Strawberry Heart Waffles Delight (Printable version)

Golden heart-shaped waffles topped with creamy cottage cheese whip and fresh strawberries for a light brunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Waffles

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1¾ cups whole milk
07 - ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For the Cottage Cheese Whip

09 - 1 cup cottage cheese, full-fat or low-fat
10 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
11 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - ¼ cup heavy cream

→ For the Strawberry Topping

13 - 1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
14 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your heart-shaped waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat eggs thoroughly, then add whole milk, melted cooled butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredient mixture into dry ingredients and gently fold together until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain light, airy texture.
05 - Lightly grease the preheated waffle iron. Pour batter onto the iron and cook until golden and crisp. Repeat with remaining batter.
06 - While waffles cook, combine cottage cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, then add heavy cream and blend until light and whipped.
07 - Toss sliced fresh strawberries with granulated sugar and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release juices and develop flavor.
08 - Serve warm waffles topped generously with cottage cheese whip and macerated strawberries.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These waffles come together in under 20 minutes, and your heart-shaped iron does all the impressing for you.
  • The cottage cheese whip is secretly a protein powerhouse that feels like indulgence but keeps you satisfied for hours.
  • Fresh strawberries macerated in lemon juice cut through the richness in a way that makes you feel like you're eating something fancy, not just breakfast.
02 -
  • Don't let your batter sit around—waffle batter loses its lift after about 5 minutes as the baking powder starts to activate, so cook them as soon as you've mixed everything together.
  • The cottage cheese whip needs to be completely smooth or it will have a grainy texture, which is why blending it really matters—use a food processor if you don't have a blender.
  • Macerating the strawberries isn't optional, it's what transforms them from just fruit into a proper topping with a syrupy base.
03 -
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon or orange zest mixed into the batter before cooking adds brightness that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • If cottage cheese isn't calling to you, Greek yogurt blended with a little heavy cream works beautifully as a substitute and tastes just as creamy.
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