Learn how to make this Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffle Recipe with delicious pumpkin flavor in no time with simple, wholesome ingredients like maple syrup and canned pumpkin from a dietitian. Perfect way to embrace fall flavors with a healthy twist!
I used to call these 'healthy pumpkin waffles,' but because the word 'healthy' can be confusing, I decided to change the title when I updated the post. Don't worry, though, this is still my same favorite waffle recipe... just with a different title 😉
And be ready to double batch these waffles because, just like homemade French toast, they are so good and reheat well! So, whether you are making waffles for one, two, or ten on a Saturday morning, you'll want to make extra so you can have breakfast for your kids ready to reheat on busy weekday mornings! 🤩
And you'll have to check out my other easy pumpkin recipes if you're looking for ways to use up the leftover pumpkin puree, including whole wheat pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins with banana, and Pumpkin Overnight Oats! 🎃 Yum!
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Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Waffle Recipe
Fall is the time of year when all of your favorite Fall flavors including warm spices like 'pumpkin spice' and 'apple cinnamon' start appearing on menus and grocery store shelves. These waffles are no different, except for the fact that you can make them in the comfort of your own home!
And, because this recipe uses ingredients that can be found year-round, you can enjoy pumpkin spice waffles even when it's not officially 'pumpkin season'!
- Kid-Approved Perfect combination of sweet and savory.
- Homemade and Delicious Made from scratch using simple ingredients that are easy to find in most grocery stores.
- Quick and Easy Even your older kids can make these waffles. In fact, my fifteen-year-old nephew just let me know that he's been making large batches of these waffles this summer. He then heats them up for work in the morning. All you need is a mixing bowl and a waffle iron.
- Meal Prep Measure and mix the dry ingredients ahead of time. Store them in a mixing bowl and cover with an airtight lid. You can also mix the canned pumpkin, eggs, milk, and maple syrup in a separate bowl the night before and store refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Healthy Ingredients Made with whole grains. The fiber from whole grains and pumpkin will help your kids feel full longer.
Dietitian Tip
Tip 1 Making waffles or pancakes with pumpkin puree is an excellent way to fit a vegetable in with breakfast. I choose not to make a big announcement to my kids about this fact, lol. But it does make my dietitian mom heart happy to know they are getting extra fiber, beta carotene (vitamin A), and other nutrients when eating these waffles. 😊
Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin Purée Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin provides potassium, vitamin A, Iron, and fiber. And, according to the Mayo Clinic, both canned and fresh pumpkin puree offer the same nutritional benefits.
- White Whole Wheat Flour White whole wheat flour (now also called Golden Wheat flour) is an unbleached whole grain flour. It has the same nutritional value as whole wheat flour but because of the variety of wheat used to make it, white whole wheat flour has a milder flavor, a lighter color, and a softer texture. I don't recommend substituting it with whole wheat flour unless you use half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour. This is to keep the waffles from being too dense. Now that I think about it, whole wheat pastry flour might actually work, too!
- Spices Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves take the flavor to the next level!
- Olive Oil I use extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil (or other neutral-flavored oil), coconut oil, or melted butter can be used instead. Adding it at the end helps keep the waffles from sticking.
- Egg Adds protein and helps bind the waffles together. Can use 2 egg whites instead of one egg if you prefer.
- Milk Adds protein, calcium, and vitamin D. I use skim or 2% milk. Although I haven't tried it myself, I would think non-dairy milk can be used instead.
- Maple syrup I use pure maple syrup for natural sweetness. If you don't have maple syrup, substitute it with brown sugar or coconut sugar to give it a similar flavor.
- Baking powder Used for leavening. Do not cut back on the amount or your waffles will flop.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here's a brief overview of the steps for making this easy pumpkin waffles recipe. For the complete list of ingredients and full instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Whisk together the pumpkin, egg, maple syrup, and milk in a large bowl. Carefully stir in dry ingredients just to combine, being sure not to overmix. There should still be some lumps in the batter when mixing is complete. Add the oil to the batter and stir just to combine.
- Pour waffle batter into waffle iron.
- Cook waffles according to the instructions specific to your waffle iron.
- When the waffles are finished cooking, carefully remove them from the waffle iron and serve.
Favorite Toppings for Pumpkin Waffles
- Peanut butter
- Almond butter
- Sunflower seed butter
- Maple Syrup
- A dollop of yogurt, or dare I say a little bit of whipped cream?
- Sliced bananas
- Sliced pear
- Toasted walnut pieces
- Pecans
- Hemp hearts
- Chocolate chips
Helpful Tips
- Remember to add the olive oil just before you are ready to pour the batter.
- If you do not have all of the spices called for, you have two options. Either substitute two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and an additional teaspoon of cinnamon or simply use just one tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
- Avoid overmixing the batter.
- Use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- These are not fluffy pumpkin waffles. In fact, they are a little heavier than Belgian waffles..
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your waffle iron, including how to grease your waffle iron if needed. Learn from my mistake, lol. The first time I used my waffle maker, I didn't bother following the instructions because I figured it worked just like all the others. Well, I ended up ruining my first batch of waffles because of it. Don't let that be you 😉
Questions You May Have
Serve these waffles to your kids with a glass of milk (or water), a side of fruit and/or yogurt. Apple cider also pairs well with these waffles!
Yes, these waffles freeze nicely! You may want to put a piece of parchment paper between each waffle, so they pull apart nicely when you are ready to reheat them.
To avoid soggy waffles, I suggest using your toaster oven or oven to reheat these pumpkin waffles.
That's a really great question. You may be able to use flax egg in place of the egg, but I haven't tried it. If you use two flax eggs in place of the eggs in this recipe, please let me know how it turns out!
Yes! I made pumpkin pancakes with this pumpkin waffle batter just last week.
When making pancakes with this recipe, mix in the olive oil with the rest of the wet ingredients instead of lightly stirring it at the end. Pour about one-quarter cup of the batter per pancake onto a hot, greased skillet over medium heat and cook for about 2 minutes on each side.
More Delicious Breakfast Recipes
Did you love this pumpkin waffle recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating below or a review in the comments section.
Don't forget to snap a pic of these incredible pumpkin waffles and tag @carrots.and.cookies on Instagram. Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffle Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup canned pumpkin pumpkin puree
- 1 cup skim milk Or milk of choice
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup pure maple syrup
- 1 ¼ cup white whole wheat flour I use King Arthur brand
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the following wet ingredients: pumpkin, milk, egg, and maple syrup.½ cup canned pumpkin, 1 cup skim milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- Add all dry ingredients to the wet ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Carefully stir to combine, being careful not to overmix the batter.1 ¼ cup white whole wheat flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves, 2 teaspoon baking powder
- Stir olive oil into the batter. You will see swirls of oil in the batter, this is normal.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Bake in a hot waffle iron, according to manufacturer instructions.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- The batter should still have some lumps after mixing.
- Cooking time will depend on the waffle iron used as well as what heat setting the waffle iron is set to.
- Use canned pumpkin for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Don't mix the oil in sooner than the recipe calls for.
- Be sure to follow the manufacture instructions for your waffle iron. I made the mistake of not doing that and completely ruined my first batch of waffles in my new waffle maker 😉
Tammy says
Love the texture!
Tammy says
I also added 1 tsp of vanilla extract for extra flavor.
Kristi says
Great idea!
Kristi says
I'm go glad! Thank you for letting me know!
Sue says
Absolutely delicious!!