11 Stranger Things-Inspired Waffle Sandwiches

Stranger Things Open Face Light Sandwich

What better way to start off the second season of Stranger Things, and this recipe collection, than with an iconic breakfast stack that's topped with one of the shows most important scenes; Will's Christmas light living room! Here's what you'll need to make an edible version of Will's living room:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Eggo waffles, toasted
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese
• 3 strawberries, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup M&Ms
• Black licorice or dark writable chocolate frosting

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Smear the cream cheese onto both of the toasted waffles. Add sliced strawberries to one side and stack the other side on top. Using a piping bag full of pliable dark chocolate, carefully write "A B C D" in childlike font and add a line above and below it. Stud the lines with M&Ms to create the light string effect. 

Mini Cheeseburger Waffle Sliders

When we're first introduced to Eleven, we see her silently and nervously chowing down on a burger. To make her feel a little more comfortable, we swapped out the bun for... wait for it... mini waffles! Surprisingly enough, the waffle gives the sandwich more texture and crunch!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Eggo minis, toasted
• 2 ounces of beef, per mini burger
• 2 big pinches of salt
• Nonstick spray
• 1/4 slice of American cheese
• 1 teaspoon mayo
• 1 teaspoon ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
• 2 cherry tomato slices
• 1 small lettuce leaf 
• 1 slice of onion, cut into pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high. Meanwhile, shape the burger patty into a disk and press the middle down, creating a puck-like shape. Sprinkle the outside with salt and spray the nonstick into the cast iron. Add the burger to the skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side until the desired temperature is reached. Top with cheese and turn the heat off. 
2. Mix mayo, ketchup, Sriracha and sweet pickle relish in a small bowl and smear 1/2 tablespoons onto both Eggo minis. Add the mini cheeseburger and top with tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and the remaining waffle. If you're feeling a little fancy, top with an umbrella toothpick. 

Strawberry Ice Cream Waffle Sandwiches with Candied Ginger

After Eleven ate the burger, she then chowed down on a pint of strawberry ice cream with her new chef friend. And although she had no problem eating it sans waffles, we decided to make it a little more enjoyable for her by sandwiching the ice cream between two Eggo minis with a few pieces of candied ginger. We don't recommend making these ahead of time because the waffles get too hard in the freezer.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Eggo minis, toasted
• 1 scoop of strawberry ice cream, per each sandwich
• 1 teaspoon chopped candied ginger

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. After toasting the waffles, allow them to come to room temperature. Add one scoop of strawberry ice cream to one waffle and add the other waffle on top. Roll the exposed ice cream in chopped candied ginger before serving. 

Green Slime Upside Down Grilled Cheese

The star in this waffle sandwich is the green pesto gouda cheese. You can find this variety at most specialty cheese shops, or at Trader Joe's. When it melts, it looks like slime, which makes it perfect for this ham and pesto waffle grilled cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Eggo waffles, defrosted
• 1/3 cup green pesto gouda
• 1/4 pound rosemary ham
• 1 tablespoon salted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by layering half of the cheese onto one of the waffles. Top with ham and then add all of the green pesto gouda. Add the remaining waffle on top and butter the exterior of the sandwich. 
2. In a panini press or a cast iron skillet, add the sandwich and cook over medium-high heat until the cheese has melted and the waffle is golden brown. Serve immediately. 

Demogorgon Sandwich

There's no denying that the monster from Stranger Things is absolutely terrifying. A million sharp teeth protruding from a cluster of blood-red mouths will definitely give any normal Joe nightmares. This sweet, Demogorgon-inspired, dessert sandwich is loaded with dyed marshmallow fluff, Nutella, and tiny almond slivers between two toasted pumpkin waffles.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pumpkin waffles, toasted
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• A few drops of red food dye
• 2 tablespoons Nutella
• 1/2 cup almond slivers

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by mixing the marshmallow fluff with red food coloring until a bright red color emerges. 
2. After toasting the waffles, add the marshmallow fluff to one of the waffles and add the Nutella to the other. Sandwich the waffles together and carefully add the almond slivers around the outside of the waffles so that it looks like teeth. Serve immediately. 

Pizza Eggo Waffle

Now that season 1 has ended, and Eleven is hopefully still alive, we thought we'd make a waffle-inspired dish that everyone can enjoy together. Ta-dah! The pizza waffle was born! And although it's not your typical waffle sandwich, this open-faced variety is sure to please kids and adults of all ages. It's so good that even Dustin will hang back for the last slice again.

