Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles
These whole wheat pumpkin waffles are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to waffles made with all purpose flour this is it. These whole wheat pumpkin waffles are filling, healthy, and perfect for a fall breakfast.
Feeling like pancakes instead? Here’s my original whole wheat pumpkin pancakes recipe it’s very similar but has a few tweaks to make it perfect for pancakes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with 100% whole wheat flour.
- A great way to use pumpkin in the fall!
- Full of warm fall spices and flavors.
Why are these 100% Whole Wheat?
There are many good reasons to be eating whole grains! Whole wheat flour contains the germ for added fiber and the endosperm which contains added fats. This slows down glucose absorption so blood sugar levels are less likely to spike and crash.
Unfortunately, all purpose flour is not great for human health. This is because it causes a very similar reaction in our bodies as any type of sugar. Honestly, that’s part of the reason why people love all purpose flour so much.
If you’re new to using whole wheat flour, the texture and flavor isn’t the same as all purpose but it’s good in its own way. You’ll develop a taste for it over time.
I highly recommend using the right kind of whole wheat flour if you are newly switching over to freshly milled flour with whole wheat. You’ll want to use soft white wheat grains, also known as whole wheat pastry flour for these waffles.
Key Ingredients and Substitution Options
Pumpkin Puree- We make our own homemade pumpkin puree but you can use canned pumpkin puree from the store. If you have pumpkin powder or freeze dried pumpkin powder you can use that too by rehydrating before using. Best results for rehydration are achieved with ¼ cup pumpkin powder and 1 cup of hot water, let it sit for 30 minutes before using.
Milk– You can use any type of milk in this recipe. However, cow’s milk, almond, oat, and soy milk are the most subtle in flavor. If you add coconut milk, the waffles will take on a strong coconut flavor so avoid using it if possible.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour– I like to use a soft white wheat berry and grind it into flour. Soft white wheat is the type of wheat used for pastry flour. It has less gluten and a more tender texture and flavor. You can use regular old whole wheat bread flour but the waffles will be more dense and tough. Here’s where I get my wheat berries or whole wheat pastry flour.
Butter Butter is the most flavorful, but of course if you’re dairy free, you can substitute any neutral oil or lard for butter.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1 Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. This includes whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a bowl. Stir.
STEP 2 In a separate medium bowl, add eggs and whisk them for 30 seconds. Then add pumpkin puree, milk, and melted butter. Stir until everything is well mixed.
STEP 3 Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk together until just combined. Do not overmix. Some lumps are ok!
STEP 4 Preheat a waffle iron. Add any fat like oil, lard, or butter to the pan if needed. Pour batter on the iron. Cook until golden brown. And serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Tips for Cooking
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stir until just combined. A few lumps in the mix are ok.
- Pre-heat the waffle iron. We use a Belgian waffle maker but any waffle iron will work.
FAQ’s
Yes, if you have too many they can be put in a container or bag and frozen for a later date. To use you can put them in the toaster straight from frozen. Toast until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.
An alternative option is reheating in the oven. Cook from frozen in a 400ºF oven from 4-10 minutes. The wide cooking time range is needed because of different types of waffles. Our pumpkin Belgian waffles took almost ten minutes to fully warm from frozen in the oven.
Of course! If that’s your preference go for it. Because of the different nature of all purpose flour, chances are you’ll need a little less milk in the batter. Start by adding 1 ¼ cups of milk. This should be enough but if it’s too thick slowly add up to a ¼ cup more (a tablespoon at a time) until it’s the right consistency.
Other Breakfast recipes
- Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets
- Granola
- Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins
- Cranberry Lemon Muffins
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
If you made these Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (280g) whole wheat pastry flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar tightly packed
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoons nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
Wet Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (57g) butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cup milk or dairy-free milk
Instructions
- Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. This includes whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, add eggs and whisk them for 30 seconds. Then add pumpkin puree, milk, and melted butter. Stir until everything is well mixed.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk together until just combined. Do not overmix. Some lumps are ok!
- Preheat a waffle iron. Add any fat like oil, lard, or butter to the pan. Pour batter on the iron per the waffle maker directions. Cook until golden brown(2-3 minutes per side).
- Serve hot, with butter and maple syrup. Other topping ideas are in the notes!
Notes
- Add chocolate chips to each waffle as they cook for a special treat!
- Want to make the recipe a little faster and easier? Use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. The pumpkin pie spice will taste a little bit different but is still delicious.
- Don’t over mix the batter. Over mixing makes a dense waffle!
- If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, you can substitute regular whole wheat flour. The waffles may be a little less fluffy though.
- Other yummy toppings that go well with this are chopped pecans, walnuts, cranberries, apples, pears, or bananas.
