2-Ingredient Easy Low-Carb Chaffles (Cheese Waffles)
Make these super simple egg-and-cheese chaffles in the waffle maker for a deliciously low-carb breakfast! Dress them up or down with additions to make a bunch of variations.
Chaffles are an underrated gem! Originally created as a delicious breakfast option for the keto diet, anyone can enjoy them even if you’re not about that keto lifestyle. The name is a combination of “cheese waffle,” and I like to think of them as a waffle-shaped cheesy omelette. They’re actually easier than an omelette for me, since I struggle with flipping omelettes. With a waffle maker, there’s none of that worry!
Why are chaffles underrated? Well, for one, they can be used all over the place! In the keto community, you can find folks using these as pizza crust, as a bread substitute, as a main at every meal, as a dessert, and even as a quick snack. They’re simple, versatile, and the base recipe can be used to create tons of flavors! If you’re looking to cut carbs, or just out to find a tasty new take on the traditional waffle, chaffles are an perfect recipe to add to your repertoire.
What’s in this 2-ingredient basic chaffle recipe?
The original chaffle recipe uses two simple ingredients:
- Eggs: You will need 2 large eggs.These provide the base of the chaffle, binding everything together.
- Cheese: Any type of cheese (or combination of cheeses) that will melt into the chaffle will work here. Mozzarella cheese has the mildest flavor, and is the best if you want to eat these like a regular waffle. You know, like with butter and maple syrup.
Making a 2-ingredient chaffle
Step 1 | Mix It Up
Start by beating your egg in a medium bowl. Add your cheese, and mix everything together well. If you’re making a plain chaffle, that’s all there is to making chaffle batter. If you’re adding to the basic chaffles recipe, you can add your mix-ins now.
Step 2 | Cook
Preheat your waffle iron. Spray it with cooking spray to keep your chaffles from sticking.
Then, spoon about 1/4 cup of egg mixture for a mini waffle iron, or 1/3 to 1/2 cup for a regular waffle maker. Make sure not to overfill — you may need to adjust the amount of batter to the size of your iron.
Close the waffle iron and allow the chaffle to cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until golden brow
Step 3 | Cool
You can eat your chaffles warm, but they will be soft. Allowing them to cool gives them a crispier texture. If you want a crispy chaffle, you’ll need to let it cool for 10-15 minutes before eating. If you don’t mind the softer texture, you can dig right in!
Step 4 | Enjoy!
Depending on what flavor you’ve chosen, you can top your cooked chaffle with a wide variety of options. Fresh fruit, cinnamon sugar, sugar-free syrup, or good old fashioned maple syrup are fantastic on sweet chaffles. You might consider chopped herbs, more cheese, or chopped fresh veggies like tomatoes or jalapenos on savory waffles!
Flavor Options
The basic recipe is delicious, but you can kick it up a notch with just a few changes:
- Pizza Chaffle: Make the chaffles as directed in the base recipe. Top them with pizza sauce, grated cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings. Bake them in the oven fat 350° or 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly!
- Breakfast Chaffles: Add chopped bacon, ham, or bacon bits to your chaffle batter before cooking for a fun option!
- Churro Chaffles: Add 1 tablespoons of your favorite sweetener to the base recipe. In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp sweetener with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. When the chaffle is down cooking, sprinkle the cinnamon sweetner combination over the top. Enjoy your sweet chaffles!
- Jalapeño Popper Chaffles: Use cheddar cheese in place of the mozzarella. Add chopped jalapeños to the chaffle batter before cooking. Top with a dollop of cream cheese and bacon bits!
FAQs
Yes, you can make chaffles ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to a month. Reheat in a toaster or oven for best results.
Leftover chaffles can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze your chaffles in a freezer bag for 2-3 months. To reheat, pop them in the toaster oven, toaster, or microwave like an Eggo!
Ensure your waffle maker is well-preheated and lightly greased with cooking spray or oil. Non-stick waffle makers typically work best for chaffles.
Absolutely! Mixing different types of cheese, such as cheddar and mozzarella, can add complexity to the flavor and enhance the texture of your chaffles.
Yes, you can use egg whites instead of whole eggs for a lower-fat version. Use about 3 tablespoons of egg whites per chaffle.
2-Ingredient Chaffles (Base Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup grated cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron.
- In a medium bowl, beat egg. Combine with cheese to make batter.
- When iron is preheated, spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Spoon batter into waffle maker being careful not to overfill.
- Close waffle maker and allow it to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until chaffle is golden brown.
- Remove chaffles from iron. For crispier texture, allow chaffles to cool for 10-15 minutes.
