Here's Why The Middle Of Your Cooked Waffle Is Still Raw

As a legendary woman (Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation) once said, "We need to remember what's important in life: friends, waffles, work. Or waffles, friends, work. Doesn't matter, but work is third" (via Goodreads). Waffles pretty much always come first place for us. That's because they're basically heavenly: a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside vehicle for toppings that comes with its own pockets for delivering syrup? Yes, please.

Waffles may have once been an occasional breakfast indulgence, but with most people home now in their stretch pants, homemade waffles can be a weekly (or daily?) encounter with deliciousness. Searches for "waffle iron" have gone up significantly since last winter, according to Google Trends, so if you're finding yourself with a new version of this classic single-use appliance, you might as well get your money's worth and start cranking those waffles out. You might also become victim to a common waffle debacle: raw middle. Here's how to fix that.

If you've never experienced that before, count yourself lucky. There it is: perfectly crispy waffle emerges from the iron, golden-brown on the outside and ready to catch a pile of whipped cream, strawberries and syrup. Cut into it, and a layer of batter oozes out.

There's a relatively easy explanation for this, however. According to a forum for amateur bakers called The Fresh Loaf, the waffle iron could be too hot, browning the outside quickly while leaving the inside without enough time to cook.

It's good to trust your eyes and nose on a waffle's readiness, and don't rely too much on an automated timer, says Bon Appetit. But if you're getting waffles that seem to be crisping up very quickly with a gooey center, try lowering the heat  — your waffles will be on the iron for a little longer, but it will give them time to cook through without burning the outside.

Another culprit, according to Reddit users, might be too much water or liquid in the batter. For a fluffy waffle, try for a thick batter and a little more time. GoodBaker recommends at least three minutes on the iron at medium heat.