Greetings! I hope this giant stack of Pumpkin Spice Waffles finds you well. Are you proud of me for waiting until the week just before fall is officially here before posting my first pumpkin recipe? I tried to wait until the actual day, but just did not have the will power. I’m so excited for all things COZY and WARM, like soup on the stove, hot tea with honey before bed, fuzzy blankets on the couch, and the welcoming aroma of anything and everything pumpkin spice. In Arizona, these things are honestly a ways off, but still, we have HOPE. Relief is on the horizon! This week’s temps are all under 100 degrees, so it’s time to break out the fall decor and put on a sweater!
I made these waffles last Saturday and we really loved them. I converted my very favorite Best Pumpkin Muffins into a waffle recipe and it worked out very well. I used McCormick’s new Pumpkin Pie Spice Extract to give them that unmistakable flavor that screams fall is here!
I love that this recipe uses a whole 15 ounce can of pure pumpkin puree, so they really are pumpkin waffles. One trick I’ve learned when it comes to making waffles extra light and airy is to separate the whites from the yolks, and whisk them for a few minutes until they are white and frothy. Then you add the whites last, gently folding them into the batter, incorporating as much air as possible. As a result they are moist and fluffy, with a nice crisp exterior. It really is worth the extra step!
We couldn’t decide if we liked them better with butter and syrup, or with homemade whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. You’ll have to try them both ways and let me know! They are definitely equally worthy of the titles dessert and breakfast.
I added some finely chopped pecans to the second batch I made and I think they were my favorite. Hope you get a chance to try them, and happy fall y’all!
PrintPumpkin Spice Waffles
Made with pure pumpkin puree and coconut oil, these waffles are moist, fluffy and ready for maple syrup!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 5-inch waffles 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 15 ounces pure pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs (separated)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon McCormick Pumpkin Pie Spice Extract*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat waffle iron according to directions.
- In a large bowl, whisk the coconut oil (in liquid form), both kinds of sugar, pumpkin puree, egg yolks, and milk together until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin pie spice extract and vanilla extract and stir.
- In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
- Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, just until combined.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk egg whites until they are white and fluffy with soft peaks.
- Carefully and gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
- Scoop about 3/4 cup of batter onto the waffle iron and cook (batter will be thick). My KitchenAid Waffle Baker timer was set for 3 minutes.
- Top with butter, syrup, whipped cream, and/or cinnamon if desired.
Notes
*If you can not find Pumpkin Pie Spice Extract, you can use the following substitution 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Waffle
- Calories: 394
- Sugar: 27g
- Sodium: 346mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2.9g
- Protein: 5.7g
- Cholesterol: 48mg
Disclaimer: the links in this post for the waffle baker are Amazon affiliate links.
I really am craving these waffles right now! They look so comforting and delicious. The pumpkin spice flavour is just perfect for the new season too.
Thanks Thalia, I’m so ready for fall!
Crumble leftover bacon into the batter. So yummy♡
What’s leftover bacon?
haha!!!
Yes! This is totally putting me in the mood for Fall! Thank you for the tip on making extra light and airy waffles. I’m going to try that for sure 🙂
Hi Kathleen, hope you get a chance to try them!
where can we find the nutrition facts on your recipes
Sorry Diana, I don’t list the nutrition facts on LLK.
Cooler temps in Sunny FLA and leftover pumpkin puree called me to your recipe this morning. I cut recipe in half and still got three 12″ regular waffles! They were delicious and so light! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Enjoy the cooler temps Kim! Sounds like you had a lovely morning. Thanks for your feedback.
Any idea how much batter you would use for a mini waffle maker?
These look yummy! What can I use instead of coconut oil?
Hi Lori, they will be fine with vegetable or canola oil if that is what you have on hand. Enjoy!
Delicious! Made them for my daughter today. .I couldn’t get them crispy,could have been my iron.Any tips to fixing this would be appreciated. .
I think the crispness will vary depending on the heat level and steam venting of your waffle maker, but I’m glad you and your daughter enjoyed!
I’m making them now and having the same issue. Irons on up near all the way. I’m wondering if it’s the coconut oil.
Mine were soft too. I was bummed. I left them in the waffle iron for a long time hoping they would stiffen a little.
you could always pop ’em in the toaster. i’m a big fan of the double-dog dip re. any limp baked blLarF!
These were an epic fail for some reason… the batter tasted good but no matter how long i cooked in my waffle iron, they were still raw in the middle … 😟
Oh sorry to hear that! Sounds like the batter could have used a little more flour maybe?
