An 1869 patent from Troy, New York, is the reason National Waffle Day falls on Tuesday, August 24, 2027. The waffle itself is far older.
A Date Tied to a Patent
August 24. That’s the anniversary of the first U.S. patent for a waffle iron.
Wafers, Irons and an 1869 Patent
Old roots
Ancient Greeks cooked a flat cake called the obleios between two metal plates, the National Archives says. They usually ate it savory. Herbs and cheese were common additions.
Medieval Europeans used two iron plates with wooden handles, held over an open fire or hearth. In the 1200s, a craftsman made plates with a pattern that left honeycomb marks. Vendors sold waffles near churches, since they looked like communion wafers.
A waffle craze took off in the 14th century, with the Dutch among its leaders. Pilgrims who had picked up the habit from them carried waffles to America in 1620.
The Troy patent
On August 24, 1869, Cornelius Swartwout received a patent for an “Improvement in Waffle-Irons.” Some records spell his name Swarthout.
Three Troy partners were named on the patent too: Joseph Foxell, Thomas Jones and Edward Millard.
He didn’t invent the waffle iron. His version added a handle and a clasp. It was easy to turn and “less likely to burn the hand of the cook,” Smithsonian magazine reports.
Swartwout’s 1869 iron sat over a coal stove. The cook poured in batter and shut the cover. After a few minutes, the iron was flipped to cook the other side.
Electric irons and frozen waffles
General Electric built an electric waffle iron prototype in 1911 and began production seven years later. By the 1930s, the honeycomb griddle was a standard American appliance.
In the mid-1930s, the Dorsa brothers created a waffle mix that eventually became Eggo. Thick Belgian waffles caught on after Maurice Vermersch served his wife’s recipe at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York.
Why Waffles Earn a Day
The National Museum of American History, part of the Smithsonian, owns at least 50 waffle irons, spanning more than 300 years. They range from early 18th-century wafer irons to an electric model made in 1984.
Museum technician Yve Colby spent nearly two years researching those irons for its Domestic Life Collection.
Etched designs decorated the oldest plates in the Smithsonian collection. The grid came later. Its pockets held syrup and fruit.
Waffles even changed running shoes. Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman used his wife’s waffle iron to mold rubber soles and applied for a patent in 1972. He later founded Nike.
Nike’s waffle trainers went on sale in 1974. The original shoe now sits in the same museum.
Even the White House handled waffle requests. JFK’s favorite waffle recipe went out as a “standard response” to inquirers, archivist Stephen Plotkin explained in a National Archives post.
Waffle Ideas for August 24
- Go savory: add herbs and cheese, like the Greek obleios.
- Make Belgian-style: top a thick waffle with strawberries and whipped cream, as Vermersch did.
- Cook Kennedy’s recipe: the National Archives shared the senator’s favorite from the JFK Library.
- Try a stovetop iron: flip it halfway, the way Swartwout’s design allowed.
- See the shoe: Bowerman’s waffle trainer is part of the museum’s “American Enterprise” exhibition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many waffles does Waffle House sell?
About 145 every minute, across 2,100 restaurants in 25 states.
What were waffle frolics?
Waffle parties. A rumor holds that a waffle iron Thomas Jefferson brought from France started the trend.
What toppings did early Americans use?
Some went sweet with maple syrup, while others chose kidney stew or fried chicken.
How were electric irons marketed?
A Hotpoint pamphlet from about 1928 promoted making waffles right at the table. Hagley Library keeps a copy.