Chocolate Waffles with Whipped Raspberry Ricotta

Crisp waffles with a light touch of chocolate and vanilla, topped with a creamy whipped raspberry ricotta cheese.

Waffles are a quintessential brunch item and make a perfect palette for creating something special. Looking for a great brunch idea and with plenty of chocolate on hand from Valentine’s Day, I decided something with chocolate seemed to be in order. But often any deviation from the classic takes a turn to something so cloyingly sweet it’s too much even for a dessert! But this waffle strikes a gentle balance of chocolate and sweetness – and not too much of either.

Start with our basic waffle recipe then add a rich dark cocoa powder. Add a splash of pure vanilla and chocolate extracts plus some espresso powder to highlight the subtle tones of chocolate. Just enough sugar is stirred in to play off the cocoa powder but not so much that the result tastes like you’re making dessert.

The waffles are cooked until they have that light crunch then topped with a heavenly whipped ricotta – a delicate blend of ricotta with a touch of cream, pure vanilla paste, a dash of warmth from ground cinnamon, and lightly sweetened with dark brown sugar. Fold in some raspberry jam and it’s a delightful compliment to the chocolate waffles.

Some quick notes on ingredients. Always use a high quality pure vanilla extract – yes, it makes a difference. And chocolate extract is a wonderful thing to keep on hand to deepen chocolate flavors. Nielsen-Massey is my go to for extracts and flavorings, their products can be found online or in specialty food stores. Espresso powder is essentially instant espresso and available in most food markets in the coffee aisle. Espresso and coffee actually boost the notes of chocolate. Though you don’t want to add regular ground coffee you can use brewed espresso or strong, dark coffee – just adjust the amount of milk you use in the waffles.

The vanilla paste used in the whipped ricotta is pure vanilla, thicker than a vanilla extract. It lets you to add the gorgeous flavor without thinning the topping and the specks of vanilla bean pop through! If you don’t have it on hand, you can use vanilla extract. I used raspberry jam for this dish in the whipped ricotta but you can certainly add your favorite fruit jam.

And if you want a bit of decadence you can certainly swirl on some chocolate sauce!

No need to go out for brunch – put on the coffee and whip up a batch of chocolate waffles.

Chocolate Waffles with Whipped Raspberry Ricotta 

For the waffles:

2-½ cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon instant espresso

2 extra-large eggs

2-½ cups milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon chocolate extract

¾ cup vegetable oil

For the whipped raspberry ricotta

1 carton ricotta cheese, 15-ounces

¼ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons raspberry jam

For garnish – fresh raspberries, warm maple, or chocolate sauce

To make the waffles:

Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and chocolate extracts plus the vegetable oil. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, cocoa powder, sugar, and instant espresso.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and whisk just until blended. A few lumps are fine. Let the batter rest for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat a waffle iron on medium setting. Lightly spray with a cooking spray and ladle about ¼ cup batter into each well.

Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until the waffles are crispy on the outside.

For the raspberry ricotta:

In a medium bowl add the ricotta cheese, the cream, vanilla paste, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Using a hand mixer beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffed, about 2 minutes. Fold in the raspberry jam.

Serve the waffles with the ricotta cheese, fresh raspberries, warm maple syrup, or chocolate sauce.

You can make the batter ahead and refrigerate overnight. Serves 4 to 6.