has some cozy Rhubarb Poppy Seed Baked Donuts and some notes on Let’s-Get-Our-Nails-Did-And-Then-Eat-Tacos-Day!
And if you’re still looking for more donuts, you can check my previous donuts out here, here, here and here.
What on earth is this???? The best idea ever!!!!!!!! Rushing home to try this straight away!
FoodNerd x
heehee, it was pretty genius of mike to come up with it! ;)
Fucking yes. This recipe speaks to my soul.
i see our souls having a nice long chat over dozens of waffled dounuts :)
I want to marry this.
wonut will marry you!
Oh my gosh. This is making my mouth water. Like, properly.
I need a waffle iron.
i LOVE my waffle iron. it does so much more than make regular waffles :D
I want to marry this…you are genuis
wonut will marry you too!
I like this a lot. I’m also enjoying the previous comments on this post a lot (hahaha). I think this is the perfect solution to those crappy supermarket donuts. They always seem so enticing … until you bite into it. Approved!
yeah, i always get tricked. WHY do i always get tricked?!?!
so glad you used a store bought donut and posted this.. not everything has to be made from scratch sometimes.
Love the idea of waffling a donut… must try – the possibilities now seem endless !
the possibilities ARE endless. and yeah, let’s face it. i don’t always do scratch. in fact…i have some trader joe’s gingersnaps in the pantry right now :)
What a genius idea!!! Looks so tasty – warm donuts are the best!!
I remember Krispy Kreme used to give out free just made donuts and oh my god they were amazing!
the “hot donuts” sign!!
ahhhhh i need this now!!! this is the best way to eat a doughnut that i’ve ever seen!!!
hahaha! thanks jessica!! xoxo
Wow. So many donuts I bought on impulse from Vons could have been vastly improved this way. At least now I know!
ugh, impulse donut buying is the worst. i always impulse buy :(
OY YOY YOY!!! crisp caramelized waffle-ized!!! the waffle press makes everything better!! such a hilarious idea and i LOVE it. obviously i have a waffle maker so i will most definitely be trying this! (there’s actually a tim hortons like 3 blocks away from our house so i could get a regular old glazed there…) xoxo GO DONUTS!!!
3 blocks away!? walking?! that’s dangerous lyndsay… :D
They always say ‘think out of the box’ and you totally did, Steph! Or should we thank Mike for this waffle donut amazingness? Well, it doesn’t really matter cause you’re probably not going to patent this anyway.
heehee it was ALL mike. but i’ll take credit for the execution :) thank you so much sini!! xoxo
me: look! steph made waffle donuts!!!!
nick: OHHH, I HATE HER!!!!!
(which is code for he loves you.)
hahahaha. i see glueten free donut waffles in your future :D
OH MY GOD. THIS IS HOW THE MAGIC IS MADE. GENUIS. I LOVE THIS SO HARD.
i love YOU so hard! xoxo
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. Seriously. You are amazing. I’ve poured doughnut batter into my waffle maker before, but THIS!? So freaking fantastic. Rock on, lady.
ooh, coming from a donut expert..i blush ashley! thanks lady! xoxo
This. Is. Amazing. (And 12 donuts with one bite out of one — I lol’ed in my office.) I am so in love with all of this, because is there anything better than making something mediocre and storebought into food heaven? The ultimate hack. If that weren’t enough, I’m kind of in love with any recipe that is as cute and dinky-compact as the little box above. “Glazed donuts, as many as needed” — I think I need a lot.
Love this SO MUCH Steph!!!
heehee…everyone needs a different amount of donuts :)
xoxo
This seriously is unlike anything I have ever seen, heard or tasted! Soooo good! Need to make these stat!
:D the best part is…they’re SO easy!
Hahaha I love the comments here. This is genius, for shurrrre! Oh my gah. The perfect antidote to day-old or crappy-quality donuts! Waffle everything. Waffle falafel? AHHH
–Oh, remember your mapo tofu waffle??
–Oh, and your clean-up method with CHOPSTICKS is as genius as this whole donut hack itself! <3
yes, yes, yes!! chopsticks are magical kitchen tools :)
yes to waffling errthang!!
