Loaded Waffle Bar

Loaded with sweet and savory items like fruits and prosciutto, this waffle bar can make your next brunch fun, impressive and easy!

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the week’s recipes. All opinions are mine alone.  Now if you’d like a chance to enjoy some of these wonderful items yourself, take a look at the giveaway at the end of this post. And be sure to check out some of the other recipes below.

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Brunch entertaining is fun.  And it’s extra special around holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day.  In fact, I’ve been known to refer to spring as “Brunch Season.”

Yes, after a long dark winter, it’s a joy to pull together a wonderful meal for a crowd of friends and family.   

But once in a while, I wonder if I can make special just a little bit easier.  Like when you hold a Mother’s Day bash for 30 people and think, Hold it, wasn’t I supposed to have breakfast in bed or something?

But I love it too much to give it up!  And so I got really excited when the lightbulb went on and I realized I could do a spectacular Waffle Bar brunch.  And it wouldn’t be a lot of work! 

What is a Waffle Bar

Now usually I quote Wikipedia for a definition, but the closest I could get today was a salad bar.  Here Wikipedia says, “A salad bar is a buffet-style table or bar where customers can create their own salad plates from salad components… the idea may have been sparked by the Swedish smörgåsbord that was featured at the 1938 World’s Fair in New York.”

Well I guess that’s what a waffle bar is–except with different components.  It’s clear this was a great idea, since today we have so many kinds of fill-in-the-blank bars!  I personally have been known to do a Bloody Mary Bar and my Eton Mess bar (bite-sized meringues with fruit and whipped cream) is a favorite dessert.   

But this Waffle Bar, with a profusion of sweet and savory toppings (so everyone can have their favorites) has to be one of the best!

Why You’ll Love This!

Super Fun!  With a cornucopia of beautiful fruit, and savory delights like prosciutto and Boursin cheese, everyone will find something to delight themself.

Tasty!  Waffles are good enough to eat with butter and syrup.  Add in amazing sweet and savory toppings and they’re over the top!

Easy!  Here’s where I realized that with my Melissa’s Produce box containing syrups and fruits, all I’d need to do was to make or buy waffles and add some pre-packaged savory elements.

What You’ll Need

• Waffles.  I recommend having a lot of pre-cooked waffles to streamline things (see To Pre-Cook or Not below).  That’s because a lot of guests descend on your Waffle Bar at once.  You can buy frozen or pre-cook your own with my waffle recipe. 
• Fruit for topping.  Anything that is or can be cut into bite-size pieces is great.  Think berries, melon balls, tangerine sections. I recommend having a half dozen different fruits.
• Savory Toppings.  For non-sweet lovers—and balance, this would include toppers like prosciutto, cooked bacon, spreadable herb cheeses, and fruity goat cheese.
• Syrups & spreads.  Maple syrup is, of course, a given.  But don’t stop there.  Caramel syrup, chocolate syrup and fruit sauces are a delight.  And consider popular spreads like Nutella, peanut butter, and jam.
• Other toppings. Yogurt, nuts, fruit curd, edible flowers  
• Whipped cream. So good on a sweet waffle! Make your own (my first choice) or put out a few spray cans.
• Optional sides.  Consider complimentary non-waffle toppers like halved grapefruits, or a green salad or two.  That will put the health value of your Waffle Bar over the top!

Special Tools

• No special tools required though a covered warming tray might be helpful to keep the waffles warm.

To pre-cook waffles or not

Everyone is familiar with the fun make-your-own-waffle breakfasts offered at some hotels. Waffle batter is pre-measured in paper cups, and a guess can pour this into a waffle maker that beeps when it’s ready.  

It’s fun at a hotel but when all your guests are eating at the same time, I think that pre-made are the safer bet. Keep them on warm in the oven or on a warming tray.

If you are entertaining a small group and have a couple waffle makers, feel free to give non-pre-cooked a try.  But generally, the pre-made option (homemade or purchased) is going to be more practical. 

Step by Step Directions

Prepare waffles if you’re not buying them (recipe here). Refrigerate until needed (or keep frozen if you’re using frozen waffles or making yours farther in advance).

Cut fruit into bite sized pieces.  Consider making melon balls from large fruits like cantaloupe and even dragon fruit.  Store covered and refrigerated until needed.

Shortly before serving, reheat the waffles in 350F oven oven for about 5 minutes.  If you have a warming tray, you can use this to keep the waffles warm on the serving table.  For second helpings, keep some extra waffles in the oven set to warm (170F) or just reheat a quick second batch at 350F again (or pop them in the toaster).

Plate your toppings as needed, then assemble them on your waffle bar.   

How to Serve

While this is probably most suited for a brunch or special breakfast, you might also consider it for “breakfast for dinner.”  Especially with the savory toppings that are included. 

If you don’t have handy vinyl backdrops like food photographer, you’re going to need a collection of serving plates.  A cutting board or two may also work well, even the inexpensive thin plastic boards. Scatter some fresh herbs like sprigs of mint and thyme to add color and pizazz.

I recommend that you group like items together, savory near other savory, sauces together, etc. to help your guests find what they’re looking for.

For more balanced nutrition, consider serving a salad as well, perhaps something like this Broccoli Bacon Salad.  And finally consider including some fun brunch cocktails. 

Variations and Special Diets

Be sure to include options for guests who may have special dietary needs.  For example, offer non-dairy yogurt for guests who may be vegan or dairy free.  And there are even gluten frozen waffles available, in case you’re serving someone gluten free.

