Look, I know what you’re thinking. Waffles? For a burger? Yes, my friend, you heard me right. We are taking two of the greatest comfort food champions—a perfectly cheesy mac and cheese and a salty, juicy cheeseburger—and we are shoving them together between two golden, crispy waffles. The very first time I made this wild creation, my jaw actually dropped. It was pure, beautiful, edible chaos wrapped up in one glorious handheld meal. Trust me when I say that this Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger will absolutely ruin every other lunch for you. It’s rich, it’s decadent, and honestly, it’s something you just have to experience.
Why You Need This Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger Recipe
Honestly, you need this recipe because sometimes life calls for something truly over-the-top. It takes dinner from zero to sixty in terms of flavor payoff. Plus, it’s a genius way to use up that leftover macaroni and cheese you always have lingering in the fridge! If you love rich food, you simply must try this ultimate comfort stack. For more cheesy goodness, you should check out my recipe for Double Bacon Mac N Cheese Casserole!
- It’s the ultimate fusion: Salty, savory burger meets creamy, carb-loaded mac and cheese.
- Surprisingly fast! Since the mac and cheese is already cooked, you’re basically just making batter and cooking patties.
- The texture contrast is insane—crispy waffle edge giving way to soft, cheesy interior.
- It’s the pinnacle of comfort food, served in a handheld package!
Ingredients for the Perfect Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
Okay, the secret to making this flavor bomb is having all our components ready to go before we start mixing. We are not messing around with runny mac and cheese here; it needs to be thick enough to hold its shape in the batter structure. If you’re making your patties from scratch, don’t forget to check out my guide on Homemade Burger Patty Recipe! Everything comes together quickly once you have your prepared mac ready.
For the Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour – make sure it’s fluffed up when you measure!
- 1 teaspoon baking powder – this gives us the lift.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk (whole milk works best for richness)
- 1/4 cup melted butter – melted, but not sizzling hot!
- 1 cup cooked macaroni and cheese (This is crucial: it must be prepared, thick, and cooled down slightly—no watery leftovers, please!)
For Assembly of the Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
- 4 hamburger patties (This makes two giant sandwiches, so two patties per sandwich.)
- 4 slices cheddar cheese (My tip? Go for sharp cheddar here—it melts beautifully and cuts through the richness of the mac and cheese.)
- Butter for the waffle iron – don’t skip this greasing step!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
This is where the magic really happens! Even though this sounds complicated, it moves really fast once you get going. Because we are waffling something that already has cooked pasta in it, timing is everything. A little heads-up before we start: when incorporating the mac and cheese, you want to be gentle. If you beat it too hard, you’ll break up the pasta, and nobody wants a mac-and-cheese paste waffle!
Preparing the Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Batter
First things first, let’s get the dry stuff together. In a big bowl, just whisk up your flour, baking powder, and salt. Keep it simple. In a separate, smaller bowl, that’s where you mix the wet ingredients: your egg, your milk, and that melted butter. Now, combine the wet into the dry, giving it a quick stir until it’s *just* combined. I’m talking about a few seconds! If you see a few streaks of flour left, that’s perfect. Don’t mix it smooth like you might for pancakes from Easy Crepes or Pancakes Recipes; overmixing is our enemy here because it makes the waffle tough.
Finally, gently fold in that beautiful, already-made macaroni and cheese you prepped. Use a rubber spatula and scoop from the bottom up a couple of times until it’s evenly distributed. Stop mixing immediately!
Waffling the Macaroni And Cheese Mixture
Time to heat up the iron! Preheat your waffle maker—make sure it’s nice and hot. Before you pour any batter in, give the plates a good, generous buttering. Seriously, butter the iron well; we want crispy edges and zero sticking drama. Spoon your batter onto the center of the iron so it spreads out nicely into that waffle shape. You’ll cook these until they are golden brown and nice and crisp, usually about 4 to 6 minutes depending on your iron’s heat setting. Make sure you repeat this process to get your second waffle base ready!
Cooking the Patties and Assembling the Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
While those waffles are doing their thing, get your hamburger patties cooking on the stovetop or grill to whatever delicious doneness you prefer. When the patties are just about a minute from being done, top each one with a slice of cheddar cheese. Let that cheese get gloriously melty and gooey.
Now for the grand finale! Take one cheesy, hot burger patty and set it directly onto one of your crispy mac and cheese waffles. Top it with the second waffle. And just like that, you have created the most epic Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger sandwich known to humankind. Try not to let it cool down!
Tips for the Best Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger Results
Listen, making this epic sandwich is easy, but making it *perfect* requires a few little secrets. I learned these the hard way—mostly through sticky waffle irons and slightly soggy burgers! First, you absolutely must use cold, thick macaroni and cheese. If it’s warm or loose, the waffle batter won’t set right, and you’ll end up with cheesy mush instead of a crispy base. Trust me, the structural integrity of this sandwich depends on cold mac!
