Every so often during my childhood, my family drove to the Marie Callendar’s restaurant about twenty minutes away for brunch after church on Sunday. We usually planned our visits around special occasions, like Easter or Mother’s Day or the first weekend after school started, as a way to celebrate.
Once seated at a table, the waiter handed us breakfast menus, but we always opted for the buffet brunch instead. Dad headed straight for the omelette station, where he requested veggies, cheese, and bacon or ham…
But my brother and I raced to the waffle bar instead! There, we found a big platter of long rectangular waffles, shaped like boats with deeply concave centers, still piping hot from the kitchen. Although they offered plenty of traditional toppings like butter, syrup, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, and whipped cream, my brother and I completely bypassed those options in favor of the “kid-friendly” toppings: gummy bears, sprinkles, mini M&Ms, and chocolate chips. (But we often turned back for a drizzle of maple syrup, just for good measure!)
I loved every bite of those special brunches. Those warm fluffy waffles, which melted the M&Ms and chocolate chips, and the chocolate then smeared all over the gummy bears and waffles in one extra sweet and decadent bite… Pure bliss for a little kid with a sweet tooth as big as mine!
As an adult, I’ve outgrown those sugar rush breakfasts (especially the gummy bears part!), but I still love adding fun flavors to my waffles… Just in a more wholesome way, like with these Healthy Pumpkin Waffles! They’re light and fluffy on the inside with the perfect crispy outsides, and they’re full of warm spices and cozy pumpkin. Yet these healthy pumpkin waffles contain no refined flour or sugar—and just 100 calories!
But as a big chocoholic… I probably wouldn’t turn down a few mini chocolate chips on mine, even as an adult! ?
Let’s go over how to make these healthy pumpkin waffles!
You’ll start with white whole wheat flour (this kind!) and homemade pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice is actually short for “pumpkin pie spice,” and it simply refers to the spices used in pumpkin pie. (No pumpkin included!) I almost always make my own pumpkin spice because (a) I always keep the individual spice jars in my pantry and (b) I don’t feel like paying extra for the store-bought kind. ? For these healthy pumpkin waffles, you’ll use a blend of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Does anyone else find pumpkin spice irresistible and want to use it all year round? Or is that just me?…
Anyway… White whole wheat flour actually exists—and it’s not a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and whole wheat flour! White whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They have the same health benefits, but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture… And that lets the pumpkin flavor and fluffy texture of these healthy pumpkin waffles truly shine!
Nerd alert #1! You’ll add both baking soda and baking powder to these healthy pumpkin waffles. Then to activate the baking soda (a base!), you’ll mix in an ingredient not always used in waffles…
Any guesses?
It’s vinegar! No, stop, don’t go away! I know it sounds really weird, but I promise you cannot taste the vinegar. The vinegar is an acid, so it reacts with the baking soda. The reaction creates air bubbles, which makes the waffles rise taller and gives them a more tender texture. (And the vinegar flavor completely disappears after baking—I pinky swear promise!)
Some waffle (and pancake!) recipes call for buttermilk because it’s also acidic and reacts with baking soda. However, I know that many people (myself included!) don’t always keep buttermilk on hand… So I figured that I’d just include regular milk and vinegar in this healthy pumpkin waffles recipe instead to make life easier!
Unlike many traditional waffle recipes with ¼ to ½ cup of butter or oil (or more!), this healthy one only requires 2 teaspoons for all 12 waffles. That’s definitely a way to make these healthy pumpkin waffles low-calorie! Then they get the rest of their moist and fluffy texture from two other ingredients…
Nerd alert #2! Those are pumpkin purée and Greek yogurt! If you’ve browsed through my blog before, then you probably know how much I love baking with Greek yogurt. It adds the same moisture to your batter as extra butter or oil but for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your baked goods a protein boost, too!
As for the pumpkin purée, I always use store-bought as an easy shortcut. Make sure you buy regular pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie mix! Pumpkin pie mix contains added spices and refined granulated sugar, the latter of which we’re avoiding in this healthy baked pumpkin waffles recipe.
Instead, you’ll add just a teensy tiny amount of pure maple syrup to your batter! I only add an itty bitty amount because I know my family loves to drizzle maple syrup all over their waffles… So there’s no need to add a whole lot to the batter. We always use the real kind!
Now that you’ve got your batter mixed up, it’s time to actually bake your healthy pumpkin waffles! These are the waffle mold pans that I have. Although I don’t usually buy “one-use” pans, I absolutely LOVE these! They’re worth every penny (and every inch of space in my overstuffed cupboards), and they’re actually really affordable!
However, I’ve noticed one thing. Right after baking, my healthy waffles always turn out really fluffy on the inside and moist and tender on the outside too… But I prefer my waffles fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. And most recipes require a whole lot more butter or oil to get that crispy outside texture. No thanks!
