Things You'll Need
Cooking oil (optional)
Parchment paper
Aluminum foil (optional)
It's no secret that fries cooked in oil are high in fat, but you can bake fries to cut the fat, while still achieving a golden color with a crispy outside and tender center. Waffle fries, potatoes cut with a wavy grid pattern, can be baked just as you would bake shoestring-cut fries. If you only want to cook a single serving of waffle fries, it can seem like a waste of energy to use a conventional oven. Instead, you can bake the waffle fries in a toaster oven to achieve the same taste without overheating your entire kitchen.
Step 1
Preheat the toaster oven to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toaster oven models vary greatly, so yours might not require preheating.
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Step 2
Toss the waffle fries in oil, if desired, to help achieve a crispy outside and a richer brown color. Coat them lightly to avoid soggy fries. You might try an olive oil cooking spray which allows you to spray a thin, even coat across the fries.
Step 3
Line the toaster oven tray with parchment paper to prevent sticking and reduce mess.
Step 4
Arrange the waffle fries in a single layer on the small toaster oven tray. If you've misplaced that tray, fold some aluminum foil to make a tray that is flimsier, but a suitable alternative in a pinch.
Step 5
Insert the tray in the preheated toaster oven and set the timer for 10 to 12 minutes for packaged waffle fries or up to 17 minutes for hand-cut waffle fries. Check the potatoes after the timer chimes and bake for a few more minutes if the bottom side of the waffle fries hasn't developed a golden brown color.
Step 6
Remove the baking tray from the toaster oven. Use tongs or a spatula to flip the waffle fries. Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 10 to 17 minutes, depending on if you're cooking packaged or fresh fries. Increase cooking time, if needed, until the second side turns golden brown and reaches the desired level of crispiness.
Step 7
Remove the waffle fries from the oven when done and move them to a plate. Sprinkle with salt or other seasonings as desired.
Tip
Fresh, hand-cut french fries usually take 30 to 35 minutes to bake, but frozen waffle fries are partially fried before packaging so you don't have to bake them from a raw state. Packaged, frozen waffle fries are true waffle fries because they have holes to create grid shape similar to breakfast waffles. When using fresh potatoes at home, you can use a wavy blade to cut thick fries with a wavy pattern, but without the holes.
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