Whole Wheat Pumpkin Spice Waffles (Dairy-Free)
These Whole Wheat Pumpkin Spice Waffles are loaded with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, boasting crispy exteriors with light and airy interiors. You would never guess that they're 100% whole wheat, and as an added bonus, they can easily be made dairy-free!
If you enjoy pumpkin for breakfast, you'll also love Healthy Pumpkin Breakfast Bars, Quick and Easy Pumpkin Oatmeal, and Pumpkin Pie {Healthy Oat} Smoothies.
Am I the only one who can't believe it's already September?! But rather than mourn the end of summer, I'm going to focus on the facets of fall that make me oh-so-happy...football, cooler weather (ha! maybe in another two months here in Texas), and baking with pumpkin! I seriously love me some pumpkin-packed baked goods, y'all. As soon as autumn hits, I stock up on cans of pumpkin and get to baking. Pumpkin bread? Duh. Pumpkin pie? Of course. Pumpkin cookies? Why not? Pumpkin cupcakes? Yum. But last year marked the fall I discovered pumpkin waffles. And I made up for lost time by making them pretty much once a week.
The thing about these waffles (aside from their pumpkin-y goodness, of course) is that I had to figure out how to make them dairy-free. Because around the same time that I discovered pumpkin waffles, I also learned that my sweet new baby girl had a milk protein intolerance, and that meant no dairy for mama. Zip, zero, zilch. So long milk, cheese, ice cream...it was a difficult adjustment to say the least. But despite the fact that I had to completely eliminate a variety of foods from my diet, I was determined to make substitutions to recipes when possible so that I could still enjoy some semblance of normal eating with my family.
I figured that a recipe for pumpkin waffles originally calling for milk should work with coconut milk, right? And instead of butter, I continued the theme by subbing coconut oil. Typically I would have worried that all of those coconut derivatives would have given my waffles a coconut undertone, but I hoped that the pumpkin and spices used in these waffles would be enough to mask any coconut flavor. And they were! You would never guess that these waffles are made with coconut milk (I use the refrigerated kind that comes in a carton) and coconut oil, because all you can taste is pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. For that reason, I think that you could use any type of non-dairy milk in this recipe -- soy, almond, or rice milk -- and have successful results. And of course, you could certainly make these waffles with regular milk and butter if dairy isn't an issue for you. (P.S. The pat of "butter" in these photos is actually a non-dairy butter substitute, but by all means go for the real deal if dairy is your friend!)
As for the type of flour I recommend in this recipe, I prefer whole wheat pastry flour as a healthier alternative to white flour. The reason I like whole wheat pastry flour is that it gives baked goods a lighter texture than regular whole wheat flour, yet it has the exact same nutritional benefits. And I'm telling you...these waffles come out light and airy with crispy exteriors and melt-in-your-mouth interiors. It goes without saying that they would be delicious made with straight white flour, or if you don't have whole wheat pastry flour but still want some whole wheat in there, you could use half white flour and half regular whole wheat flour and they'd still turn out mighty tasty.
One last note is that this recipe, as written, makes a ton of waffles. See that big round waffle on the plate below? Well, multiply that by about 10. But I don't mind having excess pumpkin waffles on hand. We eat quite a few on the morning that I make them, and then I like to keep leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer for quick breakfasts all week long. I also like making a full recipe because it uses up the whole can of pumpkin in one fell swoop. But if you prefer making fewer waffles at once, feel free to cut the recipe in half and reserve the remaining half can of pumpkin for another use.
So how do you feel about the fact that September is already upon us? Is it already blessedly cool where you live? Are you excited or indifferent about the beginning of football season? And, most importantly, are you a lover of baking with pumpkin, like me? If you answered yes to that last one, these waffles are a must-try.
Heck, even if you didn't answer yes, you need to try these waffles. My husband, a self-proclaimed non-pumpkin lover, told me this weekend as he inhaled ate a plate of these waffles, "You know, I don't really like pumpkin. But these are really good." So it sounds like I'll have to share my pumpkin waffles with him this fall, but maybe I'll be lucky enough to hoard the pumpkin bread all to myself. Or maybe not...if only it wasn't for those darn kids. 😉
More Pumpkin Goodies
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Pumpkin Gingersnap Icebox Cake
- Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Spice Waffles (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 eggs
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk (OR your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk), at room temperature
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pure maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- In another bowl, gently beat eggs. Then blend in milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla.
- Mix milk mixture into dry ingredients until incorporated. Cook waffles in a waffle iron, according to manufacturer directions. Serve hot with warm maple syrup. Cool any uneaten waffles on a wire rack and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
- Having your milk at room temperature (as opposed to cold) prevents the coconut oil from solidifying into little lumps when the two are mixed together.
- If your waffle batter is a little too thick, you may add a bit more milk, as needed.
- To keep waffles warm until you're ready to serve them, put them on a wire cooling rack that's been placed on top of a cookie sheet and stick the whole shebang in the oven set at 200°F.
