Healthy Baked Pumpkin Waffles
Yields: 12 waffles
 
I may be biased, but these are the BEST pumpkin waffles that I’ve ever had! They’re light and fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and full of cozy pumpkin and spice flavor. Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container, and they also freeze really well!
  • 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
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat 2 waffle pans with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. 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.)
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
Notes: For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ¾ cup (90g) tapioca flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.

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}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2018/09/16/healthy-baked-pumpkin-waffles/