As you may already know, I’m a big fan of Korean street food videos. I can watch them for hours! Doing so, I recently stumbled across something called Korean waffles.
These Belgian-style waffles are fluffy yet crispy, folded like a taco, and filled with a delectable sweetened whipped cream/cream cheese mixture, often flavored with honey or vanilla. One of the standout features of this increasingly popular street food is the application of filling on the inside, which gives it a beautiful, braided appearance.
Needless to say, I was intrigued and eager to try making them at home. My Korean waffle recipe was inspired by Yummy Yammy’s video and adapted from RunAwayRice’s pandan waffles. The pandan waffle recipe works wonderfully, offering a fluffy interior, crisp exterior, and a bit of chewiness that complements the generous cream filling. However, I skipped the coconut-pandan flavor as it’s not my favorite and opted for vanilla instead.
Upon tasting these waffles, the first thing that struck me was the tanginess of the cream cheese, which perfectly balances the sweetness of the whipped topping. This contrast satisfies and keeps the overall sweetness in check. Speaking of sweetness, I appreciate that Korean waffles are sweet without being overly so. Moreover, the sweetness is layered and nuanced, adding to the overall enjoyment.
Another noteworthy aspect is the lightness of these waffles. Unlike cheesecake or brownies, Korean waffles are remarkably light and airy in sweetness and texture, making them a delightful breakfast food.
Korean Waffles
Equipment
- 2 medium-sized mixing bowls
- 1 whisk
- 1 waffle iron
- 1 rack over baking pan to air cool the waffles when they come off the waffle iron
Ingredients
Waffles
- 1 ½ cups mochiko (sweet rice flour) 306g
- ½ cup tapioca starch 60g
- ½ cup all-purpose flour 60g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder 15g
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 30g
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup milk, room temperature 366mL
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounce block of cream cheese, room temperature 226g
- 2 tablespoons honey, plus more if desired 42g
- ¼ cup whipped topping 55g
Instructions
Waffles
- Sift the mochiko, tapioca starch, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk the eggs, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until well combined. Then add the milk and whisk until well incorporated.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined (I use a Danish whisk for this). A few lumps are okay; the batter does not have to be completely smooth.
- Spray the inside of your waffle iron to prevent sticking and preheat according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Meanwhile, arrange a rack over a baking pan to cool the finished waffles and allow steam to dissipate, as this helps prevent them from getting soggy. I’ve also found it helpful to set a fan to blow in the direction of the waffles so they crisp up better. Alternatively, you can toast the waffles before adding the filling.
- Add portions of batter to the waffles and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Gently bend the waffles to give them that taco shell shape, then place them onto the rack.
Filling
- Plop the cream cheese into a bowl.
- Mix the cream cheese and honey on low using an electric mixer, then slowly increase the speed until it is smooth.
- Add the whipped topping (I used Cool Whip) and mix until light and fluffy. If you have real whipped cream on hand, feel free to use that.
Assembly
- Smooth the surface of the cream, then take a dollop and push it onto one side of the waffle until it’s about an inch thick. You could also use a piping bag with a large hole and no tip to achieve that braided appearance.
- Drizzle honey on the other side for added sweetness.
- Now spread some cream cheese over the honey, covering the whole side.
- Finally, press it all together to form a taco. Repeat with the remaining waffles and filling.