Second, crank that waffle iron up! You want it screaming hot before you add the butter and then the batter. That high heat is what instantly crisps the surface and locks in the shape before the internal cheese has a chance to make everything weep out. Third, think about your sauce choices. If you’re adding condiments, keep them minimal between the main layers. A little touch of your favorite homemade ketchup—I love using my recipe for Homemade Ketchup Recipe—on the patty is great, but going too heavy will cause immediate sogginess.
Finally, serve it fast! This isn’t a meal you can let sit on the counter. Eat it immediately while the waffle is crunchy and the cheese inside the patty is still molten. That contrast is the whole point of this magnificent creation.
Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger Variations
While the original Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger is pretty much my definition of perfection, I know some of you out there like to push the envelope even further! That’s the beauty of customizing a masterpiece—you make it your own. The waffle batter itself is a fantastic canvas, so don’t be afraid to mix things up in there.
When it comes to the mac and cheese part, swapping out the cheese is the easiest win. Ditch the basic cheddar for something with more punch. Try using smoked gouda for a deep, smoky undertone, or maybe some Gruyère if you want that nutty, fancy flavor that melts like a dream. Even just mixing sharp cheddar with a little Monterey Jack can completely change the profile!
Now, let’s talk about the meat side of things because that’s where you can really get creative with toppings and sauces. If you’re looking for a bit of sneaky heat, forget the standard ketchup and grab my recipe for Homemade Chili Garlic Sauce. A thin smear on the patty before you marry the waffles together adds the perfect sweet heat!
Here are a few other ways I like to switch things up:
- Pickled Pop: Add a few thinly sliced dill pickle chips right over the melted cheese before closing the sandwich. That acidity is so needed against all that richness.
- Onion Crunch: Sprinkle some crispy fried onions (the kind you use for green bean casserole!) right on top of the patty. They add a fantastic savory crunch that complements the soft pasta.
- BBQ Twist: If you’re using smoked cheese in your mac, a drizzle of your favorite smoky BBQ sauce instead of ketchup really pushes this into smoky comfort territory.
The key is balance. If you add something heavy on the inside, try to keep the exterior of the waffle dry so it stays crispy. Have fun with it!
Storing and Reheating Your Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
Now, listen, this spectacular Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger is definitely best made fresh and eaten immediately. I mean, that contrast between the shatteringly crisp waffle and the gooey hot burger is what we are aiming for, right? But let’s be real, sometimes you just can’t finish two of these monsters in one sitting, or maybe you just want leftovers for lunch the next day. Don’t worry, we can save this creation!
My firm rule for leftovers is to store the components separately if you can swing it. Try to unsandwich the burger before saving it. Wrap the cooked mac and cheese waffles tightly in foil, and keep the cooked, cheesed patties in an airtight container in the fridge. You could store them assembled, but you’re gambling with sogginess, and we don’t take that risk here!
When it’s time to bring this beauty back to life, ditch the microwave forever. I can’t stress this enough—microwaving food like this is the express lane to sadness. The microwave steam will turn those beautiful crisp waffle edges into sad, damp sponges. No, thank you!
For reheating the waffles, your best friend is going to be a toaster oven or an air fryer. Preheat either one to about 350°F (175°C). Toast the waffles for about 4 to 5 minutes until they are hot all the way through and the outside has crisped up again. If you don’t have those, a regular oven works too, just on a baking sheet at 375°F (190°C) for about 8 minutes.
Once your waffles are crispy, quickly reheat your burger patty—a quick zap in a dry skillet for a minute per side works perfectly to re-melt that cheese. Then, assemble it just like you did the first time! Freshly reheated, this waffle burger is almost exactly as good as the original batch, I promise!
Serving Suggestions for the Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
Okay, let’s face facts: the Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger is not exactly a light lunch. This thing is heavy, glorious, and unapologetically decadent. Because we’ve got so much rich cheese, carbs, and savory beef going on in the main event, the side dish absolutely needs to play a supporting role—and that role means bringing something bright, acidic, or crisp to the table. We need something to cut through all that richness so you can actually take a second bite!
Honestly, a big pile of regular fries just feels like too much carb-on-carb action for me. I mean, we already have waffles! So, when I serve this masterpiece, I always pivot hard toward the fresh and tangy stuff. Think palate cleansers, not more hearty anchors. It just balances the whole experience out so nicely.
