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!
Rachel says
I made these this morning for my daughter and her best friend who was sleeping over. They loved them! She told me to print and keep this recipe.
Nora says
This makes me so happy to read, Rachel! I’m glad the waffles were a hit, and thanks for taking the time to review the recipe. I appreciate it very much!
Ashton says
Made these today, and the recipe turned out so great. Thank you for sharing!
Nora says
I’m so happy you liked the waffles, Ashton! And I appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Thank you 🙂
nikki says
I just made these…baking in my waffle iron. Are they suppose to be almost gooy in the middle?
Nora says
Hi Nikki. It’s possible that they turn or a little softer because they have less butter and sugar than you’d find in an average waffle recipe. And the pumpkin makes them softer as well. But they shouldn’t be like raw dough or really dense in the middle. Hope that helps!
Miryam says
Hi,
I am lactose intolerant so i wanted to know if I could make these with soy mil or would it change the taste too much.
Miryam
Nora says
Hi Miryam, I’m sure it will change the taste a little. But if you’re used to soy milk and fine with it, I bet it would be OK! Hope that helps 🙂
Carey says
I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk and they were fabulous. (However, I did use the butter! I’m sure another oil would work, too.) Didn’t have allspice on hand, so I used pumpkin pie spice. The waffles puffed up beautifully and were deliciously crispy. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Nora says
Yay, I’m so glad the recipe worked out with the almond milk, Carey! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe, I appreciate this so much!
Lynn says
Hi Nora, I followed your recipe last fall to make/freeze these for my daughters–we love them! Well now with fall approaching, I went to dig out the printed recipe and couldn’t find it…thank goodness I was able to find you online again! Just wanted t say thanks!
Nora says
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Lynn! Put a big smile on my face 🙂 I’m so, so glad you like the waffles.
Marcia says
My husband made these for Sunday brunch! They are simply delicious! I love everything pumpkin! They cooked up perfectly!
I am interested in the nutritional values. Do you calculate them? If so, please post them for me and other weight watchers. Thank you!
Nora says
Hi Marcia, I’m so glad to hear you liked the waffles! I don’t calculate the nutrition facts for my recipes anymore because there are just too many differences between all the calculators. For a simple solution, if you go to the recipe calculator on caloriecount.com, you can simply paste the ingredient list from my recipe. Hope that helps!
Anne says
I froze the cooked leftover waffles between sheets of waxed paper. I heat them up in the toaster and they are a very yummy snack. Thanks for the great pumpkin waffle recipe.
Nora says
I’m very happy you like the pumpkin waffles, Anne! Thanks for taking the time to review the recipe – I appreciate it!
Danielle says
Awesome an simple receipe! Made with molasses instead of maple syrup an served with homemade apple butter. yum!
Nora says
Thank you so much for your kind words, Danielle! I appreciate you took the time to comment on your experience with the recipe and I’m glad you enjoyed the waffles. Have a lovely day!
Megan says
Hi! These look delicious! Wanting to make them, but I only have pumpkin pie spice. Can you tell me how much to use in place of the cinnamon,
all spice, ginger & nutmeg?
Nora says
Hi Megan, thanks for asking! You can add 3-4 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, depending on how much you want the flavors to come through. Hope that helps, don’t hesitate to ask more questions. And enjoy the waffles 🙂
marie says
How prominent is the maple syrup flavor in the waffles? I know this is horrible but I am not a fan of maple syrup… