Way back in 1869, Cornelius Swartwout was making life better for the people around him and setting the stage for a breakfast treat that we still enjoy today. Check out his original patent online to see what his waffle iron looked like. Could you imagine cooking waffles over a fire today?

When were waffles first created?

Waffle-making made its way to America with Dutch colonists in the 1620s. It was one hundred years later, in Robert Smith's Court Cookery, that the English language saw the appearance of the word "waffle" for the first time. Waffles were enjoyed sweet, with butter, syrup, or fruit, or savory, with kidney stew.

What was the first waffle?

In the late 14th century, the first known waffle recipe was penned in an anonymous manuscript, Le Ménagier de Paris, written by a husband as a set of instructions to his young wife. While it technically contains four recipes, all are a variation of the first: Beat some eggs in a bowl, season with salt and add wine.