My absolute favorite pairing right now is a simple slaw, skip the creamy mayo-based ones, though. You want crunch and tang. A quick vinegar-based coleslaw with way too much red onion is fantastic. But if you want something that truly sings next to the cheesy burger, you have to try a nice, crisp salad. I recently made a batch of Pineapple Cucumber Salad, and the combination was unbelievable. The cool cucumber and the tart pineapple just reset your taste buds perfectly between bites of the burger.
If you absolutely must have something cooked, I suggest going for simple, acidic pickles or maybe some very light, garlicky green beans that have been sautéed quickly with lemon zest. No heavy sauces, no deep-fried sides—let the waffle burger have the spotlight, and just give the side dish the job of being refreshing! Seriously, that pineapple salad is the secret weapon here.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
I’ve gotten a ton of questions since sharing this recipe, and that’s totally fair because blending mac and cheese into a breakfast appliance to hold a burger is definitely next-level cooking! Most people want to know about prep time and how critical the temperature is. I’m happy to share what I’ve learned from my many (many) test batches of this incredible waffle burger! If you’re wondering about serving this with soup instead, I have a great One Pot Macaroni Cheeseburger Soup Recipe, but let’s keep the focus on the sandwich for now.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
You know, I always recommend making the batter right when you need it! Because we’re adding in cooked pasta—which holds a lot of moisture—if you let the batter sit for too long, say more than 30 minutes, it starts to get a little heavy, and the baking powder might lose its sparkle before it hits the heat. It really wants to be used fresh. That’s why this recipe is great for a weekend treat, but maybe not the best for batch prepping weekly meals.
What is the best way to prevent soggy waffles?
This is the question I get the most, and it all comes down to two things: batter consistency and heat. First, make sure that cooked macaroni and cheese you’re folding in is cold and thick, not warm and runny. Second, your waffle iron needs to be ripping hot! Don’t pour that batter in until the light says it’s ready and you can hear a nice sizzle when the butter hits the plates. A cold iron steams the batter instead of crisping it, and that leads straight to sogginess! You want that immediate, audible crunch when you close the lid.
Can this Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger be made vegetarian?
Absolutely, you can make this vegetarian, and it’s still amazing! Since the waffle batter itself is vegetarian, you just need to swap out the beef patties. I highly recommend using thick, high-quality veggie burgers that hold up well to grilling or pan-frying. Look for brands that are dense rather than crumbly, or you can even use thick slices of halloumi cheese if you want a really salty, squeaky internal layer. Just make sure whatever substitute you use gets a good sear before you tuck it between those cheesy waffles!
Nutritional Estimate for the Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
Look, I’m not going to lie to you. When you take macaroni and cheese, put it in a waffle, and then stick a cheesy burger patty in the middle, you are not exactly making a light salad substitute. This is peak indulgence territory, and we celebrate it! This Macaroni And Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger is a glorious journey into comfort, and frankly, you should enjoy every single bite without guilt.
However, since I always want you to know what you’re getting into, I pulled the numbers based on the ingredients we used—the flour, the cheese, the beef patty—so you have a rough idea of the payoff. Think of these numbers as a ballpark estimate, because if you use leaner beef or low-fat milk, things will shift around a bit! We always have to remember that ingredient quality and exact measurements mean these figures are just guides for your decadent adventure.
Here’s the rough breakdown for one serving (one massive waffle sandwich):
- Calories: 750 (Yep, it’s a meal in itself!)
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Protein: 35g (Thanks, burger!)
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1100mg (It’s cheesy, we knew this was coming!)
- Cholesterol: 120mg
I always tell folks: this isn’t an everyday lunch; this is a special occasion treat where you give yourself permission to go all out. If you’re aiming for something a little lighter in the future, maybe check out some of the side dish suggestions I had—they help balance the richness if you decide to make two, even though I know you want to eat both! Enjoy responsibly, friends!
Print
Macaroni and Cheese Waffle Cheeseburger
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A recipe combining a cheeseburger patty between two macaroni and cheese waffles.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup cooked macaroni and cheese (prepared)
- 4 hamburger patties
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- Butter for waffle iron
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk, and melted butter.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the cooked macaroni and cheese.
- Preheat your waffle iron and lightly grease it with butter.
- Pour batter onto the iron to form a waffle shape. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 4-6 minutes. Repeat for the second waffle.
- While the waffles cook, cook the hamburger patties to your desired doneness.
- Place a slice of cheddar cheese on each patty during the last minute of cooking to melt.
- Place one cheeseburger patty between the two macaroni and cheese waffles to form a sandwich.
Notes
- Use leftover macaroni and cheese for best results.
- You can use any type of cheese in the macaroni and cheese base.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Waffling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 1100
- Fat: 45
- Saturated Fat: 20
- Unsaturated Fat: 25
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 120
Keywords: macaroni and cheese, waffle, cheeseburger, burger, comfort food, sandwich