Fact: Brunch is the best meal there is. Another fact: Making brunch at home with friends just hits different. (Okay, fine both are technically opinions, but still… am I wrong?)
I’ve been a fan of brunch since before I even knew the word, because breakfast foods at any time of the day have always been my favorite. And although I love going out to splurge on a nice restaurant experience every once in a while, my roommates and I have gotten into a routine I love where we make a little bit of everything at home so we can all have a mix of our favorite sweet and savory brunch foods (at a way less expensive price point than going out every Saturday or Sunday morning).
I was looking for some new ideas to bring to the brunch table when I stumbled upon the Dash Waffle Stick Maker, which is adorable, compact, and on sale for $27 until Dec. 17. Since I’ve always erred on the side of sweet brunch foods and I love trying out new kitchen gear, I knew I had to try it out.
Although there is a little trial and error with figuring out how much batter to pour in (it seems I’m a chronic over-pourer), the waffle stick maker was easy to use and the waffle sticks themselves turned out beautifully. They were cooked evenly through and were the perfect degree of crispy and soft, which every waffle fan knows is a must.
Much like french toast sticks, the fun of these waffle sticks comes from the ability to eat them like a finger food (no judgment if you decide to go the fork and knife route though) and dip them in syrup like a chicken finger in ketchup.
The versatility is really a win for waffle stick maker, too. It’s easy to throw your favorite toppings into the mixture—we went with chocolate chips to satiate our sweet tooth, but cut up strawberries and bananas work too. My colleague and food writer Maki Yazawa even recommends adding beetroot powder to your waffle mixture, so the sticks come out with a vibrant red-pink hue *and* you get the added nutrition benefits of beetroot, like extra calcium, folate, and magnesium, to name a few.
There are so many creative uses for these waffles beyond eating them as is, too. My roommates and I have added them to ice cream for both a cute decoration and a scrumptious topping, and are planning on dipping the tops of a batch in chocolate with some festive sprinkles for our holiday brunch party, where they’re sure to be a hit. The waffle maker also comes with five recipes to help you get those creative chef juices flowing.
When it comes to clean-up, the leftover batter comes off the non-stick surface pretty easily—make sure you wait for it to cool down before attempting to clean it, though.
If you’re ready to upgrade your at-home brunch game, I definitely recommend this waffle stick maker for a fun addition to your meal—along with coffee, eggs, bacon, orange juice, and all your other favorite brunch foods.
