Waffles and bacon go together. And if I’m wrong, I don’t want to be right. I’ve taken a buttermilk waffle recipe and gave it new life with by adding a twist, tater tots, grated peppercorn block cheese, and a fresh herbs. Yes, don’t knock this till you try it, our Savory Tater Tot Buttermilk Waffles has been a great addition to our breakfast menu. So, let’s step in the kitchen and do this!

Savory Tater Tot Buttermilk Waffles

Yup, you read it right! I put tater tots in the waffle batter and cooked them right on up! And the results were highly favorable! Well, two out of three of our boys liked them, and the sole holdout ate them, but added, “It’s alright, it’s just a little weird.” I tell ya’ everyone is a food critic these days! And in my own house! Suit yourself kid, more for me, right? You know what, I wouldn’t have it any other way because new recipes and creative food ideas are for me, half of the fun when it comes to getting in the kitchen and dirtying up the pots and pans. The other half of the fun is throwing caution to the wind and sometimes winging it! Plus, you will never know if you’re gonna like something unless you get in the kitchen, roll up your shirt sleeves, and cook it. You may strike out, but you also just might strike pure gold. This is one of those times, I heard about folks putting tater tots in waffles before but today was the day I went for it and made them.

Just because, I use farm fresh duck eggs courtesy of my wonderful neighbors Susan and JoAnna of Dowker Farm.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this photo has yum written all over it, these waffles are dotted with savory herbs, adorned with flecks of thyme and rosemary, studded with mini-tater tots, and suffused with black peppercorn cheese. What’s that French word for irresistible? Oh yeah, irrésistible! It’s kinda the same, but in French, it just sounds better! Say it with me, irrésistible!

And let me tell you a quick tip, although I love making waffle batter from scratch it isn’t always the case or practice, so I have a hack. I use a boxed pancake and waffle mix, but instead of using water I use buttermilk and a dollop of sour cream. It does wonders and will take your waffle making game to the next level. And for this recipe, I also threw in fresh thyme, rosemary, grated black peppercorn cheese, and mini-tater tots.

One of the main reasons these savory buttermilk waffles are something to shout from the rooftops about is the grated black peppercorn cheese. These waffles have it all, they’re light and fluffy, and the fresh herbs and unique cheese compliment the tater-tots. After they are finished, slather them with softened sweet cream butter and pour on the brown butter bourbon syrup. Hungry yet?

Using farm fresh eggs and quality butter is a surefire way to ensure your waffles taste their best.

These waffles make for an excellent brunch or as an anytime treat, I mean, isn’t breakfast food pretty much a 24/7 kind of food anyway?

How to make Savory Tater Tot Buttermilk Waffles

Ingredients:

2 cups boxed Pancake + Waffle mix
2 fresh farm eggs
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1/3 teaspoon thyme, minced
1/3 cup peppercorn block cheese, grated
1 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
3/4 cup melted unsalted butter (Land O’ Lakes European Style)
4-5 tater tots per waffle

Directions:

Pro Tip: For best results allow the buttermilk and eggs to come to room temperature (no more than 30 minutes) before adding them to the waffle mix. Room temperature milk and eggs will allow the waffles to rise, which equals delicate waffles. Also, do not over mix the waffle batter, mix until the ingredients are just combined, overmixing will result in the tough waffles. For this recipe, allow the tater-tots and block cheese to reach room temperature as well. Grate the cheese before and set it aside.

In a medium size bowl, add the pancake and waffle mix, eggs, rosemary, thyme, grated cheese, and buttermilk.
Mix the ingredients until they are just combined.
Allow the batter to rest as the waffle iron reaches the correct temperature, about 425 degrees.
Liberally brush the waffle iron with melted butter.
Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the waffle batter into each waffle iron square.
Top each waffle with 4-5 tater-tots.
Close the waffle iron lid and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the waffles and brush with more melted butter. Keep the waffles in a 180-degree preheated oven until ready to serve.
Serve with brown butter and bourbon maple syrup.

Breakfast is served morning, noon, or night! Tell me, when’s the last time you created a new twist on your favorite waffle recipe? Give ours a try, and let us know how you like it!