Do you have to place the tots in the waffle iron?

We tried just pouring the tots into the waffle iron and cooking but they came out in clumps that fell apart when we picked them up. While you can just dump them in, we like the bites when they have more 'holding power' that comes from placing them purposefully in the waffle iron. It only takes an extra minute to place them and we think it is worth the time.

How can I keep the tots warm during a party?

If you want them to stay warm for longer than 20 minutes or so, we recommend using a chafing dish. Place a linen napkin in the bottom of the food pan to keep the tot waffles from becoming soggy. What is a chafing dish? A chafing dish uses heat, usually from sterno, to heat water in a pan. A food pan rests inside the water pan so the food is indirectly heated from the warm water.

Tater Tot Waffle Bites - Appetizer Bliss

Name: Tater Tot Waffle Bites
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 Tablespoon chives, chopped; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 1/2 pound frozen tater tots, thawed; 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne; Salt and pepper to taste; Cooking spray

Description

Tater tot waffles are a fun twist on tater tots as an appetizer. The perfect bite for game night, Super Bowl parties, casual entertaining, or movie nights! Plus, they’re so easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale

DIP

1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon chives, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice

TOT WAFFLE BITES

1 1/2 pound frozen tater tots, thawed
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking spray

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

MAKE DIP

Mix sour cream, chopped chives, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Stir until combined. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired.
Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve tot waffle bites.

TOT WAFFLE BITES

Heat waffle iron to high setting.
Mix paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
Add thawed tater tots to the bowl and toss until well coated.
Spray the plates of the waffle maker with cooking spray to keep the tots from sticking.
Place seasoned tater tots in the hot waffle iron.
• For 1-tot bite: Place one tot in a single layer with space between each tot.
• For 3-tot bite: Position two tots, touching, side by side and a third tot on top of the other two tots facing the opposite direction. Leave about 1/2 inch between groups of tots.
• For full size tot waffle: Fill the waffle iron by placing tots, touching, side by side. If you want to help the waffle stay together easier, place another layer of tots across the bottom layer, going the opposite direction, before closing the lid.
Close the lid and using hot pads, press down on the top of the waffle iron to press the tots together.
Cook until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. This will depend on your waffle iron and the temperature.
Lift lid and carefully remove the tater tot waffle bites. Repeat until all tots are cooked.
Serve with dip on the side.

Notes

How many tots? Make these tater tot waffle bites any size you want. We like the 1-tot bite and the 3-tot bites the best. But mix it up and have fun! 1 1/2 pound of tots makes approximately:
• 60-70 1-tot bites
• 20-24 3-tot bites
• one full size tot waffle

Arranging the tots in the waffle maker. We think it makes a much better tot waffle bite if you take the extra minute to arrange the tots in the waffle iron. See photos above for how we arranged the tots for 1-tot bites, 3-tot bites, and a full tot waffle size.

How to serve the tot waffle bites. We like serving this like a dip and chip. Waffle tot bites in a dish and dips on the side. Keep waffle tots warm in a linen lined chafing dish while serving.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Cook
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 tot waffle bite
Calories: 19
Sugar: 0.1 g
Sodium: 90.5 mg
Fat: 1.2 g
Carbohydrates: 1.8 g
Protein: 0.3 g
Cholesterol: 0.6 mg