If you’re looking for a breakfast that will leave your taste buds singing, then you need to try these Sesame Scallion Waffles. Packed with the perfect combination of savory scallions, nutty sesame seeds, and a blend of Chinese spices, these waffles will make your mouth water and have you craving more. Trust us, one bite of these crispy and flavorful waffles, and you’ll never look at breakfast the same way again.
On Sunday mornings, while my mom and I enjoy these waffles on their own, my sisters insist that they are even better when served with bacon and eggs. You can have them whenever you like; however, you want, because they freeze well and reheat nicely in a toaster oven, just like regular waffles.
Why, then, do we eat waffles instead of scallion pancakes? The two biggest draws for me are their flavor and how simple they are to make. There is no need for kneading and rolling. Get the waffle iron hot, pour in the batter, and wait.
After trying them, mom raved about the comforting taste and the texture—crisp on the outside and soft in the middle—that was achieved without using any additional oil. Plus, they can be made in bulk, frozen, and reheated in a toaster in the morning for a speedy but filling meal.
Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy a good scallion pancake. We have several recipes for them, including our epic Shanghai scallion pancakes, 9-layer scallion pancakes from our time in Beijing, and a simple scallion pancake version with a garlic dipping sauce of my sisters made.
For these, the only nonstandard tool required is a quality waffle iron. These are a cinch to make in our electric Belgian waffle iron, but cheaper options can be made in a skillet on the stove.
Ingredients:
- 2 room temperature eggs
- ½ cup of vegetable or canola oil (plus more for brushing the waffle iron)
- 1 ½ cups of whole milk
- 1 tsp. of sesame oil
- 1 ¼ tsp. of salt
- ½ tsp. of sugar
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. of baking powder
- ⅛ tsp. of five spice powder
- ⅛ tsp. of Sichuan pepper powder
- ⅛ tsp. of fresh ground white pepper
- 1 ⅔ cups of finely chopped scallions
- ⅓ cup of toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
- Even if the sesame seeds you buy are already toasted, we recommend toasting them in a pan and letting them cool completely before adding them to the batter because it makes a difference. You should toast your sesame seeds in a clean, dry pan.
- Combine the oil and egg in a bowl and beat until smooth. Next, whisk in the whole milk while adding the sesame oil, salt, sugar, flour, baking powder, five spice powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and freshly ground white pepper. Take care not to over-blend the ingredients.
- Mix in the scallions and toasted sesame seeds until they are evenly dispersed throughout the batter. Don’t touch the batter for 5 minutes.
- Once the waffle iron is hot, fill it halfway with batter and cook for a few minutes. Most modern waffle irons are non-stick and don’t need any additional oil, but if you have an old cast iron waffle iron and want extra crispy waffles, you can brush the iron with oil or melted butter.
- After making your first batch of sesame scallion waffles, you’ll have a better idea of how much batter to use for each waffle and how long to cook it for. It takes most Belgian waffle makers about 6 minutes to cook up a brown and crispy waffle using 3/4 cup of batter. There’s a good chance your waffle is done when the steam stops rising.
- If using a waffle iron that can be flipped, do so once after pouring in the batter and again after about 3 minutes of cooking. If you prefer darker, crunchier waffles, check them after 6 minutes; cooking time can be increased by 1 minute intervals. If you want crispier sesame scallion waffles, flipping them helps release steam from the batter. You are at liberty to alter the status quo as you see fit.
- When the waffle is cooking, carefully remove it from the iron, taking care not to burn yourself.
- You can either serve them hot off the rack or let them cool and store them in the freezer for later.