Pumpkin Waffles

The last waffle I ate was back in college.  It was topped with soft serve, plenty of hot fudge, sprinkles, and whipped cream.  Once I was done putting it together, it looked more like a brownie sundae than breakfast.

Needless to say, this waffle is very different. The flavor comes from the batter itself, rather than the toppings.  And, while it has significantly less sugar than my freshman favorite, it is still sweet enough to enjoy without syrup.

There’s literally no better way to begin a weekend.

A big thanks to my friend Hannah for providing the waffle iron, and for being patient as I took photographs of our every move!

Pumpkin Waffles Recipe (adapted from this recipe at Smitten Kitchen):

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 4 eggs
• 16 oz buttermilk
• 1 cup pumpkin (I used Libby’s)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and  cooled

Instructions:

1. Separate the eggs into two medium sized bowls.  In the bowl filled with the four egg yolks, whisk the yolks until smooth and add the remaining wet ingredients (buttermilk, pumpkin, melted butter).  Mix until thoroughly combined.
2. In another medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices).
3. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the egg yolks and other wet ingredients.
4. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  I did this by hand for 5-10 minutes, but it can also be done using a stand mixer.  Once the egg whites are ready, fold them into the batter carefully.
5. Heat up the waffle iron and brush it with oil (follow the directions from your iron. When it’s warm, pour about 3/4 cup of the batter into the lower iron and spread it to the edges (this step will vary depending on the size of the iron).
6. Follow the cooking directions for your iron, since every waffle iron is different.
7. When it’s fully cooked, carefully remove the waffle from the iron with a fork.  Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!

*note: this recipe makes A LOT of batter.  We saved the rest, but I’m guessing it could serve 5-6 people at least.