I constantly dream about food. Honestly, I think some of my favorite recipes were created in the middle of the night. For example, the idea for these waffle sliders came to me at about 3 o’clock in the morning. I woke up in the middle of the night and started thinking about what I could put in between two waffles. I had a few sandwich ideas, but ultimately picked something that didn’t stray too far from typical breakfast flavors.
This waffle slider is made by sandwiching candied bacon, a beef patty, and a fried egg between two waffle slices. The maple-candied bacon adds a touch of sweetness, while the runny egg makes the waffle rich and savory.
Plus, I think any dish is better when topped with a runny egg.
It’s comfort food at its best.
If you don’t want to make every element of this waffle slider from scratch, you can use frozen waffles or store-bought burgers. When I make waffles for my family on weekends, I like to make a few extra to keep in the freezer. They are great to have on hand for breakfasts on the go!
Waffle Sliders With Candied Bacon
Ingredients
Burgers:
- ½ lb ground beef (80/20)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Buttermilk Waffles:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cornmeal
- ⅞ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg, separated
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Other Ingredients:
- 4 fried eggs
- 4 slices maple-candied bacon
Instructions
For the Burgers:
- Preheat a griddle or indoor grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Stir until just combined. Using your hands, form the mixture into 4 equal-sized patties.
- Place the burgers on the griddle and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side (USDA recommends a safe internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit). Once fully cooked, place the burgers on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
For the Buttermilk Waffles:
- Preheat a waffle iron.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cornmeal. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg yolk, and melted butter. Set aside.
- Add the egg white to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on medium-low speed until foamy, then increase the speed to medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients while gently stirring. Once the ingredients have been combined, gently fold in the egg whites.
- Spray the preheated waffle iron with cooking spray. Add an appropriate amount of batter to the waffle iron, following the manufacturer's instructions (for my waffle iron, I add half of the batter). Cook the waffle until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Place the waffles on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
Assemble the Waffle Sliders:
- Cut the waffles into quarters. Top one of the waffle quarters with a slice of candied bacon, beef patty, and a fried egg. Top with a second waffle quarter and secure the slider with a skewer.
- Repeat with remaining waffle quarters, bacon, patties, and eggs to make 4 sliders. Serve immediately.
