Yeasted Pumpkin Waffles

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I am making all your pumpkin dreams come true with this recipe for Pumpkin Waffles. Best idea everrr. Just as good as my Belgian waffles, but with a hint of pumpkin, lots of warm spices and raised with yeast. It’s almost like pumpkin brioche but a million times easier. Highly recommend serving with warm maple syrup or my homemade cinnamon roll syrup. Swoon!

The *BEST* Pumpkin Waffles

I might be biased, but I am head over heels in love with this recipe. It’s like these are the cooler, way more popular cousin of a regular waffle. I originally tested this recipe back in 2012 for the blog and hadn’t made them since. I forgot just how delicious these were until I made them for my kids a few weeks ago because they were begging (and begging!) for waffles. We all licked our plates clean and then I made them AGAIN a few days later. So so good! The magic really is in the yeast. Read my yeast section below for best results.

Basic Ingredients Needed

You really don’t need anything special or out of the ordinary for this recipe. You should have most, if not all, of these ingredients on hand to make these. Here’s what you’ll need for these yeasted Pumpkin Waffles:

• Milk, Sugar, and Yeast – these three are stirred together to proof the yeast. Proofing ensures that your yeast is alive and kicking.
• Pumpkin Puree – hello pumpkin flavor! This is not pumpkin pie filling, just plain canned pumpkin. I use Libby’s canned pumpkin, but the 365 brand is also very good (from Whole Foods).
• Butter – love that butter flavor, but also helps get a good texture with the waffles.
• Vanilla – another subtle flavor that pairs so well with that pumpkin flavor.
• Eggs – the protein in the eggs are needed for structure.
• Flour and Salt – flour fills out the rest of the waffles while the salt enhances all the other flavors.
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg – these two warm flavors are staples when it comes to pumpkin recipes. Yes, you absolutely can use pumpkin pie spice in place of  the cinnamon and nutmeg.

If you’re looking for a healthier, whole wheat option, check out my Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles!

How to Make Pumpkin Waffles

Depending how many dishes you want to dirty, you can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, blender or just a plain old whisk to make this waffle batter. One important thing to note is because this is made with yeast, you will need to let these proof for an hour on the counter or overnight in the fridge before making them. Besides letting the yeast do its thing, the rest is super simple. Here’s how to make these fabulous Pumpkin Waffles:

1. Stir envelope of yeast in warm milk and sugar to proof. Set aside 10 minutes.
2. Once that has started to foam, stir together with the rest of your ingredients to create a thick and smooth batter. Cover and rise for an hour. At this point, you can transfer to the fridge to continue proofing (for overnight waffles), or make them right away.
3. To make the waffles, stir the batter gently to deflate slightly and pour onto the hot buttered waffle iron. After 2 minutes or so, you’ve got some pretty lookin’ waffles!

What to Serve with Pumpkin Waffles?

These waffles are delicious with syrup, nuts, and butter! But here are a couple of more ideas:

• Whipped Cream– this is my homemade cream recipe that really is so so good with just about anything.
• Cinnamon Roll Syrup
• Pumpkin Spiced Candied Pepitas if you’re feeling fancy

A Note about using Yeast

So, I know pumpkin waffles are a little out of the ordinary, especially when the recipe calls for yeast! It seems like an odd choice, but I assure you these will exceed your expectations. Not only does the yeast work as a gentler leavening agent, it adds fantastic flavor. The longer the batter sits in the fridge, the more delicious it becomes. That flavor you get when you let your pizza dough rise for a few extra hours longer is the same sort of taste you can expect with these waffles as well…with a tiny sweet and spicy kick.

When working with yeast in this particular recipe, start by dissolving it in warm milk along with some sugar. Think baby bath water temperature. Always err on the side of cooler rather than warmer. Yeast can work in cooler temps no problem…they’re just a little delayed in their rise times. If the milk is too hot, you’ll kill the yeast and it won’t do a darn thing.

Also, double check your expiration dates on your yeast. Try your best to use fresh yeast. It DOES make a difference!

My Waffles are soggy! What do I do?

If you’re pulling these out of your waffle iron and they are a little too soft for your liking, odds are you need to cook them longer! Every waffle iron is different and some just have deeper cavities than others. The belgian waffle maker I have creates an overall thicker waffle which needs more time to cook. Thankfully, waffle irons these days usually come with a dial that allows you to change the cook time easily. Adjust as necessary.

My Waffles are too crispy! What do I do?

Going off the question above, the fix is simple! Simply cook these in your waffle iron for less time. It’ll take a few tries to get the kind of waffles you want (everyone likes their waffles cooked a little differently), so it’ll take some trial and error, but generally, it’s really easy to do!

More Pumpkin Breakfast Recipes to Try!

• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Crepes
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Bakery-Style Pumpkin Muffins
• Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread Recipe
• Pumpkin Monkey Bread

If you’ve never had pumpkin waffles, give these a whirl! I think you will be pleasantly surprised. 🙂

The printable recipe card is below, enjoy!

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4.75 from 4 votes

Yeasted Pumpkin Waffles

 Your breakfast will be extra special when you make these amazing *yeasted* Pumpkin Waffles. Perfectly spiced, slightly sweet, light and fluffy!

servings 4 waffles

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup milk lukewarm
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sugar
• ▢ 1 envelope active dry yeast such as Red Star Premium;2 1/4 teaspoons
• ▢ 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• ▢ 3 tablespoons melted butter cooled to luke warm
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ more melted butter for the waffle iron

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix warm milk with sugar and yeast. Stir and set aside to proof, 10 minutes.
  
• Once yeast has started to bubble and foam, whisk together with pumpkin, melted butter, vanilla and eggs with a hand mixer*.
  
• Mixture should be smooth with the egg completely mixed in.
  
• Stir in remaining ingredients. Scrape sides and mix again briefly.
  
• Cover with plastic wrap and rise 1 hour. At this point, cook waffles or place into fridge overnight.
  
• Stir batter and preheat waffle iron. Brush hot iron with melted butter and pour on 1/2-3/4 cup batter, depending on how large your waffle iron is.
  
• Close and cook to desired doneness. Serve warm with syrup, butter and walnuts.
  

Video

Notes

*If you do not have a hand mixer, a stand mixer, good blender or bowl and whisk will do the trick as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 427mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5246IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin waffles