Ever have a half-empty, opened can of pumpkin purée staring back at you when you open the fridge? I don’t know about you, but it pains me to see food, or anything for that matter, go to waste. Heck, I even save egg shells and spent coffee grounds for compost. So, what can one make with the remainders of a can of pumpkin purée? Pumpkin waffles!
Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Lightly spiced with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, these pumpkin waffles are a fun way to change up a waffle breakfast. In this recipe we add a little finely ground cornmeal too; it gives the waffles just a little crunch. Trying to estimate the right amount of batter for the number of people is always a challenge. Here’s a tip: make more batter than you need, cook up as many waffles as the batter will make, and freeze the leftover waffles to heat up in a toaster for another morning.
How To Freeze Waffles for Later
Let your waffles cool completely, then stack between pieces of wax paper (to keep them from sticking to each other) and transfer to a freezer zip-top bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and place in the freezer. Waffles will keep for at least a month in the freezer before starting to pick up off-flavors or develop freezer burn. No need to thaw before reheating! Just pop them in the toaster and they’ll be piping hot in a few minutes.
What To Serve With Your Waffles
While maple syrup is of course wonderful with these waffles, try melting honey and butter with a bit of cinnamon and drizzling that on top of your waffles. Another fun idea? Dollop with a little pumpkin spiced whipped cream. Serve with applesauce or apple butter on the side for the perfect fall breakfast.
Can’t Get Enough Pumpkin? Check Out These Recipes
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping No-Churn Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Pumpkin Cookies Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Cheesecake
Don’t have buttermilk? Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup and 3 tablespoons of milk and let sit for a couple minutes. Or mix 3/4 cup of plain yogurt with a half cup of milk. If you’d prefer to use pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices, substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the buttermilk, pumpkin purée, melted butter and whisk until smooth. When your waffle maker is hot, working in batches, ladle the batter onto the center of the waffle iron wells, not all the way to the edge, and slowly lower the top lid of the waffle iron. Cook until your waffle iron indicates that the waffles are ready, or until steam stops coming out of the sides of the waffle iron, about 4 to 5 minutes. Open the waffle iron and carefully lift the edge of a waffle with a fork to remove the waffles from the waffle iron. Serve with warmed maple syrup and a side of apple sauce or apple butter.
