Stuffing Waffles, Stuff-Puppies, and Stuffin's: Three Ways to Bake Your Stuffing Better

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated August 10, 2018
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Stuffing is my favorite part of my favorite holiday, and even though it's fantastic cooked in the bird (so long as you do it right), baked in a casserole all on its own, or cooked in the slow cooker, there are ways to improve it, namely by giving it a crisper, browner crust to contrast that moist creamy center.

Here are three ways to upgrade your stuffing game this year. The first two will work with any stuffing recipe you have, so long as it has a couple of eggs included in it.

Stuffing Waffles

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We've put a lot of things through our waffle iron, but stuffing is the single most delicious.

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By pressing your stuffing mix into a waffle iron, you maximize the crisp edges.

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Of course, you also end up with deep pockets that are perfect for catching gravy and maple syrup.

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Yes, gravy AND maple syrup. You heard me.

Read up on how to make them here! »

Stuffin's (A.K.A. Stuffing Muffins)

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Stuffing muffins have been around for a while and caught on for a reason: they're delicious.

Not only do they create cute little individual portions for each diner, but they also give you a ton of crispy edges while maintaining moist cores.

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They're really easy to make for a crowd too. Just bake your stuffing mix in a buttered muffin tin. That's it.

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Stuffin's is a fun portmanteau, but I personally prefer to call them muffings because, well, because it just sounds naughtier, and that's how stuffing always makes me feel.

Get the recipe here! »

Stuff-Puppies (A.K.A. Stuffing Fritters)

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What happens when a hush puppy and your stuffing go get all romantic and make a baby? Stuff-puppies is what. These deep-fried, crisp-edged fritters have all the flavors of thanksgiving in 'em.

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They make killer hors d'oeuvres with a bit of gravy and cranberry sauce on the side.

Wanna get even more hard-core?

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Then take a gander at these Latke-Crusted Turkey Stuffing Fritters With Liquid Cranberry Core and Turkey Schmaltz Gravy. If great flavor, textural contrast, and a bit of hard work are not your favorite things, then this is not the recipe for you.

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