Strawberry Heart Waffles (Printer View)

Light, golden waffles topped with creamy cottage cheese and fresh strawberries for a delightful start to the day.

# What you'll need:

→ For the Waffles

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 3/4 cups whole milk
07 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For the Cottage Cheese Whip

09 - 1 cup cottage cheese, full-fat or low-fat
10 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1/4 cup heavy cream

→ For the Strawberry Topping

13 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
14 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

# Method:

01 - Preheat your heart-shaped waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then add whole milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
05 - Lightly grease the preheated waffle iron, pour batter onto the iron, and cook until golden and crisp. Repeat with remaining batter.
06 - While waffles cook, blend cottage cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add heavy cream and blend until light and whipped.
07 - Toss sliced strawberries with granulated sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to macerate.
08 - Serve warm waffles topped with cottage cheese whip and macerated strawberries.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These waffles are light and fluffy but sturdy enough to hold a generous dollop of that creamy cottage cheese whip without falling apart.
  • The cottage cheese whip tastes like you hired a pastry chef, but it's actually just five minutes of blending and pure protein.
  • Fresh strawberries macerated in lemon juice and sugar feel fancy and taste bright, but you're literally just tossing fruit in a bowl.
  • Heart-shaped waffles turn ordinary Tuesday breakfast into something people actually want to wake up for.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the fastest way to ruin these waffles—a few lumps in the batter mean light, fluffy waffles in the iron.
  • Blending the cottage cheese until it's completely smooth is non-negotiable; any graininess ruins the whole vibe of the dish.
  • Make sure your melted butter is actually cooled before mixing it into the eggs, or you'll end up with scrambled egg bits in your batter.
  • The maceration step matters more than you'd think—those strawberry juices create a sauce that pulls everything together.
03 -
  • If your waffle iron doesn't have a heart shape, this recipe works perfectly in any waffle iron—the beauty is in the execution, not the mold.
  • Add a light zest of lemon or orange to the waffle batter for brightness if you want the flavors to pop even more than they already do.
  • If someone has dairy concerns, Greek yogurt works as a direct substitute for the cottage cheese, though the texture will be slightly different.
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