These vegan waffles are packed with pumpkin flavor and the autumnal aroma of pumpkin spice. The perfect fall breakfast on a slow weekend, or make a big batch to freeze for a toaster-oven ready treat!
I did it! I made a pumpkin recipe for the blog before Thanksgiving was over. You know how time flies, especially around the holidays. It always seems like fall comes and goes before I can bring all of my seasonal recipe ideas and plans to fruition.
Well this year, I just stopped everything and got out a can of pumpkin puree, stared at the can and concentrated. A delicious recipe was going down and I was determined! How about some light and fluffy pumpkin waffles? So easy to make and more than satisfying.
Something else - I couldn't find a regular waffle maker in any of the stores. They are all Belgian waffle makers and for these pumpkin waffles, I really wanted that classic square shape that just shouts “homemade!” I have my mother's original waffle iron but, you see, we may be moving and I packed it. Don't ask me where it is. I couldn't even attempt looking for it so I relied on Amazon - again!
That’s just me though, you can use whatever type of waffle maker you already have, or borrow one from a friend or neighbor. Careful though, the lender just might ask you for a stack of waffles in return for the favor, and when it comes to these pumpkin waffles, you just might not want to share!
Table of Contents
Ingredients Needed for Vegan Pumpkin Waffles
- Egg substitute - I used chia eggs (instructions below), which are great at binding other ingredients together and therefore work well to replace the eggs in traditional waffle recipes. You can use flax eggs or a different store bought vegan egg replacer if you prefer. Just make sure to have 2 “eggs” worth of whatever substitute you choose.
- All-purpose flour - This is the base of the pumpkin waffle batter and provides great structure and soft texture.
- Baking powder - Acts as a leavening agent to help your vegan pumpkin waffles rise and become fluffy.
- Ground cinnamon - Because pumpkins + cinnamon were just made for each other! Adding ground cinnamon to your waffle batter gives them a sweeter flavor and subtle warmth.
- Ground cloves - A pungent spice that provides a woodsy, spicy flavor to your waffles.
- Sea salt - Balances the sweetness and helps to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Dairy-free milk - I typically use almond milk as it adds a mellow, nutty flavor as well as plenty of moisture and richness to the batter. Soy milk and oat milk would work well too.
- Pumpkin puree - The main event! In addition to flavoring your waffles, pumpkin puree makes your waffles more moist plus it gives them a wonderfully autumnal orange coloring. Homemade or canned pumpkin puree can both be used in this waffle recipe, just make sure not to accidentally grab a can of pumpkin pie filling--a different product that will contain too many sweeteners and added flavors for this waffle recipe.
- Organic brown sugar - For sweetness and a hint of caramel flavor. Make sure to choose organic brown sugar as non-organic sugars are oftentimes processed using animal ingredients. Alternatively, coconut sugar or date sugar work well and are vegan.
- Extra virgin olive oil - Helps to keep your vegan waffles moist as well as adds a rich flavor.
- Melted coconut oil - My go-to option for greasing your waffle iron.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Waffles
- Prepare egg replacer. To make the chia eggs like I did, combine 2 Tbsp. ground chia seeds with 6 Tbsp. water. Whisk to combine and set aside. If you are using a different egg replacer, mix it with water according to your recipe or on-packaging instructions.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk non-dairy milk, the prepared egg replacer, pumpkin puree, organic brown sugar, and olive oil until well combined.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture.
- Blend the batter. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just blended. Take care not to over-mix here, as doing so can result in waffles that are more dense and chewy.
- Grease the waffle iron. Turn on your waffle iron and allow it to come up to temperature. Lightly brush the hot waffle iron with coconut oil.
- Add batter and cook. Add some waffle batter to each section of the waffle iron. You want to leave just a bit of space at the edges, as the batter will expand as it cooks. Close the lid and cook the waffles according to your waffle iron directions. Mine worked with the heat dial on #3 ½ for about 6 minutes, but there are many different waffle maker brands and settings, so you’ll have to find the setting that works best on your model. Once cooked, remove the waffles from the maker and re-grease the surface before adding more waffle batter. Repeat until all of the waffle batter is used up.
- Enjoy! Serve your vegan pumpkin waffles hot off the press! I love mine with a smear of vegan butter and drizzle of maple syrup, but these waffles also make a great dessert when dusted with a shower of organic powder sugar and a dollop of whipped coconut cream!
Watch Us Make Vegan Pumpkin Waffles
Chef Tips
To Grease the Waffle Iron:
I recommend using a silicone basting brush if you have one. The bristles are nice and heat resistant and they do a great job spreading the oil. I put mine in the dishwasher and it turns out just like new!
To Keep Your Waffles Warm:
Set your oven to 200℉ and place the waffles on a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet. This allows the warm air to circulate around the waffles, keeping them from getting soggy. Since most waffle irons only cook 2 or 4 waffles at once, it can take a bit of time to cook up your whole batch of batter--so I definitely recommend putting each batch of cooked waffles into the warm oven as you work.
How to Store
Refrigerating. Tightly wrap leftover pumpkin waffles in plastic wrap, or pack them into an airtight container or zip-top bag. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezing. Vegan pumpkin waffles freeze great! Let the waffles cool completely before freezing, then place them in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating. You can reheat the waffles straight from frozen, just pop them into the toaster or toaster oven. To reheat a larger number of waffles at once, preheat the oven to 350℉ and arrange the frozen waffles on baking sheet. Heat them in the oven for about 3 minutes, or until warm and crisp.
📋 Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Waffle Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 egg substitutes - such as chia eggs (instructions below), flax eggs, or store bought vegan egg replacer
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 cups dairy-free milk (I used almond milk)
- 15 oz. (1 can) pumpkin puree, or use homemade pumpkin puree
- ½ cup organic brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Coconut oil, as needed for brushing the waffle iron
Instructions
- To make the chia eggs like I did, combine 2 Tbsp. ground chia seeds with 6 Tbsp. water. Whisk to combine and set aside. If you are using a different egg replacer, mix it with water according to your recipe or on-packaging instructions.
- In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the non-dairy milk, prepared egg replacer, pumpkin puree, organic brown sugar, and olive oil until well combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture.
- Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together until just blended. Take care not to overmix here, as doing so can result in waffles that are more dense and chewy.
- Turn on your waffle iron and allow it to come up to temperature. Lightly brush the hot waffle iron with coconut oil.
- Add some waffle batter to each section of the waffle iron. You want to leave just a bit of space at the edges, as the batter will expand as it cooks. Close the lid and cook the waffles according to your waffle iron directions. Mine worked with the heat dial on #3 ½ for about 6 minutes, but your settings will likely be a bit different. Once cooked, remove the waffles from the iron and re-grease the surface before adding more waffle batter. Repeat until all of the waffle batter is used up.
- Serve your vegan pumpkin waffles hot off the press! I love mine with a smear of vegan butter and drizzle of maple syrup, but they also make a great dessert with a shower of organic powder sugar and a dollop of whipped coconut cream!
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