Ahh, fall.

Just kidding, it’s still in the 60’s here. But I can pretend right? Mid-October is definitely time for pumpkin so I whipped up these pumpkin Belgian waffles last weekend despite summer still hanging on. These waffles don’t need much up-selling so I’ll keep this short and sweet. I was actually originally planning on sharing a different recipe, but I’ll save that one for next week so you can get right to these amazing waffles.

Not overwhelmingly pumpkin flavored with all the fluffy texture of your favorite Belgian waffle recipe, these are a delightful addition to your breakfast repertoire. The spice of pumpkin pie is subtle enough to blend with maple syrup but strong enough to enjoy them plain. Feel free to up the spices if you want them to be more prominent. I added a few mini chocolate chips to some of mine (as you can see in the pictures) but they are equally delicious without.

Note: Because pumpkin is so moist, these waffles will likely need to cook slightly longer than your usual recipe so I recommend turning your waffle maker about a half step higher. However, if you use leftover batter on subsequent days it will not need to cook quite as long as the batter gets less fluffy. On about day three I found I was going back to my usual setting of 5 instead of the 5.5 I used on the first day.

Also, if you don’t want to make the leftovers on demand, it works pretty well to make them all at once and freeze them. Under cook them by a half step or so and let them cool on a wire rack. Then break them into halves or quarters (whichever will fit in your toaster) and pop them in the freezer. You may have to test a couple to see which toaster setting is best for you, but on mine roughly the middle of the dial was perfect. (You can also try defrosting them slightly in the microwave first if you’re concerned about them getting too crunchy before they’re warm all the way through.) If you have a toaster oven, I imagine that would work even better.

Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients; it’s an easy recipe despite quite a bit of measuring involved. Now, stop reading this and go make some waffles!

Pumpkin Belgian Waffles

Adapted from Cooking Classy
Makes about 8 waffles

Ingredients

2 ½ cups flour¹
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg

4 eggs, separated
1 pinch cream of tartar

1 cup milk
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until completely combined. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, milk, buttermilk, oil, pumpkin, sugar, and vanilla until completely combined.
4. Gently whisk the milk mixture into the dry mixture until everything is moistened but still lumpy. Carefully fold in the egg whites (there should still be small puffs of egg white visible).
5. Heat your waffle iron and spray with cooking spray if necessary. Add about 3/4 cup of batter and cook to desired doneness.
6. Serve immediately with toppings of choice. (Maple syrup or butter and cinnamon & sugar are both excellent.)

Notes

¹ I also think they’d be great if you substituted ½ cup of the flour with whole wheat flour.