These easy pumpkin waffles are crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and filled with cozy fall flavor from real pumpkin and warm spices. Whether you’re making them for a lazy autumn weekend or freezing a batch for weekday mornings, they’re the perfect fall breakfast recipe your whole family will love!
If fall had a breakfast soundtrack…
There’s something about pumpkin waffles that just hits different. Cozy, golden, maple-kissed… they’re the breakfast version of your favorite fall candle and a fluffy blanket. This recipe has been with me since the very beginning of my blog (2014!), and it’s still the one I reach for when we need an easy weekend treat that makes the whole house smell like autumn!
Cream cheese and maple syrup are musts for me with these waffles! I also enjoy some chopped pecans sprinkled on top – such a great flavor and texture.
When I’m feeling fancy, I whip up a batch of brown sugar cinnamon apples or some crockpot hot apple cider to serve on the side. Great for a festive fall brunch!
Make the recipe work for you (and your waffle iron)
These waffles are super simple to make, but pumpkin does tend to make baked goods denser, so a little care in the batter goes a long way. Mix the dry ingredients well on their own first so the baking powder and baking soda are evenly distributed. Mix the wet ingredients thoroughly in a separate jug too. Then, when you combine the two, stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined — lumps are totally fine! If you whisk like crazy, the waffles will turn out dense and chewy instead of light and fluffy.
The batter should be like thick pancake batter. If your first waffles come out deflated or shapeless, fold in 2–3 tablespoons of flour to fix it — I do this all the time when my big farm eggs throw off the balance. And if you want to go full extra, separate the eggs and beat the whites to stiff peaks before folding them in for an even fluffier result.
Waffle iron tips to make them fluffy and magical
Because of the pumpkin, these waffles take a little longer to cook than regular ones. Make sure your waffle maker is fully heated, brush or spray it well, and cook on medium-high until they’re crisp on the outside. They’ll firm up more once out of the waffle maker but soften again if left sitting around, so eat them warm or pop leftovers in the toaster. I like making them on the smaller side (about 1.5 large cookie scoops of batter per waffle) — they bake up fluffier and less heavy this way.
You can use oil or melted butter in the batter — oil is easier, butter gives that rich, decadent taste. Almond milk works in place of regular milk, and you can swap half the flour for whole wheat for a nuttier flavor. No pumpkin spice? Use cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg (I link my homemade pumpkin spice mix in the recipe if you need it).
How to know when to open your waffle iron?
It’s generally safe to open the iron once it has mostly stopped steaming! If no more HEAVY steam comes out of the iron, it means the wet ingredients have mostly cooked and it’s safe to open the iron to check on the waffles without ripping them apart.
Printable recipe
Simple Pumpkin Waffles
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (use ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg if you don't have pumpkin spice)
- 1 teaspoons cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons oil (OR melted butter)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT 1 can)
Instructions
- In a large bowl stir together the dry ingredients.2 cups all purpose flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1-2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoons cinnamon
- In a measuring jug whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, melted butter (or oil) and canned pumpkin until smooth.3 large eggs, 1 ⅓ cup milk, ¼ cup maple syrup, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 cup canned pumpkin
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined – some lumps are fine.
- Bake the waffles in your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions. I recommend baking them on medium heat for a little longer than regular waffles to help them cook through in the middle and crisp up on the outside.
Video
Make-ahead and freezer tips
These waffles are a dream for prepping ahead. If you’re making them the night before, bake as directed, then place them on a cooling rack. Once cooled, cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave at room temperature overnight. They’ll feel soft in the morning, but don’t worry — a quick trip through the toaster brings them right back to hot and crispy.
They also freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, then freeze individually in bags or in a single layer on a baking sheet before stacking them in freezer bags. They’ll keep up to three months. Reheat in a toaster for that fresh-from-the-iron texture, or bake them on a lined sheet at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.
I first shared this recipe in the fall of 2014. I updated the photos, post and video to make it more helpful to you on September 3, 2020, and once again in September 2025.
P.S: Want more pumpkin recipes? Check out my collection of canned pumpkin recipes!
Susie D says
What happens if you use buttermilk? I love the tender crumb it provides and for whatever reason it seems more healthy!
Nora says
I haven’t tried buttermilk, but I can imagine it would work well here. I can’t give a 100% guarantee, though!
Pat Marthaler says
very good
Doris says
I made these for dinner and added some crushed and pieces of pecans on top. Oh so delicious! Perfect fall comfort food. Going to enjoy leftovers for breakfast. Can’t wait to have them with my morning coffee. Love your videos! Thanks 🙂
Christine says
made this for Christmas morning, delicious served with fig compote and whip cream
BJ Mandley says
Excellent, loved using half of this recipe (2 eggs) with my new little waffle maker.
Nora says
I’m so glad!
Karen Cable says
I just made these for the family for a late breakfast. My son’s not wild about pumpkin nor does my husband like cinnamon. Tough luck, made em per the instructions. We sounded like cartoon characters: mmmm, yum, so good, ahhhhh. I have e new go-to waffle recipe!