Here's what you'll need to make it: 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Eggo waffle, lightly toasted
• 2 tablespoon tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella
• A few basil leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by turning your oven broiler on. Meanwhile, place a waffle on a baking sheet and add tomato sauce around the center. Add the fresh mozzarella and a sprinkle of salt. Broil until cheese has melted. Remove from heat and add fresh basil leaves. 

Upside Down Open Faced Waffle Sandwich

This opened face waffle sandwich plays off of the dirt cup, a childhood favorite, made with chocolate pudding and crushed Oreos. For this variation, we skipped the cup and replaced it with Eleven's favorite food— an Eggo waffle. The green cream from the mint stuffed Oreos adds an extra eerie touch and the flavors are scary good!

Mike even went the extra mile and explained pudding to Eleven as: “this chocolate goo you eat with a spoon. [It] is the perfect ingredient to make [something] complete." So yeah, we decided it was worthy to make an appearance in this recipe collection. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Eggo Waffle
• 1/2 cup chocolate pudding
• 1/2 cup mint Oreos, ground up
• A few gummy worms

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by toasting the Eggo waffle and then let it cool. Add an even coating of chocolate pudding on the waffle and sprinkle some of the crushed Oreos on top. Finish by adding a few gummy worms on top and serve. 

Fried Chicken, Bacon and Waffle Sandwich with Sriracha Syrup

Stayed up all night watching the show? Take it easy this morning with this pure and simple fried chicken, bacon, and Sriracha syrup waffle sandwich. Eleven would love it! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 strips fried chicken
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha, or as much as desired
• 2 to 3 pieces thick cut applewood smoked bacon, cooked
• 2 Eggo waffles, toasted

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by mixing the syrup and as much Sriracha as you can handle. 
2. Next, toast your waffles. This recipe uses frozen Eggo's classic buttermilk waffles, but feel free to use a homemade variety as well. 
3.  Assemble the sandwich. Put a waffle down, add half of the Sriracha syrup, then the fried chicken, the bacon, the rest of the Sriracha syrup, the other waffle, then butter, and finally a little bit of honey. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Fried Chicken and Waffle American Grilled Cheese

Or if you're watching season 1 again while getting ready to binge-watch season 2; here's a tasty waffle sandwich to help you stay satiated.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 waffles, frozen and thawed or make your own
• 1 cup of boneless fried chicken
• 3 to 4 slices of cheese, try cheddar or gouda
• 2 teaspoons butter, salted
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Once your frozen waffles thaw to room temperature, add half of your cheese onto one of the waffles. Chop your fried chicken into bite-size nuggets and then place on top. Add hot sauce and honey, adding more or less depending on your taste. Add the remaining cheese and finish by placing the other waffle on top. 
2. In a cast iron skillet, add 2 teaspoons of butter and melt until butter develops little bubbles. Add sandwich and cook for a few minutes until the waffle becomes crisp and golden, then flip. Cook for a few minutes on the other side until all the cheese has melted and the outside of the sandwich is crispy. 
3. Remove from heat and let sit for one minute. While it's sitting, mix equal parts hot sauce with equal parts honey and serve alongside the sandwich for dipping. Enjoy!

Fried Chicken and Pickled Cherry Waffle Grilled Cheese Sandwich

For the sophisticated Stranger Things fan, this crispy fried chicken, pickled cherries, grilled okra, and applewood smoked fontina grilled cheese uses Belgium waffles to keep it all together. This is probably what Eleven would make if she grew up and moved to Brooklyn. 

 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Belgium Waffles
• 1/3 cup Smoked Applewood Fontina, such as Wisconsin Cheese’s Carr Valley
• A couple of pieces of grilled okra, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon ranch dressing
• 1 semi-thin fried boneless chicken breast
• 1/2 tablespoon pickled cherries, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon salted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by laying half the cheese onto one Belgium Waffle. Add fried chicken, pickled cherries, grilled okra, and ranch dressing. Add the remaining cheese and place the other waffle on top. Butter the exterior of the sandwich and set aside.
2. Place sandwich in a waffle press or panini press and grill over medium heat until all the cheese has melted and the exterior is golden brown and crunchy. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Blueberry Waffle Sandwich

If you're letting the kiddos watch along with this show in order to amp things up for Halloween, we've got something for you as well: Peanut Butter and Blueberry Waffle Sandwich. It's a little more creative, using blueberries instead of jam, but still retains that quintessential PB&J element that your kids will love!  

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 frozen whole-grain blueberry waffles
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter, all natural, or other nut butter
• 1/4 cup blueberries, fresh, or other berry or fruit

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Toast the waffles to crispiness.
2. Spread the peanut butter over one of the waffles. 
3. Top the waffle with blueberries and place another waffle on top of the other waffle. 
4. Cut in half or in quarters and serve!