These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles are made with pure pumpkin puree and infused with warm spices for the perfect breakfast for fall. Cooked to crisp golden perfection, they’re great to prepare in advance and are so tasty you’ll find yourself making them all year long! Vegan Option.
Pumped for Fall!
Pumpkin recipes are finally here, and we couldn’t be more excited! Although, if we’re honest, we enjoy pumpkin all year. How can you not with recipes like our vegan pumpkin pancakes, vegan pumpkin dip recipe, and our almond flour pumpkin bread with rosemary? We love them all, but you can never have too many, right?
So, we got back in the kitchen and made these gluten-free pumpkin waffles, too! Sweet, crispy on the edges, and soft in the center, they’re everything you could ever want in a waffle recipe and so much more! And just when you thought they couldn’t get any better, we added a vegan version, too!
These pumpkin waffles:
- Are made with a handful of simple, nutritious ingredients.
- Require minimal prep time, have a quick cook time, and have a total time of less than 30 minutes.
- Are gluten-free, dairy-free, and have a vegan-friendly option.
- Can be prepared in advance and reheated throughout the week.
Ingredients and Swaps
You won’t find any refined sugars or unknown ingredients in this gluten-free pumpkin waffles recipe! Instead, we use a handful of easy-to-find items, most of which you probably already have on hand.
- Gluten-Free Oat Flour – Find gluten-free oat flour in the baking section of your local grocery store, or you can make homemade oat flour with gluten-free oats instead! Alternatively, gluten-free all-purpose flour works as well.
- Baking Staples – Baking powder, kosher salt, and vanilla extract are used to create a fluffy texture and enhance the flavor.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg are used to create a warm, cozy flavor.
- Eggs – Large eggs act as a binder, holding the waffles together. For a vegan option, swap them out with a flax egg substitute instead.
- Maple Syrup – Feel free to use honey, if preferred.
- Pumpkin Puree – Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling which has added sugar and spices. The only ingredient should be pumpkin!
- Non-Dairy Milk – We typically use almond milk, but any regular or non-dairy milk like oat milk or hemp milk you have on hand will taste great.
- Plain Yogurt – Feel free to use vegan yogurt or coconut oil for a dairy-free version, if needed.
Tips for Success
This waffle recipe is pretty straightforward and easy to make, but we have a few extra tips to guarantee you have success.
- Preheat the Waffle Iron. Allow plenty of time for the waffle iron to become hot. This is key to creating crisp waffles!
- Avoid Overmixing. Combine the waffle batter just until smooth. Continuing to mix can overwork the batter, creating dense tough waffles.
- Rest the Batter. Once combined, set the batter aside for about 10 minutes. This allows the flour to soak up some of the liquid, and contributes to a fluffy waffle texture you’ll love!
- Don’t Overcook! Allow the batter to cook long enough for the edges to become golden brown and crisp but not so long that it turns brown and burns!
How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles
Take a look at the recipe steps below, and don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for the complete list of ingredients, instructions, nutrition information, calories, etc.!
- Whisk the Dry Ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to a separate bowl, and mix until smooth.
- Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients. Add the liquid mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients, and gently stir until the batter is smooth.
- Rest. Set the bowl aside to rest and allow the dry ingredients to soak up some of the liquid. This creates a fluffy waffle!
- Cook the Waffles. Heat a waffle iron, and grease it with cooking oil spray. Then, pour about ⅓ cup of batter onto the iron, and spread it out evenly with a palette knife or the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the batter until it has set and the edges are crisp.
Note: Each waffle maker cooks differently. So, keep a close eye on your waffles, and check the progress starting at around 2 minutes!
- Repeat. Transfer the cooked waffle to a cooling rack, grease the iron again, and repeat until all the batter
Topping Ideas
These pumpkin waffles are so good, we’ve been known to enjoy them on their own. However, you can never go wrong with a pad of butter and maple or buttermilk syrup! Or, if you want to get really fancy or serve your waffles for dessert, try adding toppings like:
- Whipped Cream or Coconut Whip
- Nut/Seed Butter (Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, or Sunflower Butter, etc.)
