Look out, scallion pancakes! These sesame scallion waffles are serious competition! If you love the taste of scallion pancakes, but aren’t a fan of the heavier dough, you need to try these waffles. Loaded with toasted sesame seeds, lots of scallions, and just the right amount of Chinese spices, these are the perfect salty savory snack for breakfast time.
A Different Kind of Breakfast Waffle
Judy and I love to have these waffles alone, but Sarah and Kaitlin insist that they are better complemented with bacon and eggs on a Sunday morning. Either way, you can have ‘em however you like, on any day you want, because like any other waffle, they freeze and reheat nicely in the toaster oven!
So why waffles over the traditional scallion pancakes? For me, they’re not only delicious, but easy! No kneading and rolling required. Just make the batter and let the waffle iron do its magic.
After Judy tried them, she loved the familiar flavors and the crisp exterior with a soft inside, without the extra oil needed to cook up a good scallion pancake. Even better, they can be made in one big batch, frozen, and then reheated in a toaster in the morning for a super quick but satisfying breakfast.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good scallion pancake, and we have a few recipes, including our epic Shanghai scallion pancakes, 9-layer scallion pancakes from our time in Beijing, and a really simple scallion pancake version with garlic dipping sauce that Sarah made back when The Woks of Life was young.
The one piece of special equipment you’ll need for these is a good waffle iron. We use an electric Belgian waffle iron, which makes these a no-brainer, but you can also find cheaper stove-top alternatives.
Sesame Scallion Waffles: Recipe Instructions
(Note: Toast the sesame seeds in a pan and cool completely before adding them into the batter; we like to toast sesame seeds even if the ones you buy are already toasted – it really makes a huge difference. Make sure you use a clean, dry pan for toasting your sesame seeds.)
Beat the eggs and oil together until well combined. Next, whisk in the whole milk, sesame oil, salt, sugar, flour, baking powder, five spice powder, Sichuan pepper powder, and fresh ground white pepper until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix!
Add the scallions and toasted sesame seeds to the batter, and mix until evenly distributed. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
Heat your waffle iron to the highest setting, and once it’s hot, pour enough batter in to cover. At this point, you can sprinkle on some more scallions and sesame seeds if desired.
Most waffle irons are non-stick and do not require any additional oil, but if you have an old cast iron one, you can brush the iron with some oil or melted butter, especially if you want an extra crispy waffle.
How much batter you use for each sesame scallion waffle and the length of time the waffle needs to cook depends upon the waffle iron you are using, but you will know what to do after you make the first one. Most Belgian waffle makers can accommodate about ¾ cup of batter per waffle and will take 6 minutes to cook up a brown and crispy waffle. When the steam subsides, you can be pretty confident that your waffle is done.
If you have a waffle iron that flips, flip it once after you have poured in the batter and once more halfway through the cooking – or about 3 minutes. Check your waffle after 6 minutes and let it cook longer if you like your waffles darker and crunchier. Flipping helps to release the steam from the batter makes your sesame scallion waffles crispier. You can make adjustments as needed according to your setup!
Take the waffle out of the iron when done, taking care not to burn yourself because they are really hot.
Serve your sesame scallion waffles immediately or let them cool on a rack and freeze them for another day!
Enjoy your sesame scallion waffles alone or with a full blown brunch style breakfast!
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Recipe
Sesame Scallion Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 eggs (at room temperature)
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil (plus more for brushing the waffle iron)
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon five spice powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Sichuan pepper powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
- 1 ⅔ cups finely chopped scallions
- ⅓ cup toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- (Note: Toast the sesame seeds in a pan and cool completely before adding them into the batter; we like to toast sesame seeds even if the ones you buy are already toasted – it really makes a huge difference. Make sure you use a clean, dry pan for toasting your sesame seeds.)
- Beat the eggs and oil together until well combined. Next, whisk in the whole milk, sesame oil, salt, sugar, flour, baking powder, five spice powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and fresh ground white pepper until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
- Add the scallions and toasted sesame seeds to the batter, and mix until evenly distributed. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
- Heat your waffle iron to the highest setting, and once it’s hot, pour enough batter in to cover. Most waffle irons are non-stick and do not require any additional oil, but if you have an old cast iron one, you can brush the iron with some oil or melted butter, especially if you want an extra crispy waffle.
- How much batter you use for each sesame scallion waffle and the length of time the waffle needs to cook depends upon the waffle iron you are using, but you will know what to do after you make the first one. Most Belgian waffle makers can accommodate about ¾ cup of batter per waffle and will take 6 minutes to cook up a brown and crispy waffle. When the steam subsides, you can be pretty confident that your waffle is done.
- If you have a waffle iron that flips, flip it once after you have poured in the batter and once more halfway through the cooking – or about 3 minutes. Check your waffle after 6 minutes and let it cook longer if you like your waffles darker and crunchier. Flipping helps to release the steam from the batter makes your sesame scallion waffles crispier. You can make adjustments as needed according to your setup!
- Take the waffle out of the iron when done, taking care not to burn yourself because they are really hot.
- Serve immediately or let them cool on a rack and freeze them for another day!
Nutrition Facts
