Spiced Pumpkin Waffles

Pumpkin waffles spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg are such a fun treat when the weather starts getting chilly! Drizzle with warm maple syrup and serve with applesauce for the perfect fall breakfast.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated February 24, 2022
Elise Bauer
Easy Pumpkin Waffles

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Pumpkin waffles are the world's best answer to leftover pumpkin purée.

Ever have a half-empty, opened can of pumpkin purée staring back at you when you open the fridge?

I don't know about you, but it pains me to see food, or anything for that matter, go to waste. Heck, I even save egg shells and spent coffee grounds for compost.

So, what can one make with the remainders of a can of pumpkin purée? Pumpkin waffles!

Pumpkin Waffles on plate with applesauce

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Lightly spiced with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, these pumpkin waffles are a fun way to change up a waffle breakfast.

In this recipe we add a little finely ground cornmeal too; it gives the waffles just a little crunch.

Trying to estimate the right amount of batter for the number of people is always a challenge. Here's a tip: make more batter than you need, cook up as many waffles as the batter will make, and freeze the leftover waffles to heat up in a toaster for another morning.

How To Freeze Waffles for Later

Let your waffles cool completely, then stack between pieces of wax paper (to keep them from sticking to each other) and transfer to a freezer zip-top bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and place in the freezer.

Waffles will keep for at least a month in the freezer before starting to pick up off-flavors or develop freezer burn.

No need to thaw before reheating! Just pop them in the toaster and they'll be piping hot in a few minutes.

removing cooked pumpkin waffles from waffle iron

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

What To Serve With Your Waffles

While maple syrup is of course wonderful with these waffles, try melting honey and butter with a bit of cinnamon and drizzling that on top of your waffles. Another fun idea? Dollop with a little pumpkin spiced whipped cream.

Serve with applesauce or apple butter on the side for the perfect fall breakfast.

Pumpkin Waffles with applesauce

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Can't Get Enough Pumpkin? Check Out These Recipes

Spiced Pumpkin Waffles

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 2 to 3 servings

Any leftover waffles can be cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen. Unwrap and pop in a toaster or oven to reheat.

Don't have buttermilk? Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup and 3 tablespoons of milk and let sit for a couple minutes. Or mix 3/4 cup of plain yogurt with a half cup of milk.

If you'd prefer to use pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices, substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal, finely ground

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • Pinch ground nutmeg

  • Pinch ground cloves

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)

  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

  • 1/2 cup fresh or canned pumpkin purée

  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted (plus a little more for brushing the waffle iron)

  • Applesauce or apple butter, for serving

Method

  1. Preheat the waffle iron:

    Preheat the iron so it's hot when the batter is done.

  2. Whisk the dry ingredients:

    In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

    mixing dry pumpkin waffle ingredients in bowl

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
    whisked pumpkin waffle dry ingredients in metal bowl

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
  3. Whisk the sugar and wet ingredients:

    In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until there are no more brown sugar clumps.

    Add the buttermilk, pumpkin purée, melted butter and whisk until smooth.

    mixing in wet ingredients for pumpkin waffle mix

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.
    whisking all ingredients for pumpkin waffles

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
    mixed pumpkin waffle mix in bowl

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
  5. Cook in the waffle iron:

    Brush a little melted butter over the wells of the hot waffle maker (to make it easier to remove the waffles.)

    When your waffle maker is hot, working in batches, ladle the batter onto the center of the waffle iron wells, not all the way to the edge, and slowly lower the top lid of the waffle iron.

    brushing melted butter over waffle iron

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
    pumpkin waffle mix poured into waffle iron

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Cook until your waffle iron indicates that the waffles are ready, or until steam stops coming out of the sides of the waffle iron, about 4 to 5 minutes.

    Open the waffle iron and carefully lift the edge of a waffle with a fork to remove the waffles from the waffle iron.

    waffle iron cooking pumpkin waffles - yum!

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
    removing cooked pumpkin waffles from waffle iron

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Serve with warmed maple syrup and a side of apple sauce or apple butter.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
460 Calories
20g Fat
57g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories 460
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 12g 58%
Cholesterol 169mg 56%
Sodium 920mg 40%
Total Carbohydrate 57g 21%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 269mg 21%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 383mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.