As delightfully crisp as the fall mornings they’re made for, these enticingly spiced pumpkin waffles are an extra-special way to start your day. Serve with a maple pecan topping for an over-the-top-delicious breakfast that celebrates the flavors of fall.
Pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin French toast casserole, mini cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins, and today’s pumpkin waffles are simply the epitome of fall morning bliss. (With a shoutout to apple cinnamon rolls, too!)
While I don’t get out my waffle maker all that often, recipes like this one make me—and my family—very glad I have one. (Same with you, gingerbread waffles!) That’s why homemade waffles are extra special… they’re not an everyday breakfast, so when you serve them, they’re REALLY appreciated!
So Much to Love About These Pumpkin Waffles
- Crisp outside and chewy-soft inside
- Excellent pumpkin spice flavor
- Whipping the eggs keeps these light and fluffy—no separating needed
- Not overly sweet, so maple pecan syrup is a perfect (and easy) topping
- Makes for a special fall breakfast or brunch
Key Ingredients You Need for Pumpkin Waffles
I also added maple syrup to the batter, which helps bring flavor (and brings out the pumpkin flavor!) and adds a little extra sweetness.
By the way, if you’re using canned pumpkin and wondering what to do with the rest of the can, check out all these recipes to make with leftover pumpkin puree.
Here’s How to Cook Pumpkin Waffles
- Preheat your waffle maker. Here’s the waffle maker I own and love. This waffle maker is another great choice.
- Combine the dry ingredients.
- Beat the eggs: Give them a vigorous whisk by hand, or use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to whip them up until they’re frothy on top, about a minute or two. This helps keep the waffles light, to counteract the heaviness of the pumpkin.
- Mix in the remaining wet ingredients, then the dry ingredients. Whisk or beat on low speed until everything is combined, but do not over-mix! Some small lumps are fine—don’t worry about that.
- Pour batter into greased waffle maker. Close the lid and cook the waffles until crisp, which takes about 5 minutes in my waffle maker. All waffle makers are different, so check your waffle maker’s instructions and keep an eye on your cooking waffles. Repeat with remaining batter.
Here’s the beaten egg mixture, frothy on top as you can see:
This is the batter, after all of the ingredients have been combined:
Waffle Making Tip: Avoid overfilling the waffle maker—once shut, the batter seeps to the edges. This is usually how I fill mine:
Keep waffles warm as you cook the rest: If serving all of the waffles at once, transfer the cooked waffles to a wire rack on a baking sheet, and place in a preheated 200°F (93°C) oven to keep them warm until the whole batch is ready.
Optional Maple Pecan Topping
These pumpkin waffles aren’t overly sweet, so there’s room for some sweetness in your toppings.
You can top these pumpkin waffles with a simple pat of butter and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar—or a swipe of pumpkin butter if you want to journey all the way down Pumpkin Spice Lane—but I especially love them with toasted pecans and warm maple syrup (which is equally fantastic on gingerbread waffles). All those nooks and crannies in the waffle’s surface are just begging to be filled with this stuff!
Pumpkin Waffles Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Instructions
- Preheat waffle maker on medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). Place a wire rack on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or whisk vigorously by hand), beat the eggs (do not separate them) on high speed for 1–2 minutes, until frothy on top. Add the pumpkin, melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk, and whisk/beat on medium speed until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk/beat on low speed until combined. Do not over-mix. Some small lumps are OK.
- Grease the preheated waffle maker (I use nonstick spray). Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter into each well of the waffle maker (or less if your waffle maker is smaller) and close the lid. Cook the waffles until crisp, about 5–6 minutes. (Follow the cooking instructions for your waffle maker.) Transfer the cooked waffles to the wire rack and keep warm in the preheated oven as you cook the rest. Repeat to cook the remaining batter.
- Meanwhile, as the waffles cook, make the optional maple pecan topping: Place the pecans in a saucepan or skillet set over medium-low heat. Toast the pecans for just about 4–5 minutes, stirring the whole time, because pecans can go from toasted to burnt in a matter of seconds. When they’re giving off a subtle toasty scent, turn the heat down to low and pour in the maple syrup. Leave it on the stove for just a minute, until the syrup is warmed through, and then remove from heat.
- Serve the waffles immediately with warm maple pecan topping, or your choice of toppings.
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