By: Merritt Allen

Fall is hands down my favorite time of year. The colors, the weather, and of course the abundance of pumpkin spice means you get moments of happiness everyday. For those cozy fall mornings that have you craving something sweet for breakfast, these pumpkin spice waffles are the perfect treat. Easy to assemble, fun to eat, and full of pumpkin flavor, you will be celebrating the fall season the right way with this breakfast.

I always eat mine with a strong cup of coffee because nothing tastes better than a pumpkin waffle with some coffee. The great thing about this recipe is that the waffles will keep, meaning you can make a huge batch and enjoy the flavors of fall all week long if you wish! Give this recipe for easy pumpkin spice waffles a try to celebrate fall the right way.

Notes and Tips for Pumpkin Spice Waffles:

• This recipes make enough waffles for two people very hungry people. You can double the batch for a larger party or if you want to meal prep breakfasts for the week. I think fresh waffles taste so good, which is why I made a recipe perfect for two!

• You can use any milk for this recipe. A dairy free alternative works great for this recipe. A regular milk will have a little more fat than dairy free milk and you may find makes a slightly richer waffle.

• Serve your waffles with butter and syrup for the perfect pairing! Butter on top of your pumpkin spice waffles with syrup is the perfect fall pairing. It is sweet and buttery that just makes you so happy and cozy.

• If you do not have a waffle maker, you can use this same batter for pancakes! I use less sugar in my waffle mix, which means you can easily transfer this batter to a pancake mix!

• Cornstarch can help make your waffles crispier. It is not a necessary ingredient, however and I have added it as optional add in. When made with cornstarch, I have found my waffles are slightly crispier but I think they taste just as good without.

How Can I Spice Up My Pumpkin Spice Waffles?

• This recipe uses pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to spice of these pumpkin waffles. Pumpkin pie spice does have cinnamon but I think you can never have cinnamon! If you do not have pumpkin pie spice, you can use a little nutmeg, clove, and all spice. Those when paired with the cinnamon is just so good.

• Other ways to spice up your waffles is to add in some chocolate chips or nuts to your batter! These will add texture and flavor. You can also make these waffles with syrup or honey that can add a little bit of flavor.

Can I Make These Waffles Gluten Free?

• Yes! These waffles can definitely be made gluten free. You can use your favorite gluten free flour in substitute for all purpose flour. Depending on type of flour, you made need a little extra milk. For example, coconut flour absorbs a ton of liquid, so you will need more milk. I recommend using a 1:1 blend or a flour like cassava flour that acts very close to regular flour.

• My favorite gluten free version of this the cassava and buckwheat flour. I use this combination to make my Buckwheat Pancakes, that are so easy and delicious.

What is The Difference Between Waffles and Pancakes?

• Waffle batter usually contains more sugar than pancake batter. The sugar is what makes the batter crispy!

• My waffle recipe is low sugar because I do not like a super sugary waffle. That being said, if you want to add an extra tablespoon of sugar to help crisp your waffles up, feel free! You can also make your waffles and then toss them in the toaster to serve them freshly toasted and crispy. Do you like a really sweet waffle? Let me know if the comments below!

What Do Pumpkin Spice Waffles Go Well With?

• The great thing about waffles is that they go well with so many other breakfast foods! If you are goin all out, you can make homemade whipped cream using my recipe I have laid out here.

• For a robust breakfast, try serving it miso butter eggs. These eggs are smooth and savory, which is the perfect pairing for the sweetness of the pumpkin waffles. Another great pairing is my easy breakfast smoothie, which has some good protein and some great berry flavor! If you want a huge breakfast you could make this delicious frittata

• Other great pairings are some fresh fruit and plenty of freshly brewed coffee. Let me know what you love to pair with your waffles in the comments below!

Directions to Make Pumpkin Spice Waffles:

1. Mix and Cook the Waffle Batter

   1. Plug in your waffle maker to begin heating.

   2. In a bowl add the pumpkin, egg, vanilla, and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix to combine.

   3. Add in all the dry ingredients. Mix until your have a chunky batter.

   4. Slowly add in the rest of the milk until you have an even batter. Do not add the milk all at once or you could end up with a runny batter.

   5. Add about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup batter to the middle of your waffle iron. The amount you add might change depending on the size of your waffle iron.

   6. Continue to make waffles, storing the made waffles on a cooling rack in your oven. I recommend turning the oven on the warm function.

   7. Serve hot with butter and syrup!