I’ve been so curious about waffle doughnuts. I’m not a huge doughnut fan (I know, I know) but I LOVE Belgian waffles and what you described totally sounds like a waffle I’d be down with. Also: Ice cream on top of waffles was the best invention ever and I’m really glad there aren’t more waffle-ice-cream stands like there are in Belgium or I would have diabetes. For real.
belgian waffles are on another level! it’s always so hard to choose between the leige and the regular light and fluffy ones :)
What the hell is this. This is stoner food. I LOVE STONER FOOD! This is the cutest idea ever. xox
hahaha yup, me and stoner food are like this (picture non-existent fingers crossed emoji) :D
Seriously?! Why didn’t someone come up with this before? Amazing stuff right there… my mouth is watering just looking at the photos!
thanks katie! :D
What an igneous idea. It’s kind of a funny idea, which makes it better. BUT best of all you let me know about National Doughnut Day. I would not want to miss THAT.
it is totally laughable, i think so too! :D
I`m soo down for this. Like, so down. This is what I`ll do the next time I have leftover, stale donuts!
the lives of dozens and dozens of stale donuts are being saved RIGHT NOW. :D
Fraud recipe? NEVER. This is what GENIUS is made of. Can I have like 18?!
18 coming right up! xoxo
What an awesome idea, love this!!
thanks so much matt!!
So smart! I love this idea, especially since the glaze gets caramelized…OMG.
yes, the caramelized glaze contrasted with the creamy (i don’t know how it gets creamy) insides….swoon.
love this so much, steph! genius!
thanks lindsey! xoxo
Whoa. Whoa. This may be the most genius thing I have EVER seen. Food blogs don’t shock me much, but this did! Way to be an inspiration girl!
Trish
thanks trish! :D
Wow. Too weird by seventeen. I appreciate innovation a good deal, don’t get me wrong, but this is just sorta…stretching it. D better!
Gimme, gimme!! Gotta love doughnuts..especially waffleized!
dare i say: waffled anything is better!?
My husband and I lived in Belgium and could not get enough of the Liege waffles! SO DELICIOUS. I’ve tried making them myself and have come pretty close. I’ll have to try this!
ooh i’ve always wanted to make liege waffles, but the whole yeast/rising idea exhausts me. one day i will do it though, they’re so, so delicious!
i think there’s a typo in the notes section about getting the wonut with some chopsticks
This waffled donut concept just blew my mind. I’m tempted to fire up my waffle iron and start throwing in all kinds of ready-to-eat meals. Waffled coleslaw, anyone?
YES!! well, maybe not yes to the coleslaw ;)
Oh. My god. I can’t believe you did this. You are my hero forever-eva. This makes up for not getting that liege waffle I was eyeing in Paris. <3333333333333333
wow, you showed restraint while you were in PARIS!! i can’t wait to see everything you ate!!!
Wow!! I would never have thought to do this!
hope you give it a go! :D
When. I first saw your photo on Instagram, I thought, “Why do people think everything is better when it’s made on a waffle iron?” Then I read this piece and realized that you had vastly improved a standard pastry just by a little advanced thinking. Yay! Donuts, waffles and humans will thank you.
Will this work in a Belgian waffle maker? I don’t own a regular one. And really? You can bake donuts in a waffle maker? Who would have thought to use that!
Made these yesterday for my birthday celebration!!! I set up a DIY wonut bar with caramel, ice cream, chocolate chips, etc etc. Everyone was like WHAT IS THIS. But yes. Obviously they were amazing and I wish I had taken pics! You’re so genius!!!!!!!!
This will revolutionize my Sunday donuts routine, meanwhile blowing the hive mind my children share. Wow!
So good. Waffled 3 donuts day-old donuts with different (but all yummy) results.
Blueberry-glazed – My personal favorite. Tasted like the sweetest blueberry waffle with a light caramel coating. Not cloyingly sweet though…so you can have more than one.
Cinnamon roll donut – I expected this to be the winner, but in reality it had too much sugar and mass and didn’t survive the waffling process as well as the others.
Chocolate with chocolate frosting – My wife’s favorite. It came out like the crispy bits of a brownie, but with more texture and an immediate sweetness.
Thanks for the inspiration.
This looks soooooo good omg.
What Waffle maker is that?
it’s a super old cuisinart waffle maker :)