Belgian Waffles with Cinnamon Poached Pears

Belgian Waffles with Cinnamon Poached Pears are a sweet treat made of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. This tasty breakfast combines a fluffy waffle with a rich poached pear topping. The warm pear syrup fills the waffle squares for a perfectly sweet bite every time. The brown sugar and cinnamon combination tastes just like fall and the dollop of freshly whipped cream makes it a delicious morning treat.

While I absolutely love my savory breakfast, I like to venture out into sweeter territory once in a while. As a kid, my Nonna would make me poached apples and pears with cinnamon and brown sugar for breakfast. What were normally refreshing, crisp fruits turned to sweet, soft desserts. Inspired by my Nonna's breakfast fruit and this wonderful fall weather, I decided to top classic Belgian waffles with sweet cinnamon poached pears.

Jump to:

• What are Belgian Waffles?
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• How to Store and Reheat Belgian Waffles
• Top Tips
• Did You Like This Recipe?
• Belgian Waffles with Cinnamon Poached Pears

What are Belgian Waffles?

Compared to American waffles, Belgian waffles are defined by their large size, their crispy texture, and their deep grids. The Deep grids are due to the use of a waffle iron and are perfect for holding extra syrup. Belgian waffle batter is also typically made with leavening agent such as baking powder or egg whites to make them extra fluffy.

Ingredients

Waffles

• All purpose flour - All purpose flour is the foundation for the waffles.
• Baking soda -  Baking soda helps the waffle batter spread.
• Baking powder -  A leavening agent that helps the waffles rise and become fluffy.
• Brown sugar - Brown sugar adds moisture to the waffle batter.
• Granulated sugar - Granulated sugar adds sweetness.
• Eggs - Eggs bind the ingredients together. Use a room temperature egg so it spreads evenly in the batter.
• Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract adds complexity and sweetness to the waffle batter. For a stronger vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste.
• Milk - Milk adds flavor and helps create the consistency of the batter. Regular milk is great for taste, but you can also use oat milk or almond milk.
• Butter - Room temperature butter is best for the batter texture and adds a buttery flavor. Use European or American butter. European has a higher fat content resulting in a crisper, more buttery waffle.
• Whipped cream - Whipped cream is a sweet and decadent topping, check out our easy homemade whipped cream.

Poached Pear

• Pears - Pears are warm flavored fruit that tastes delicious when poached.
• Water - Water helps to create the syrup that the pairs are cooked in.
• Brown sugar - Brown sugar adds rich flavor and a deeper caramel color.
• Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract enhances the other flavors.
• Ground cinnamon - Cinnamon adds a light yet distinct spice to the pears and accentuates the warm flavors.

Instructions

Waffles

1. Heat waffle iron - Start by heating your Belgian waffle iron and preheating the oven to 200°F.
2. Whisk dry ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix wet ingredients - In separate bowl, whisk sugars, eggs, vanilla, milk, and butter until blended.
4. Mix dry and wet ingredients together - Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until just blended. Allow the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes so the baking powder can activate for fluffy waffles.
5. Cook the waffles - Brush some butter or non stick cooking spray on the hot waffle iron. Give the batter one more good stir, then use a ladle to add the batter to the iron. Cook for just a couple minutes, or until the waffles are golden and crispy.
6. Keep the waffles warm - As you finish cooking the waffles, place them directly on the oven rack to keep them hot.

Poached Pears

1. Simmer ingredients - In a small saucepan, add water, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Whisk the ingredients and heat until mixture reaches a simmer.
2. Simmer pears - Add pears and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the pears are tender. Remove the pears from the sauce and set aside.
3. Enjoy poached pears and waffles - Plate the waffles and place the pears on top. Drizzle a couple spoonfuls of the brown sugar sauce and top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

Substitutions

• Milk - You can substitute oat, almond, or your favorite milk for normal milk. However, the flavor may not be as rich.
• Healthy - Replace the whipped cream and poached pair topping with blueberries, strawberries, or bananas to make this recipe healthier.
• Cinnamon poached apples - Replace pears with apples for if you prefer the taste of apples to pears.
• Maple Syrup - Use maple syrup instead of poached pears for a classic Belgian waffle.
• Deluxe - If you want to enjoy this Belgian waffle as a dessert, replace the whipped cream with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream or add the ice cream in addition to the whipped cream.

Variations

• Chocolate Chip Belgian Waffles - Add semi sweet chocolate chips to the waffle batter to make these chocolate chip waffles.
• Pecans - Add chopped pecans to the batter for a sweet and hearty crunch.
• Powdered Sugar - Sprinkle the waffles with powdered sugar for an added light sweetness.
• Apple curd - Enjoy the waffles with apple curd for a rich caramel apple flavor.

Equipment

This homemade Belgian waffle recipe requires a few kitchen essentials, including a whisk, knife, cutting board, mixing bowl, shallow bowl, spatula, sauce pan, and waffle iron (Belgian waffle maker).

How to Store and Reheat Belgian Waffles

While Belgian waffles are best enjoyed fresh, sometimes you have leftover waffles, batter, and poached pears. Store leftover waffle batter and poached pears in separate air-tight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat leftover waffles, heat the oven to 300°F and warm for 4 to 5 minutes. To reheat leftover poached pears, place the pears in a sauce pan over low heat for 5 minutes.

Top Tips

• Make sure the waffle iron is hot -be sure your waffle iron is completely heated before adding the waffle batter. If the waffle iron isn't hot enough, it won't evaporate the batter moisture and you will have soggy waffles.
• Milk - milk with high-fat content when making Belgian waffles. The higher the fat content, the richer the waffle flavors.

Did You Like This Recipe?

If you enjoyed this Belgian waffles recipe, please rate and comment below! For more brunch and breakfast recipes like this, check out:

• BRIOCHE FRENCH TOAST WITH BERRIES
• OAT MILK PANCAKES
• CHOCOLATE CHIP BRIOCHE BREAD PUDDING
• TOMATO TARTLETS WITH PUFF PASTRY
• GLUTEN FREE MOCHI WAFFLES