Healthy pumpkin waffles are fluffy on the inside with an irresistible crispy edge on the outside. They're whole wheat and naturally sweetened for a delicious warm and cozy fall breakfast treat!
Waffles are a must have in our house pretty much every weekend.
On Saturday morning, my kids wake me up and tell me if they want pancakes or waffles. (Every now and then my son will request French toast instead.)
Mostly we have our go-to easy (1-bowl) whole wheat waffles. Sometimes we get a little crazy and make chocolate chip oatmeal waffles or healthy blueberry waffles.
But it's nearly October.
So today, we're celebrating fall and making some healthy pumpkin waffles.
It's time for ALL the pumpkin things now, right?
And oh, you can't beat these waffles on a chilly fall morning!
They get incredibly tender and fluffy on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. They are seriously addictive!
And smell absolutely heavenly as they are cooking, too. Those warm pumpkin aromas just waft through the air and get everyone giddy for breakfast.
And since these waffles are whole wheat and naturally sweetened, you can feel good that they are a healthier, homemade option for breakfast or brunch.
So let's get cooking.
Recipe Notes:
Flour: I use white whole wheat flour (which is a completely whole grain but has a lighter texture and flavor than regular whole wheat). You could also use whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour if you prefer. Or a mix of those, which I've also done.
Sweetener: I use maple syrup as my sweetener - since we're going to drizzle some on top to serve them - but you can also use honey or sugar in the same amounts. I've done all of these ways and they all turn out great. (It's not much so it doesn't make a difference which you choose.)
Butter/oil: Our favorite is using melted butter in the batter for these waffles, as written in the recipe below, but you can also substitute vegetable oil.
Lightened up substitutions: If you want to cut some fat and calories, you can swap out the butter for applesauce. While it loses some richness, it definitely works and still tastes great.
Or try ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt in place of the butter - that works too! (Just make sure you whisk it in well with the other wet ingredients so you don't have any lumps that might make a sour pocket in your cooked waffle.)
Variation: I've also made these before using butternut squash puree in place of the pumpkin and that worked great, too, if you're looking for an alternative flavor.
Need your waffles to be dairy free and/or vegan? Totally do-able.
How to make vegan pumpkin waffles:
- Use an alternative milk, such as soy milk, rather than a dairy milk.
- Substitute vegetable oil or applesauce for the butter. You could also try melted coconut oil but I haven't tested that.
- Use a flax egg in place of the regular egg.
Oh, and in case you are in the market for one, I have this Breville 2-slice waffle maker.
I adore it. It makes perfect waffles every time, I barely have to wipe it down to "clean" it and it's in perfect condition even after several years of heavy use.
Mine is a bit pricey though, so here's another waffle maker that's a little more affordable and has good reviews.
The size, shape and total quantity of your waffles will depend on what kind of waffle iron you use of course. (I get 6 large waffles that each use about ½ cup of batter.)
While my daughter will happily pick up one of these and just chow down on it completely plain, waffles can only be made better by toppings in my opinion.
Topping ideas for pumpkin waffles:
- Extra maple syrup
- Pat of butter
- Fresh fruit
- Pumpkin butter
- Waffle sauce
- Mini chocolate chips
- Whipped cream
You can even use these to make a fun waffle sandwich with sweet or savory fillings. They are great for a school lunchbox!
Ta da! We are ready for fall. And for a stack of these fluffy pumpkin waffles.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. You might also want to try my healthy pumpkin pancakes for another fun fall breakfast.
Healthy Pumpkin Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup melted butter (or vegetable oil)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub honey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, pumpkin puree, melted butter, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and no flour streaks remain. Don't overmix the batter. It's OK to have a few lumps.
- Pour the batter into your waffle iron. See your manufacturer's instructions for how much to use for each waffle; mine is about ½ cup of batter per waffle.
- Cook according to your waffle iron's directions and remove when they are finished. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve with butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit or any of your favorite waffle toppings. Enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
Are you a pumpkin lover like we are?
Other pumpkin breakfast favorites include pumpkin baked oatmeal with chocolate chips and whole wheat pumpkin applesauce bread.
And for savory dinners, try vegetarian pumpkin chili and pumpkin mac and cheese with bacon. Yum!
You can also check out my collection of 20+ healthy pumpkin recipes.
Dennis Yannakos says
Really love these healthy waffles! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
Kathryn Doherty says
So happy to hear you love them!
Misty says
Those waffles look gorgeous! I love their shape and color very much. Another pumpkin recipe to try! Thanks for sharing!
Kathryn Doherty says
Yay, I hope you love them! 😊
chloe says
I found that these lacked flavor with given instructions- I'd add a pinch more vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt next time.
Kathryn Doherty says
Yes, you can definitely adjust those if needed to suit your tastes!