Wake up to some delicious buttermilk pumpkin spice waffles with homemade pumpkin butter! Packed with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in each bite!
I find waffles to be one of those no-brainer breakfast staples that only take minutes to prepare once you decide that’s what you want, and you absolutely do. So what’s in the delightful batter mix? I decided to try this recipe in two ways; I made a gluten-free version and a whole grain alternative.
Why? Because the food scientist in me wanted to see how the textures would change and while having some healthy choices for my family. I found the gluten-free recipe to be light and crispy, very nice! The whole-grain recipe was a little bit denser yet wholesome and had a bit more texture as you chewed from the wheat bran in the flour. I enjoyed both! Regular all-purpose flour can be used as well, this recipe is very versatile.
When the steam from the batter rises into the air and transforms into golden brown crunchy cakes made with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, you salivate almost immediately. It’s a beautiful warm spice aroma that you get to eat, and it’s awesome.
Whenever I make batches of these waffles, my house smells like what I would imagine it’s like living in a life-size gingerbread house. It’s an instant happy buzz. Oh and before I forget, you can’t have enough REAL maple syrup, keep pouring until all of those squares get flooded with sweet, sweet liquid gold.
To take this recipe to the next level, I added a super simple and quick recipe for pumpkin butter. Since I already had a few cans of Libby’s pure pumpkin that I used for my pumpkin butter cinnamon rolls, I thought I would share that recipe with you because they would go perfectly with these waffles!
It’s entirely optional, but if you are a pumpkin fanatic, you’ll love this sweet, super spiced pumpkin topping that you can make as the waffles are cooking.
If you are strapped for time but can’t get enough of these waffles, they are excellent for freezing! I made a few batches, froze them and just pop them in the toaster until warm and crisp. They are just as yummy as when they are freshly made.
How can you tell when the waffles are done cooking?
Sometimes your waffle iron will have an indicator light or make a sound, but if you are using your instincts, there are a couple of things you can look out for. You will notice steam produced from the waffle iron while the batter is cooking. This allows the mixture to expand fully into the plate cavities and yield a fuller waffle. As the gasses from the leavening agents (egg, baking soda, and baking powder) are formed in reaction to water and heat, the bubbles cause the batter to expand while the proteins in the waffle cooks and hold shape, this will give a nice a light product. When steam is no longer visible, that is a good indication that the waffle is ready! Check the color and texture of the waffle, and cook a few additional minutes if needed until your desired color and texture is reached (I check after each additional minute).
Buttermilk Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Ingredients
Pumpkin Butter
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree, 100% pure, (1 can)
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves, ground
Waffles
- 1 ¼ cups gluten-free flour, or white whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ground
- ½ teaspoon ginger, ground
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves, ground
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup pumpkin puree, canned
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- butter, for topping
- maple syrup, for topping
Instructions
Pumpkin Butter
- Combine pumpkin, sugar, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low. Cook, frequently stirring, for 20 minutes or until thickened. Meanwhile, make the waffles.
- When pumpkin butter is done cooking, transfer to a bowl and set aside, or refrigerate if not eating right away.
Waffles
- In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and melted butter. Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
- Preheat waffle iron. Add about ⅓ cup of batter to the center of each section without spreading out (this will give round waffles), close iron and cook as directed by the manufacturer, until golden brown and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
- I cook my waffles for about 5-6 minutes (setting 5) on an All-Clad waffle iron. Serve with butter, maple syrup, and warm pumpkin butter.
Notes
- Pumpkin butter can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Raquel @ My California Roots says
Haha, I definitely laughed at your alarm clock comment. Every holiday season we go and stay with my parents and my sister always miraculously wakes up JUST as breakfast is on the table. Maybe someday she’ll make me breakfast instead! 😉
These look delicious!