So I figured out a secret trick to making these healthy baked pumpkin waffles crispy on the outside without any extra butter or oil…
I pop them in my toaster oven! It’s seriously like magic… Healthy pumpkin waffles. Low fat and low calorie. Fluffy on the inside. Crispy on the outside.
Then topped with a drizzle of maple syrup and little bit of butter that melts into those hot waffle holes…
Pure fall breakfast bliss! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your healthy pumpkin waffles!
| Healthy Baked Pumpkin Waffles | | Print |
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 3 ¾ tsp homemade pumpkin spice (see Notes!)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup, room temperature
- ½ cup (144g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix!)
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup (60mL) white vinegar
- ½ cup (120mL) nonfat milk
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp (150mL) water
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat 2 waffle pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, vanilla, and maple syrup. Add in the pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Stir in the vinegar, milk, and 2 tablespoons of water. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and remaining water, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared waffle pans. Bake at 350°F for 13-16 minutes or until the centers feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- FOR WAFFLES WITH CRISPY OUTSIDES: Let the waffles cool completely to room temperature. Toast individual waffles in a toaster oven until deep golden brown on the outside.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
It’s very important to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will make your waffles dry.
For the homemade pumpkin spice, use as follows: 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. (In a pinch, store-bought pumpkin spice may be substituted.)
Any oil will work in place of the butter or coconut oil.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. I prefer my waffles on the not-very-sweet side because I know how much syrup my family drizzles on theirs before eating! If you prefer sweeter waffles, you can substitute 2-4 tablespoons of pure maple syrup for an equal amount of water.
Do not omit or substitute for the vinegar! It’s absolutely required. It reacts with the baking soda to make your waffles rise better and end up with a more tender texture. The vinegar flavor completely disappears after baking—I promise!
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
These are the waffle pans that I use. They’re totally affordable and worth every penny! I baked waffles at least once a week for two months straight, and even now, the pans still act like they're as good as new!
This recipe was specifically designed for baking. You can use the batter in a traditional waffle iron, but the waffles will turn out more limp and soggy compared to the thick, firm, and fluffy baked waffles. If making the waffles in a regular waffle iron, do NOT skip Step 4 for crispy waffles—it makes a HUGE difference in the final waffle texture! Toasting your waffle iron waffles will make them much firmer, rather than limp and soggy!
I do NOT recommend skipping Step 4! It makes a HUGE difference in the waffles’ texture! Without it, your waffles will be fluffy and tender, but they won’t have crispy outsides. You can easily toast leftover waffles straight from the refrigerator, too!
This recipe is easily halved, if needed!
For more information, please read through the “Nerd Alerts” in my blog post above!
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Buttermilk Waffles (Baked!)
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat!)
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes!
could i use a cupcake pan instead?
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Wendy!
We haven’t personally tried using a muffin/cupcake pan before, but based on the ratios, I think it should work and have a decent enough texture. The only thing I’d mention is to keep in mind that these waffles aren’t very sweet at all (to leave plenty of room to sweeten them to preference with maple syrup when you eat them!) 😉 So this batter would probably give you muffins that aren’t very sweet.
If you would like to try something a little sweeter using your cupcake pan, you might be interested in our pumpkin mini muffin recipe. (You can find the instructions for baking full size muffins in the Notes section, directly below the recipe). I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try either one of these recipes!
I would like to add some dark chocolate chips into the batter? Any thoughts about that? Also, any thoughts about adding some ( very minimal amount) of black beans to add some extra protein and fiber, especially if I add some chocolate! If you think it might work, what amount would you suggest and should I mash them up first and when should I add them? Thank you so much! I bought the pan you suggested and can’t wait to try the recipe!!
I’m honored that you’d like to try my recipe and already bought the pan, Wendy! I think adding some dark chocolate chips to the batter should be okay. I haven’t tried adding black beans to any of my waffle batters before, so I’m honestly not sure and don’t want to lead you astray. However, I think an easier and more straightforward way to increase the protein would be to add another 2 egg whites and decrease the milk by 3-4 tablespoons to compensate for the added liquid volume! 🙂
If you’re really interested in baking something with black beans and chocolate, I’d recommend this brownie bite recipe of mine. Although they might not qualify as breakfast food, they’re still delicious and easy to make! 😉
I’m really excited to hear what you think of these waffles, whenever you get a chance to try making them!
Thx for the quick reply! If I add the extra egg whites for protein, what can I do to add a little bit more fiber? Thx again!!
My pleasure, Wendy! I haven’t personally tried adapting this recipe to increase the fiber content, but you’re welcome to experiment on your own, if you’d like. Perhaps something like substituting a small amount of chickpea flour for an equal amount of the white whole wheat flour might be a good starting point? It might change the waffles’ taste and texture, but I believe that chickpea flour may have a tiny bit more fiber, if that’s a higher priority for you.
I always enjoy learning about what recipe tweaks work, so I’d absolutely love to hear what you try and how your waffles turn out! 🙂