If you're looking for a pumpkin waffle that's light and crisp on the outside yet tender on the inside, this recipe delivers. The secret? Separating the eggs and folding in the beaten whites. It takes an extra minute, but the payoff is a soft interior that soaks up syrup like a champ. These are just so good -- not too sweet, not overly spicy, but perfect with maple syrup and butter.
Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Waffles
- Fluffy texture: The whipped egg whites make the batter puff beautifully in the waffle iron.
- Warm spice balance: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves give them that classic pumpkin-spice warmth without overpowering.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can freeze the extras and reheat them in a toaster or air fryer for quick weekday breakfasts.
- Fall weekend perfection: Pair with maple syrup, butter, or even a dollop of whipped cream for brunch.
The Secret: Folding in Egg Whites
Most waffle recipes rely on chemical leavening alone -- baking powder or baking soda -- but this one doubles down on lift. When you separate the eggs, the yolks enrich the batter while the whipped whites add airiness. Gently folding them in at the end keeps the structure intact, giving you waffles that are crisp at first bite and cloud-soft inside.
Recommended Waffle Maker
You may already be loyal to a particular waffle maker. I am. I love the Cuisinart Classic Waffle Maker. I've had mine for at least 15 years and it works perfectly. If you brush it properly with oil, the waffles pop right out. Mine has 5 settings. As mentioned in the recipe, the pumpkin waffles work best on setting 5 so that the interior completely cooks through.
Make Ahead Pumpkin Waffles
I'm a morning person, but my idea of a relaxing morning involves drinking coffee and reading, not making waffles. That comes later -- like after the coffee. Anyhow, I have found that serving pumpkin waffles is a lot less stressful if you make all the waffles, stack between pieces of parchment and freeze. To serve, just toast and pour on the syrup!
Recipe
Pumpkin Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (290 grams)
- ¼ cup brown sugar, tightly packed (50 grams)
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (56 grams)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. If using salted butter, you can omit the salt.
- In a second bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, pumpkin, vanilla and milk.
- Before you combine the two mixtures, beat the egg whites to soft peaks.
- Once your egg whites are beaten, fold the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and stir until fully mixed, then stir in the melted butter. Lastly, fold in your soft-peaked egg whites.
- Heat waffle maker as per manufacturer directions and. Brush lightly with high smoking point oil like sunflower or grapeseed. If you are using a cast iron waffle maker or something that does not have a nonstick coating, brush before preheating.
- Using a generous third cup, spoon batter into waffle maker and use technique from manufacturer to make the waffles. I've noticed with my waffle maker, the brownest setting works best for this recipe because their moist pumpkin consistency takes a little longer to cook through. They need to be completely cooked through so they won't stick.
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