Yeah, me too. Prepared them this morning and doubled the recipe so I could freeze some. Same thing. Took forever to cook and stayed a little uncooked in the middle. Not at all crisp. Cooking them longer only made them tough. Definitely enough flour. Tasted good, however VERY sweet.
Sorry to hear that Joan, I’ll have to make these again and see if the recipe needs to be revised. Thanks for your feedback!
am I reading this right? ….1 cup of sugar altogether??
Hi Hanna. These are a sweet, dessert like waffle. I would like to retest the recipe when I get the chance because I have had varying feedback – some commented that they have had trouble getting them to crisp up and finish cooking in the center, while others thought they were perfect. I am thinking that this may just be due to differences in the waffle makers we are using- but not sure. Let me know how they turn out for if you try them.
These are delicious! Made these tonight. I agree they do not turn out very crispy, however, after removing from the waffle iron, I place them on a cookie sheet in a 200˚ oven until we’re ready to eat. To crisp up further, perhaps toasting them in a toaster oven? Very good waffle! We served with breakfast sausage and whipped cream with an extra dash of pumpkin spice on top.
Good tip, thanks Lisa.
Your blog is so full of ads it is almost impossible to read on a mobile device. I know you need to get paid but this is ridiculous. At least get some ads that don’t fill up the entire screen and make the recipe difficult to find.
Hi Bob, thanks so much for the feedback. I have an ad network that manages this for me so I do not have direct control of where ads are placed. We are always trying to find a good balance between allowing the ads to be visible but not compromising the reader’s experience. Thank you for understanding that ads are a necessary part of the blog in order to generate the income needed to allow me to keep sharing recipes with LLK readers.
Delicious recipe! I successfully decreased the sugar content by using 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 cup stevia in the raw. They were plenty sweet, especially with the syrup. Like others have said, they used a crisping method after preparing these in the waffle iron. I just put them in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes, and they were perfect. Thanks for the yummy pumpkin recipe!
Thanks Shea, good to know!
Can you substitute something for the coconut oil? Allergic to coconuts.
Hi Charlene, I think you could use a vegetable oil or canola oil and they will be fine.
Made these today with plans to take them on vacation . How would be the best freezing method for short-term freezing
Hi Vicky, I think I would just freeze them in a gallon ziplock with parchment or wax paper in between. To reheat, just warm them in the oven or toaster.
These waffles are great! This is the second Saturday in a row I’ve made them for my family. The only thing I do differently is use gluten free flour (Krusteaz brand). Thanks for the recipe!
I just made these and REALLY wish I would have read the comments 1st! Same issues. They were so moist and dense that they didn’t fully cook or ever get a crisp edge no matter what setting the waffle iron was at. And they were EXTREMELY sweet. We doubled the recipe and half way through switched to making them as pancakes (spread the batter out a little). So, I would cut the sugar in half and make as pancakes and then? Delish!!!
What kind of waffle iron do you have ? The edge shape of your waffles looks like hearts!
I never noticed that! I have the KitchenAid Waffle Baker.
We have a Belgian waffle iron which cooks them perfectly. My son loves this recipe and wants them every day. He eats them with applesauce instead of syrup.
Susan, a lot of people have had trouble with this recipe but it works just fine for me, so I’m glad to hear another baker with a positive result. Thanks!
Hi! I get the same issue, they come out soft and kind of raw. I use a Cuisinart griddle with the waffle irons. They taste delicious though. Thanks!
Are you sure you used the whole can of pumpkin? I have another pumpkin recipe that I mistakingly added the entire can to instead of just 1 cup and it came out like mush. I didn’t read all the comments before starting to make these so I ended up making them with a third cup less of the wet mixture and they came out great!
I will have to retest again with less pumpkin. Thank you for the feedback.
Making these right now. They are not crisping up and taking double the time 7 mins. These are tasty. I had more of a coconut taste masking the pumpkin spice but that is easy to fix. I’m using the trader joes coconut oil which I’m cooking with for the first time so it might be this brand.
I would use this recipe again. Thanks or sharing.
I made these, and they were delicious! BUT, I had to add 1 1/2 more cups of milk. My first attempt was nothing but a bready mess. The batter was thick and doughy, but i followed the recipe exactly. I went ahead and loaded my waffle maker, and it ended up, a moist bread consistency. I scraped that, added the milk, got out my other waffle iron, and was successful.
That is helpful feedback, thanks Haley.
