Apple Butter Pecan Waffles inspired by Shut In
Apple butter mixed into pecan waffles makes a tangy sweet treat to elevate your waffles!
This dish is inspired by a movie that came out this year called Shut In. Shut In was recently released by The Daily Wire Entertainment. It's a movie about a mother who gets locked in her pantry by her crazy ex-boyfriend and must protect her two young children from inside. It's a gripping story and if you were a fan of Room and Maid (Netflix), I'd highly recommend watching it. Use code BUILDTHEFUTURE for 20% off your subscription! If you’re finding this recipe after this code expires, check out their website or social media for current promotions.
Her grandmother's apple butter was a big part of the story, so I'm playing off of that. No spoilers! Let’s make some pecan waffles with apple butter to enjoy while you watch it!
Apple Butter
If you have the time to make your own apple butter, do that! I haven’t made it yet, so I decided to use a local apple butter for mine. Find something with simple ingredients, if you don’t have a local small business option.
Waffles
Waffles are easy to make if you have a waffle maker. You can make them from scratch or you can use a box mix. I always keep a box of Kodiak mix in my pantry for an added boost of protein (not sponsored, but could be). I grew up using Bisquick for pancakes and waffles.
If you’re on a budget or tight on space, you can find a mini waffle maker for around $10 at Target or Walmart or Amazon.
Pecan Syrup
I decided to use my favorite easy caramel sauce by Domestic Superhero for the base of this. It uses just 3 ingredients–butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream–and it’s so much easier to keep it from crystallizing like a traditional caramel sauce. Add the chopped pecans after you’ve dissolved the sugar during the last couple minutes of cooking.
Apple Butter Pecan Waffles
Apple butter added to your waffle batter gives them a tangy dimension. Top them with an easy pecan caramel syrup!
2 servings
Ingredients
Caramel Pecan Syrup
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
⅓ cup heavy cream
¼ cup chopped pecans
Waffles
1 cup Kodiak pancake mix
¾ cup milk
1 egg
3 T apple butter
1 t cinnamon
¼ cup chopped pecans
Non-stick cooking spray
Method
Caramel Pecan Syrup
Set yourself up for success: have a timer handy and your pecans next to you before you start.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream. Whisk continuously until sugar is dissolved.
Bring to a boil and set a timer for 3 minutes. Keep stirring! In the last 1 minute of cooking, add pecans.
After 3 minutes, remove from heat.
If you have any leftovers, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will solidify as it cools, but it’s easy to warm it back up right before serving.
Apple Butter Pecan Waffles
Preheat waffle maker.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine pancake/waffle mix, milk, egg, apple butter, and cinnamon. Stir in pecans.
Spray waffle maker with non-stick spray. Pour waffle batter into the waffle maker. Careful not to overfill it! Close the waffle maker and cook for a couple minutes, until golden brown.
Remove the waffle and place somewhere it can stay warm (see notes) until the rest are finished.
Once you’ve used all the batter, serve the waffles while hot!
If your syrup isn’t runny enough, you can reheat it for a few seconds as needed.
Notes
If you don’t use all of the pecan caramel, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
To keep your cooked waffles warm, put them under a pan lid, in the microwave, or in an oven turned on low heat.
Chopping the pecans: for the syrup, I did a really rough chop, only cutting them in about half. For the waffles, I wanted smaller pieces so I did a finer chop. Make sure they’re small enough to fit in your waffle maker bumps.
You can add some of your favorite syrup if you'd like a little extra sauce! You can also add some butter just after you take them out of the waffle maker. I normally do, but honestly they don't need them with the extra moisture the apple butter gives.
