If you carry an inventor’s spirit, your waffle maker isn’t just for waffles. No, no, dearest dreamer, your waffle maker can create anything — well, almost anything anyway. Sure, it was designed for waffles, but as long as you’re down for every dish coming out with grid imprints, you can go buckwild. In fact, the waffle maker might be the most underrated tool of the kitchen. There are other close-up grills, but those ones can’t make a waffle in the first place. Meanwhile, the waffle maker can give you everything from breakfast to dessert.

Brownies

Photo: My Sweet Mission

Let’s just start with dessert, actually. You can totally go the waffle maker route here. Just tuck those brownie makings in for a hot nap (and then, if you’re looking to win over your entire neighborhood, serve with ice cream and sprinkles). The most important step here is avoiding going mad with power.

Soft Pretzels

Photo: Will It Waffle?

You’ll think the future is nothing but bright after nailing this just once. Lace up that dough, arranging one in each quadrant and flatten them with heat. Then salt ‘em up like there’s no tomorrow. Repeat until god/goddess status is reached.

Quesadillas

Photo: Mo Momma Money

A simple go-to that even the drunkest college student could manage, a waffle-maker quesadilla does the doughy-cheesy goodness right. It takes as long as a microwave move and tastes like you went all stove-top. It’s a blessing. Treasure the ease and devour the cheese.

Calzones

Photo: Good Housekeeping

Akin to the quesadilla, a waffle-maker calzone packs the goodies with pow like it’s nothing. Lay out a layer of pizza dough that hangs over the side, toss in every magical move your tastebuds plan to worship, and finish savory construction from the top with the rest of the pizza dough. Add some marinara on the side, and you have won life for the day.

Hash Browns

Photo: One Ingredient Chef

At a minimum, you can throw hash browns (or tater tots to make your life easier) into your waffle maker and grill them right up. But you can also get real ragtime radical with it and toss some peppers and onions in there, too. Listen, this is likely going to become your breakfast routine for the rest of your life, so maybe try a few wild cards.

Grilled Cheeses

Photo: Multivu

This could accidentally become your dinner for the next month. It’s so easy, I shouldn’t have to explain it to you. But I will, because I care about your satisfaction of life and want you to be happy. Butter up the outsides of the bread, pack cheese in the middle, and then wait for the smell to get so heavenly you start to freak out. Open waffle maker. Eat. Live.

Mac and Cheese

Photo: Mlive

You may think a mess is on the horizon with this game-changer, but fear not! You’re on the verge of enjoying crispy mac and cheese bites, the likes of which you will probably devour on a regular basis each day following. Actually, your family might schedule an intervention once you pull this off, because you’ll never stop. Never.

Churros

Photo: Recipe With A Cause

Get ready for the most unique-looking churros to come out of your ingenious kitchen. Layer thick strips of dough, get them golden, and then roll in cinnamon and sugar. You will make and eat an estimated billion of these. You will feel emotionally invincible and physically wrecked, but it’ll be worth it, surely.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo: 360 Family Nutrition

Your cookie dough could go in the oven, but that takes foooooooreeeeeeveeeeeer. If you’re baking for one (very happy human such as yourself), go with the waffle maker. Actually, if you’re baking for you and a date, still go with the waffle maker. It shows off your ingenuity.

Falafel

Photo: No Face Plate

Get classy and crafty by cooking up falafel in your waffle maker. It’s the way to be. After you process all the chickpeas, garlic, and spices, and then patty them up proper, go all the way with the waffle maker, ensuring a crunchy, delicious outcome. AAAAND you get a cool name out of it: falafel waffle! C'mon, I know you laughed.

Cinnamon Rolls

Photo: Pillsbury

Yes, they’ll likely come out all big and fluffy if you go with the oven, which, as we’ve discussed above, takes too long. But you’re not trying to sell cinnamon rolls for a living here. You just want want to be filled with cinnamon, sugar, and outrageous joy. This is the way to go. Be happy forever.