I cut this recipe in half for the two of us, leaving the vanilla at 1 teaspoon. I used a rounded 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice instead of the extract. I also added finely chopped pecans. These are delicious, however, like some other reviewers, we found them quite soft versus crisp. So I will follow Julie’s 2 suggestions next time: substitute organic canola oil for the coconut oil and leave the waffle on the opened iron for a minute to crisp up a bit more. I will also reduce the sugars by a third or so, as the maple syrup we serve with them provides enough sweetness. Highly recommend this recipe!
I wish I read these comments before I tried it. It was painfully sweet and raw in the middle. I used a Belgian waffle maker. I even tried throwing them in the toaster after cooking in the waffle maker for 7 mins to try and get something that wasn’t soggy. All that did was get it stuck in the toaster and made another mess. I followed recipe to a tee and even weighed out the pumpkin to make sure there were no variances. Is this recipe maybe written down with wrong measurements?
I’m pretty sure it’s the reaction of medium-high heat coconut oil being cooked at low heat in a waffle iron. Use organic canola and you should be fine. It is very surprising after so many comments about the same issue that there hasn’t been a recipe modification or at least a note about the expected results.
Hi Emily,
This recipe is a tricky one! I have made it multiple times with good results, and have even had a guy on youtube make them on his channel and rave about them. I think the variables that cause trouble for people are their waffle makers, and also the brand of pumpkin puree they use. I find that some brands have a lot thinner consistency than others…
I made these for the first time this morning. The texture of the batter was very nice and the flavor was amazing! I will definitely make them again. Could altitude make a difference in how they turn out?
They cooked beautifully but were hard to get out of the iron in one piece, what should I do differently next time?
Hi Kim, I think altitude can affect them, but also just differences in waffles irons. I’ve noticed some let steam out more than others, allowing the batter to crisp properly. One tip for getting them off the iron in one piece, is to open up the iron when they are finished cooking, and just let them set there for a minute before taking them off. This allows the moisture to continue to evaporate, and as they cool a bit they set more. Hope this is helpful, and thanks so much for your feedback!
The introductory paragraph really hit me at the heart! 🙂 <3 It is midsummer now in the hot South where I live and I'm caving in to the temptation to make pumpkin waffles because I just can't wait!
These should be called not simply pumpkin spice waffles, but PUMPKIN PIE WAFFLES! They are so sweet and moist! A real treat with whipped cream or ice cream on top. Toast them a good rich deep golden-brown if you want them real crisp. But they're crisp enough and really the best thing about them is the soft-moist fluffy texture that makes them almost pudding-like.
Thanks for sharing! This is a keeper for sure!
Hello,
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
I think the whipped egg whites might fall a bit if you do it ahead of time so your waffles might not be as fluffy. You could do everything except the egg whites ahead of time, and then whisk those up and add them to the batter before you make them. Hope you enjoy!
Let this be a lesson to myself to always read the comments BEFORE I spend money on ingredients to make something….these were sickly sweet and so mushy that I can’t even legally call them waffles
Thanks for sharing! Could they be made into pancakes too?
These are amazing! My kids claim they’re the best I have ever made. I do have a very good waffle maker-the All Clad one and my waffles came out crisp. I swapped Greek yogurt for the milk, added chia seeds and used whole wheat pastry flour instead of AP bc that’s what I had. They really are phenomenal!
Thanks Alison!
I made these waffles for my family today and they LOVE them. This was a super easy recipe to follow and they tasted soooo good. I will defiantly be making these over and over again.
Good flavor, but this recipe needs to be adjusted. I wish I had read more comments prior to choosing this one. It took awhile to make the batter, since the egg whites needed to be whipped, and lots of dishes dirtied to make this recipe.
Just like the other reviewers said, it’s really undercooked in the center, and is way too soft for a waffle. The flavor is tasty, but I had to really thin out the batter w/milk to get the center semi-cooked, and the texture was never right for a waffle. I tried to turn them into pancakes, and that didn’t work either. I cook often, so know how to make both waffles and pancakes, but this recipe needs some adjusting. I’d recommend looking at other recipes to compare, and see what ingredients/measurements yielded better reviews, and then make some tweaks to this recipe before making it.
Thanks for your comment, Susan. This recipe always works out well for me, but I think all waffle makers are different in the amount of steam they release, and how crisp that waffle will become because of that. Thanks for trying one of my recipes, and I appreciate your feedback.
I tried making these today and the taste was good but the waffle would get crisp on the inside, but did not cook on the inside. I tried it in my waffle maker and tried it on the pan, and neither way cooked the inside.
I loved this recipe! I made toasted pecans to go with it. Served it with pure maple syrup and whipped cream. It was the perfect amount of sweet, fluff, crisp, and flavor. I am excited to make these all fall season!