Malted Waffles and Ice Cream

For a fun, decadent breakfast (or breakfast for dinner), try these Malted Waffles and Ice Cream. Golden brown malted Belgian waffles are topped with rich ice cream and hot fudge.

Valentine’s Day is coming up this weekend, and I know it may look a little different for a lot of couples this year.

While we’ve always been homebodies (and probably always will be), we did go out to a fancy dinner last year a few days after the 14th, because we happened to have a babysitter.

I’m glad we did, because it turned out to be our last fancy dinner out . . . for a very long time.

But we’re also totally content to have a quiet day at home with our daughter. A few years ago, we had a Valentine’s Day ice cream sundae party for the three of us.

Other years, we may have a snack board for dinner (like these Valentine’s Day party food ideas) followed up by easy Valentine dessert shooters.

This year, we’ve decided to do a decadent breakfast for dinner and have these malted waffles and Hudsonville Ice Cream.

Why not have waffles and ice cream for breakfast, or breakfast for dinner?

In a world where we can have a breakfast charcuterie board, a sweet potato breakfast casserole for lunch, and savory oatmeal for dinner, of course you can have waffles and ice cream for dinner!

I’m a big believer in throwing the rules out the window, and having what you want to have, when you want to have it, ESPECIALLY on a silly holiday.

What is a malted waffle?

A malted waffle is a waffle made with malted milk powder in the batter. Malted milk powder is sold in the grocery store in the same section as powdered milk.

Malted milk powder was invented in the 1800s as a nutritional supplement for babies and invalids, but it became more widely known as the key ingredient in malted milk shakes.

The smell of malted milk powder reminds me of the smell of my husband brewing beer at home.

That’s because the term “malt” refers to a grain (generally barley) that has been sprouted and dried. Malted barley is a key ingredient in most beers.

Once the malted barley is ground, it becomes the base of malted milk powder, which also contains powdered milk and flour. It has a mild, nutty flavor with a hint of sweetness.

A tip for success with this malted waffle recipe:

The biggest thing you want to remember is NOT to overmix the batter.

While I use a stand mixer to whisk up the wet ingredients until they are smooth, I change to a hand-held spatula for stirring the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

The reason for this is that it’s all too easy to accidentally overmix when using a stand mixer.

Once you add the dry ingredients, you only want to stir it JUST enough for the dry ingredients to blend into the wet ingredients, and not one stir more.

The reason it’s so important that you don’t overmix is that you don’t want the gluten in the flour to start developing. The more the batter is stirred, the more the gluten develops.

While developing gluten is GREAT for something you want to be chewy, like a baguette, nobody wants a super chewy waffle. Waffles should be light, fluffy and crisp. So, please take care not to overmix.

What goes well with Belgian waffles?

Just like warm stuffed apples and ice cream, Belgian waffles and ice cream are a classic combination for a reason. The light, crisp, warm waffle paired with the rich, creamy, cold ice cream is a match made in breakfast heaven.

And nothing could pair better with malted waffles than Hudsonville Ice Cream’s newest Limited Edition flavor, Malted Milk Ball.

This rich malt ice cream is filled with chocolate malt balls, and swirls of milk chocolate. Its malty flavor is the perfect pairing for these golden brown waffles (and caramelized banana splits, I might add).

This flavor is unlike any other ice cream I’ve ever tasted, thanks to the malted milk balls. There’s lot of candy you expect to see in ice cream, but I’ve never seen malted milk balls until now! The swirls of chocolate are also irresistible.

All of Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Limited Edition flavors are seasonal and only available for a short time, so you’ll want to find them in your nearest grocery store as soon as possible!

More fun toppings for waffles and ice cream:

Definitely feel free to add some hot fudge sauce and chopped malted milk balls to the top of your waffles!

These waffles are also amazing simply topped with Hudsonville’s Creamery Blend Vanilla or Classic Chocolate ice cream, along with one of my homemade fruit toppings for ice cream.

And of course, whipped cream, sprinkles and cherries are never a bad idea here, especially if you’re hosting a brunch buffet with a waffle bar!

I’m also not opposed to serving something savory on the side. See also: how to cook bacon in the oven and vegetarian quiche.

Psst – If you’re like me, and you think hot + cold is lovely, don’t miss my affogato coffee (coffee + ice cream)!

Hudsonville Ice Cream is continuing a long tradition of flavor development with two new Limited Edition flavors – Cinnamon French Toast and Malted Milk Ball. Hudsonville Ice Cream can be found in most grocery stores in Michigan and throughout the Midwest. Check the Scoop Locator on Hudsonville’s website so you can be sure to find which store near you carries these flavors. Also, be sure to connect with Hudsonville Ice Cream on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hudsonville Ice Cream. Sponsored posts help me pay for the costs associated with this blog (groceries…lots of groceries), and help support me as I pursue a career in recipe development and food photography. All opinions are 100% my own.