Nora says
Haha Karen, I love it! Thanks for coming back to leave your review, I appreciate it!
Mindy says
Came out great! I separated the eggs as suggested and used melted butter. I adapted the pumpkin spice recipe using less ginger and nutmeg, but that’s due to preference (I’m not a huge fan of nutmeg). I set my waffle iron to the darkest setting to ensure it crisped up. My two young boys loved them. I will definitely make it again.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Mindy!
Larkin says
My toddler loves these waffles and they freeze beautifully (parchment paper between the waffles so they don’t stick together). I always make a double batch then I’ve got an easy and quick breakfast, just pop them in the toaster. I’ve made this recipe a dozen times now, it is delicious and perfect! Thank you.
Nora says
I’m so glad! And yes, I always double batch these for the freezer, too. So simple to do and so worth it!
Liz says
I also separated eggs and added the whites whipped. Made them extra fluffy and crisp.
Sara says
Just made these this morning! I divided the recipe into 1/3 of the measurements to make just four. They turned out delicious after four minutes in my waffle iron. Great way to use leftover pumpkin puree!
Linda Kay says
easy to make, good tasting
Shari says
Just made these waffles. Super easy, super delicious. So many pumpkin recipes don’t even have pumpkin flavor. These were loaded with pumpkin flavor! Thanks for a recipe I will use again!
fedna says
i had tried this recipe and this was great, i didn’t have maple syrup so i swap it with honey, i’m not sure how the maple was support to taste but the this recipe was amazing. the waffle was fluffy i did the separating the egg white and yolk method and it was good . Good job 🙂
L Frank says
Easy to make, made a double batch to use up an entire can, tastes great. Might whip the egg whites next time for extra fluffiness and crispness.
Linda says
Added choc chips per some previous commenters’ requests and wow, perfect fall brunch recipe!
Taylor N says
These look amazing but I only have Pumpkin Pie spice . Could I Substitute pumpkin pie spice for the spices it calls for ?
Nora says
Hi Taylor, yes you can absolutely! If you have cinnamon, I would do a mix of pure cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Otherwise just use pumpkin spice mix to taste!
Vicky says
These were very easy to mix (doubled the recipe) and would have been better if I’d remembered to add the melted butter!
Jenn says
Hi! I’m so excited to try these! How many ounces was your can on pumpkin??
Nora says
Hi Jenn! Hope you’ll love the waffles 🙂 I used 1 CUP of pumpkin puree in this recipe, with is about 1/2 of a 15-ounce can. Hope that helps 🙂
Becky says
Sooo yummy! Thanks for the recipe. I’ve tried pumpkin waffles before, and my kids snubbed them. This recipe was a hit! I tried a batch with chocolate chips and walnuts, and it was equally delicious.
Nora says
Yay, that’s amazing Becky! I’m so glad the waffles turned out well for you and the kids loved them. Great idea with the chocolate chips and walnuts – I’ll have to try that with the pumpkin I still have in the freezer. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review – I appreciate it very much!
Candy C says
Made these this morning to use up some leftover canned pumpkin and they are awesome! I used 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and they were nice and spicy. Thanks for such a quick and easy recipe.
Nora says
Candy, I’m so happy you enjoyed the waffles! Thank you for coming back to review the recipe – I appreciate it very much.
Cindy says
Loved them!!! I only had Maple Praline Sugar Free Syrup so I used it…. wonderful. Has anyone made them using a gluten free four ?
Nora says
Hi Cindy, I’m so happy you liked the waffles. I have not made this particular recipe with gf flour, but I frequently make banana waffles with buckwheat flour. I think the pumpkin might provide enough stability for it to be fine – maybe add some chia gel if you’re not using a readily-mixed gluten free baking blend. Let us know how it goes if you end up testing! One issue that might happen is that the batter sticks to the waffle iron too much. In that case you could simply turn it into pancakes 🙂
Susan says
We tried this for dinner. They were delicious.♥️ I did make a few adjustments… I used self rising flour and added pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon instead of other sipices. I also used maple sugar instead of maple syrup. Turned out magnificent!!
Nora says
I’m so happy to read this, Susan! I’m glad you liked the pumpkin waffles and your adjustments sound like a great idea! Thanks for reviewing the recipe – I appreciate your time so much!
Larry says
Made these today, my wife and I both thought they were exceptional. Delicious!!!!!! You described them perfectly, yet they still exceeded expectations. Thank you.
Nora says
I’m very happy you and your wife enjoyed the pumpkin waffles, Larry! They’re one of our fall favorites. Thanks for taking the time to review the recipe – I appreciate it so much!
Larry says
You’re so welcome. Just wanted to let you know I did bake and freeze the leftovers. They were just as wonderful the next day. Spice flavor may have come out more. Thanks again for the keeper. I liked your page on Facebook and look forward to more of your recipes.