- Fresh Fruit
- Powdered Sugar or Sugar Substitute
- Chopped Nuts
- Caramel Sauce
- Nutella or a Drizzle of Chocolate Sauce
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these pumpkin waffles on their own as a complete meal, or serve them as part of a breakfast spread or brunch charcuterie board with other options like scrambled eggs, mini frittata egg muffins, bacon, breakfast sausage, fresh fruit, hashbrowns, or cauliflower sweet potato tots.
How to Store and Freeze
Ditch the packaged frozen waffles, and just make these pumpkin waffles in bulk!
- To Store: Once cooled, transfer leftovers to an airtight container or sealable bag, and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Place the waffles in a freezer-safe bag, placing a piece of parchment paper in between each piece. Or, arrange the cooked waffles in a single layer on a baking sheet, and transfer them to the freezer for a few hours or until solid. Transfer them to freezer bags. Either way, they’ll stay fresh for up to 2 months!
- To Reheat: Warm waffles thawed or frozen in a toaster oven, the microwave, or in an oven preheated to 350° Fahrenheit.
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Waffle Recipes
Common Questions
If your waffles turn out dry, it’s most likely because they were overcooked.
Yes! Standard waffle mix contains more sugar, butter, and eggs than pancake mix. Luckily our pumpkin waffle mix is naturally refined sugar free and has a dairy free option!
Keep a close eye on your waffle maker. Typically, when the steam stops escaping from the sides, your waffles are done.
Sure! Just cook it in batches, greasing the waffle iron in between each waffle.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 to 4 (6 inch) waffles or 7 to 8 (4 inch) mini waffles 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Skip the store bought waffles, and make this easy gluten-free pumpkin waffles recipe with simple, nutritious ingredients instead! Vegan Option.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (120 grams) gluten-free oat flour or gluten-free all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 eggs (see notes for substitutes)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup almond or non-dairy milk of choice
- ¼ cup plain yogurt or 3 Tablespoon refined coconut oil (see notes)
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs together. Mix in the pumpkin purée, milk, yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir with a spatula or spoon until the batter is combined. Set the bowl aside for 10 minutes to rest (this allows the oat flour to soak up the liquid to create a fluffier waffle).
- Heat a waffle iron on medium heat, and spray it with nonstick cooking oil.
- Once preheated, pour 1 ⁄ 3 cup waffle batter into the waffle iron (¼ to ½ cup batter may be used depending on size of the waffle maker). Spread the batter evenly with the back of a wooden spoon or knife.
- Cook the batter 2 to 4 minutes before removing the waffle from the waffle iron (each waffle maker cooks differently, so check progress at 2 minutes). Repeat the cooking process until all the batter has been used.
- Serve immediately or allow the waffles to cool on a baking rack. Store the cooled waffles in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Vegan Substitute – Omit the eggs and use 2 flax eggs (5 Tablespoons water mixed with 2 Tablespoons ground flax). In a small bowl, whisk the water and flax together. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken. Add to the wet ingredients as with the non-vegan version. The vegan batter will take longer to cook, almost double the time per waffle, so be patient.
Dairy Free Swap – Feel free to use our homemade coconut milk yogurt recipe or coconut oil for dairy free option
Storage Tips – Arrange the waffles on a baking sheet and freeze until hard or about two hours. Stack the waffles in a resealable plastic bag with each layer separated by parchment or wax paper. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing. The waffles can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rest Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: waffle maker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 waffle
- Calories: 199
- Sugar: 7.6 g
- Sodium: 225.4 mg
- Fat: 3.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.9 g
- Fiber: 4.9 g
- Protein: 7.6 g
- Cholesterol: 94.3 mg
These are so good! Definitely recommend. They were so easy to make, super soft and airy, and my husband and toddler (who hate pumpkin btw) ate every single waffle. I did have to end up adding an extra 1/4c of almond milk, because my batter consistency was like paste. That came out amazing. You couldn’t even tell they were gluten free. Thank you for the recipe! Will definitely be adding this one to the recipe book.
Hi Brianna! I love that your husband and toddler enjoyed these too! My husband doesn’t like pumpkin but gladly ate these as well!! YAY! And thank you for your feedback about adding 1/4 cup more milk. Did yo use oat flour or GF flour?