Martha Stewart's 10-Second Trick Helped Me Stop Serving Soggy Waffles

Whether you're Team Sweet or Team Savory when it comes to brunch, most of us can probably agree on one thing: a soggy brunch is a buzzkill. (Unless you consider maple syrup, hollandaise, poached eggs, jammy egg yolks, or a soft scramble to be "soggy." We'd call those sticky or silky–and very welcome to the party!)

Soggy bacon, pancakes, or waffles are less than ideal, but can be a common problem if you're making a big batch or are hosting a crowd—or stack up slices on a plate and don't have a chance to dig in immediately. We normally stick to this foolproof Crispy Oven-Baked Bacon recipe to ensure we serve crispy strips, and opt for a cooling rack + sheet pan strategy to keep a batch of pancakes or waffles warm without becoming moist. (This can easily occur if the pieces are stacked on top of each other while still steaming.)

But now that we've stumbled upon a pro tip from culinary queen Martha Stewart, we have another solution to ensure a sog-free dish.

How to Prevent Waffles From Getting Soggy, According to Martha Stewart

Over on TikTok, @MarthaStewart's team is resurfacing moments from her previous TV segments to share pro tips, including this one that caught my eye:

In the clip, Martha removes a cooked waffle from the iron and gently tosses it between her hands to let steam escape before setting it on top of another waffle on her plate, thereby preventing a soggy stack. “It helps make sure that the crispiness of those edges is retained,” she says.

As a mom, grandma, entrepreneur, restaurateur, garden expert, author, and Snoop Dogg's BFF, Stewart has a lot on her plate. So it's no wonder she's sharing a cooking hack that saves time—and a batch of waffles—all at once.

We Tested Martha’s Waffle Hack to See If It Works

After watching, I decided to follow Stewart's lead to whip up breakfast for dinner this week. Since I'm 35 and have still never been to a Waffle House (I know!), I stirred together a batch of Waffle House-Style Waffle batter to score a taste of what I was missing. That said, any waffle recipe from sweet Sour Cream Waffles to savory Zucchini Waffles should work great for this.

I cooked the batter in my waffle maker, then used the heat-safe tongs that came with my appliance to carefully remove the waffle once it was golden brown. Following Stewart's lead, I then tossed the waffle back and forth between my hands for 10 seconds. (You could use a clean pair of heat-resistant gloves if you're worried about burning your palms.)

After this short game of catch, I added the waffle to my plate and used my knife and fork to slice off a bite. Yes, it looked silly. But yes, it actually worked! This tossing technique allows the steam to escape rather than build up beneath a waffle set directly on a plate or serving platter. As a result, the edges and surface retain that delightfully crispy texture that can hold up to syrup, a schmear of softened butter, or whatever toppings you choose. Spurred on by this success, I tried this again with my toast the next morning and can confirm it works just as well.

I'll probably stick to the method of using a cooling rack in a low-temp oven to keep large batches of waffles (as well as toast, French toast, and pancakes)warm and crispy, but this will now be my go-to option when I'm cooking for one. It's a good thing.