Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles

Name: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups whole wheat flour (recommend using white whole wheat variety; can sub all-purpose flour); 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 3/4 cup milk (plain almond or oat milk works as a dairy-free sub); 1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT canned pumpkin pie filling); 1/4 cup avocado oil (sub: melted coconut oil or butter); 1/4 cup brown sugar; 2 eggs; 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; Optional: 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (for decadent dessert-like waffles!)

★★★★★ 5 /5

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By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 10/14/23Updated: 10/16/23

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These Pumpkin Waffles are delicious year-round but especially in the fall! Made with whole wheat flour and pumpkin puree, they make for a nutritious breakfast. We recommend doubling this recipe, so you can freeze a batch to use throughout the week.

Whole wheat pumpkin waffle on a plate with whipped cream, pecan pieces, and a sprinkle of cinnamon over all of it.

Table of Contents

Reasons You’ll Love this Recipe

They are 100% whole wheat but you cannot tell.
Pumpkin waffles are freezer friendly. Perfect make a perfect make ahead breakfast recipe.
They are also a sneaky way to get more vegetables in your kids. Pumpkin is a powerhouse ingredient that kids like. Probably why our Pumpkin Pancakes and Pumpkin French Toast are also popular breakfast recipes.

Ingredients for Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles

Here is what you will need to make this recipe. You likely have them all in your pantry.

Labeled ingredients for pumpkin waffles.

Ingredient Notes:

Whole wheat flour – I highly recommend using white whole wheat flour, like King Arthur or Prairie Gold. It makes the bread turn out much lighter than the usual whole wheat flour (made with red wheat). We use this in popular baked goods like our Cinnamon Apple Sauce Bread, Banana Breakfast Cookies, and our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Milk – Plain almond or oat milk works as dairy-free substitution. Here are more dairy-free recipes.
Canned pumpkin – Similar to our Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Dump Cake, we recommend using plain pumpkin puree, NOT canned pumpkin pie filling.
Avocado oil – You can substitute melted coconut oil or butter.

How to Make Pumpkin Waffles

Mix the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of your dry ingredients for the waffles.

Dry ingredients for pumpkin waffles piled separately in a white bowl before mixing.

Mix the wet ingredients

Next, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.

If you use butter or coconut oil, be sure to melt it first and quickly mix it in so it doesn’t have time to solidify.

Wet ingredients for whole wheat waffles in a glass mixing bowl with a whisk.

Cook the waffles

Follow the instructions for your waffle maker on this step. Every type will be a bit different.

Pumpkin waffles piled on a plate with whip cream on top and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

What Type of Waffle Maker Should I Use?

There are two main types of waffle makers out there:

A Belgian Waffle Maker: This is what I used for the photos in this post. They are thicker in size with extra deep pockets and can be square or circle.
American Waffle Makers: Usually made with a smaller waffle iron that doesn’t make pockets as deep. Because of the waffles’ thinner size, they cook faster. These can be square (I have this one that makes 4 waffles at a time) or round.

Belgian Waffle Maker

This is the Belgian waffle maker that we use and recommend.

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Tips for Making Great Waffles

Since you are clearly in the waffle-making business at the moment, here are a few tips to make your waffles AWESOME.

Strike while the iron is HOT! If the waffles come out a little pale and soft, it could be because the waffle maker you’re using isn’t hot enough. It’s important to preheat the waffle maker for at least 5-10 minutes. Yes, seriously that long! Also, pause for a couple minutes between batches to let the iron heat up again.
Opt for oil instead of butter. For crispier waffles, use avocado oil or coconut oil instead of melted butter in your recipe. Unlike butter, oil doesn’t have any water content, which adds moisture and hinders a crust from forming.
Freeze your extra waffles! To reheat, let them thaw slightly and just pop them in the toaster oven or toaster. You won’t even know they were frozen.

Whole wheat pumpkin waffles on a plate with whipped cream, pecans and cinnamon sprinkled over all of it.

How to Serve Pumpkin Waffles

Oh man, there are so many great ways to serve this recipe. Here are some ideas:

Dollop with some whipped cream. Try our decadent Maple Whipped Cream!
Slice up a banana and serve it on top.
Add some toasted pecans.
Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips over the top when serving. Kids will love that!
Sever alongside one of our Top 7 Smoothies or some scrambled eggs or Instant Pot Hard boiled eggs.

A platter of whole wheat pumpkin waffles with a few dollops of whip cream on top and a side of maple syrup.

How to Freeze Waffles

We are big fans of prepping meals ahead and freezing them for later. (Here is a list of our best of the best freezer meals, btw.) So it shouldn’t be a surprise to you that we have freezer meal instructions for waffles!

In fact, waffles are a fabulous make-ahead breakfast idea. I almost always double the recipe and make a whole batch for the freezer.

To Freeze: Make and cool waffles completely on a cooling rack. Place waffles in single layers in a gallon-size freezer bag with parchment paper between layers. Seal tightly and freeze.

To Prepare From Frozen: Toast frozen waffles. If still slightly cold inside, microwave in 10-second increments until warmed through.

Baked Bacon and Spinach Mini Quiche stacked up on a plate

Want More Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas?

Foolproof make-ahead breakfast recipes that will help you start the morning the right way.

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More Breakfast Recipes You Might Like

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Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin chocolate muffins on a cooling rack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Slice of Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal on a white plate with banana slices and mini chocolate chips on top and maple syrup being poured on it.

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal (with Chocolate Chips)

FAQs

Can I make these without whole wheat flour?

Absolutely. You can make these with white flour and have the same delicious results.

Can I freeze pumpkin waffles?

Yes! Make and cool waffles completely on a cooling rack. Place waffles in single layers in a gallon-size freezer bag with parchment paper between layers. Seal tightly and freeze.

What’s the best way to reheat frozen waffles?

To reheat, let them thaw slightly and just pop them in the toaster oven or toaster. You won’t even know they were frozen.

How can I make my waffles more crispy?

Strike while the iron is HOT! It’s important to preheat the waffle maker for at least 5-10 minutes.
Opt for oil instead of butter. Use avocado oil or coconut oil instead of melted butter in your recipe.

Can I use this recipe to make pancakes?

Yes, you can often use a waffle recipe to make pancakes, with a few adjustments. You might need to add a little more milk to thin out the batter.

Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!