Nutrition
Adapted from Food.com
These waffles sound amazing. I L-O-V-E pumpkin! Thanks so much for sharing your links at our "Best Of The Weekend party"! I have pinned this to our party board and to another big board too. We hope to see you again at the next party! Have a great week!!
Thank you for the sweet comment, Cindy. I love pumpkin, too...in fact, I'm going to have to try really hard not to share *too many* pumpkin recipes this fall! I'm so glad you stopped by, and I really appreciate the pins! 🙂
These look amazing!
Thanks, Megan! They're quite popular around here...I hope you get to try them and that your family loves them, too!
Gorgeous photo shoot! And these are dairy-free?! Count me in!
Thanks so much, Julia! Yup...dairy-free, and you'd never guess by tasting them. 🙂 I appreciate you stopping by!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I LOVE waffles and of course it is fall, so pumpkin waffles sound amazing!! I will have to try this recipe.
You're very welcome, Darcy...I hope you love these when you try them! Thanks so much for stopping by... 🙂
These sound so amazing! I need to buy some whole wheat pastry flour. I've seen some really yummy recipes lately with that as an ingredient. I love that you used coconut milk and oil to make it dairy free. Pinning this to try soon! Thanks so much for sharing!
~Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
I think you'll love whole wheat pastry flour, Jen! I use it all the time and substitute it for white flour in most things I bake for my family. Thanks so much for the comment and the pin!
Ok, YUM! These pumpkin waffles look delicious. I so need to get a waffle maker! I can't wait for all the pumpkin stuff to come out now too. I just made some muffins myself. 🙂 Yeah for Fall! Thanks for sharing at Show Stopper Saturdays girl!
Krista @ joyfulhealthyeats
Thanks for hosting again, Krista! I'm right there with you on being excited about all things pumpkin. Since you like pumpkin, I think you'll love these...I hope you get a waffle maker soon so you can try them!
It is definitely on my list of things to buy. 🙂 They are just fun to make.
I wish these had been my breakfast today! And I'm in love with all your healthy tweaks, too. Pinning so I can make them soon 😀
Thanks, Consuelo! I wish these had been my breakfast today, too...it's time to make some more. 🙂 I hope you love them when you try them!
Yum! And dairy free. Even better. I think I'll plan on making these this weekend. Thanks for sharing! Stop by my Friday's Five Features and link up this post (and others)!
I hope you enjoy your waffles this weekend, Becca! Thanks so much for the comment and the invite! 🙂
I love pumpkin in anything, these sound delish! I'm also a big fan of coconut oil, so I know I would like these. I'd love some for breakfast tomorrow if you would like to bring them over. I'll provide coffee 🙂
Bring on the pumpkin goodness! These look delicious!
Thanks, Dani! I don't know that I could ever get tired of pumpkin... 🙂
These look yummy! I like the idea of adding the coconut flavor.
Thanks, Stephanie!
Oh man!! My kids couldn't tolerate me having dairy either! The most I could get away with was a TBSP of creamer in my coffee in the morning, and that's it!! These look amazing! Thank you so much for sharing them at Wake Up Wednesdays!!
I feel for you, Lisa, particularly going through dairy deprivation with more than one baby! It was really hard giving up dairy those first few months, but I have to say, I got used to it and it became easier. There is no good substitute for cheese, though! Thanks so much for the commiseration...my little one is finally growing out of her intolerance so I'm able to have small amounts of dairy once again...yippee! 🙂
Yum! These sound delicious. I love pumpkin spice added to waffles and pancakes.
Thanks, Shannah! Me too...in fact, I probably need to invest in a case of pumpkin spice come autumn... 😉
what a gorgeous breakfast! I am SO ready for pumpkin season. Thanks so much for linking to Wake Up Wednesday
Thanks so much, Heather! I was happy to link up...thanks for hosting!
These are SO gorgeous!! I am in love with pumpkin right now, this would make the perfect breakfast!
Thank you, Dorothy! I'm on a pumpkin kick right now as well, so I hope my family is prepared. I may get tired of it by, oh, February or so... 😉
I love this recipe is dairy free!! I've been trying to eat less dairy because I feel SO much better when I cut it out. I'll be trying this recipe sometime this weekend. Thank you so much for linking up to Wake up Wednesdays! I'm pinning this to our Linky Pin board!
Thanks so much, Meghan! I know that a lot of people are sensitive to dairy. My oldest son is as well, but I didn't make the connection until I had to cut back the dairy in my cooking because of the baby! So I convert a lot of my recipes to less or no dairy as I go. I hope you enjoy these waffles when you try them. I really appreciate the pin and y'all's great link party! 🙂
I need to get a waffle iron! I am so excited about cooking and baking with pumpkin! I have too many recipes I want to try!
I'm right there with you on the pumpkin excitement, Kathy! Until you get a waffle iron, I'd even be willing to wager that this waffle batter would work as pancakes. I haven't actually tried that, so I'm not 100% certain, but I may just have to experiment and report back... 🙂
How perfect for fall! I love pumpkin anything and these waffles look amazing! 🙂
Thanks, Anne! I'm very excited to be able to pull out my pumpkin recipes once again... 🙂