Leftovers

You can always eat leftover waffles for breakfast the next day (wrap and refrigerate leftovers). But you can also make use of leftover components in fun and tasty ways.

Leftover homemade waffles can be frozen where they’ll be a welcome delight toasted for a future breakfast. 

Consider combining leftover fruit into a special fruit salad for a later meal.  And pull together some of the savory leftovers with crackers to serve on an appetizer tray. 

Tips & FAQs

Consider going with some unusual fruits to make your waffle bar extra special.  I thought the red dragon fruit “melon” balls were stunning!  You might also set out some delicious and tasty halved passionfruit for scooping.  Sliced starfruit (see my Moon & Starfruit Salad) would be stunning as well.  Have fun!

I use a metal measuring spoon to make my dragon fruit melon balls (and I also use one to scoop the core out of a halved apple or pear).

If you have waffles to freeze, most people recommend placing paper between the waffles to keep them from freezing together. I have another suggestion that can minimize waste.  Just like freezing individually frozen berries, freeze the waffles separately and once hard, put them into a zip loc or sealed plastic container.  Be sure you don’t let them thaw in between or they may stick again. 

Welcome to #SpringSweetsWeek 2024 hosted by Heather from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box! Spring is finally here and the sun is shining and we are celebrating the beginning of spring with plenty of spring sweets and a fun giveaway! This year 17 food bloggers from around the country are sharing over 50 sweet recipes that are perfect for spring. So get ready to enjoy amazing spring treats like cupcakes, ice cream, pies, cakes, and more! Thank you to our #SpringSweetsWeek sponsors that are helping us give away some great prizes. Thank you to Melissa’s Produce, Taylor and Colledge, and Selefina Spices for your generosity and support. We have an incredible giveaway with three amazing prizes and would love it if you would take a moment to read about it and the prizes that you can win!

Wednesday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Air Fryer Blueberry Crisp from Shockingly Delicious
• Cardamom Lemon Mousse from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Chocolate Easter Eggs with Matcha, Beet or Lemon Filling from Our Good Life
• Dragon Fruit and Citrus Overnight Oats from Cheesecurd In Paradise
• Drangonfruit Kheer from Magical Ingredients
• Fig Preserve Shortbread Bars from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Green Tea Matcha Cookies from The Spiffy Cookie
• Homemade Fig Bars from Blogghetti
• Instant Pot Vanilla Cardamom Cheesecake with Dragon fruit Jam from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Lavender Cardamom Biscotti from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Lemon Cream and Candied Ginger Crepes Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon Ginger Ice Cream from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Lemon Pound Cake with Lavender Glaze from That Recipe
• Lemonade Cookies from In Our Spare Time
• Raspberry Coffee Dessert Crepes from For the Love of Food
• Waffle Bar from Art of Natural Living

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

Waffle Bar

Loaded with sweet and savory items like fruits and prosciutto,this waffle bar can make your next brunch fun, impressive and easy!

Author: Inger

5 from 7 votes

Print

Prep Time 20 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8-16 large waffles
• 4-8 cups bite-sized fruit in different varieties
• 12-16 ounces prosciutto or deli ham or other breakfast meat
• 4-8 ounces flavored spreadable cheese 1-2 packages
• Large bowl whipped cream
• Maple syrup and optional fruit chocolate, caramel sauces for serving.
• Optional additional toppings. yogurt, nuts, fruit curd, edible flowers, Nutella, peanut butter, jam, honey

Instructions

 

• Prepare waffles if you’re not buying them (recipe here). Refrigerate until needed (or keep frozen if you’re using frozen waffles or making yours farther in advance).
• Cut fruit into bite sized pieces. Consider making melon balls from large fruits like cantaloupe and even dragon fruit. Store covered and refrigerated until needed.
• Shortly before serving, reheat the waffles in 350F oven oven for about 5 minutes. If you have a warming tray, you can use this to keep the waffles warm on the serving table. For second helpings, keep some extra waffles in the oven set to warm (170F) or just reheat a quick second batch at 350F again (or pop them in the toaster).
• Plate your toppings as needed, then assemble them on your waffle bar serving table.

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Prize #1: A Tropical and Exotic Fruit Gift Basket from Melissa’s Produce.

One winner will enjoy an abundance of fruit with Melissa’s! This stunning assortment is arranged in a woven basket with cellophane wrapping and colorful ribbon. Fruit may include (depending on seasonal availability): Asian Pear, Baby Pineapple, Blood Orange, Cherimoya, Feijoas, Kiwis, Kumquats, Lychees, Mango, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Persimmons, Pomegranate, Rambutans, Specialty Bananas, Starfruit and Tamarillos.

Prize #2: A collection of Selefina Spices.

One winner will enjoy a collection of spices from Selefina Spices including: Cinnasational Spice Blend, crystalized ginger, lemon peel, Matcha food grade powder, Purple sweet potato powder, and Ground Cardamom Seeds. Selefina Spices sells an assortment of spices gathered using dedication and care with which we’ve curated their online tea collection. With our decades of experience sourcing products and establishing global connections their mission is to be able to bring you fresher, higher-quality spices and seasonings at lower prices.

Prize #3: A selection of 3 extract pastes from Taylor and Colledge.

One winner will receive a selection of extract pastes to include almond, organic vanilla bean, and lavender. In 1897, Taylor & Colledge won its first award for excellence in vanilla. Since then, the Taylor & Colledge commitment for unsurpassed quality has earned its reputation as one of the world’s finest producers of vanilla.

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Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Selefina Spices, Melissa’s Produce, and Taylor and Colledge for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older.   All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Three (3) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.

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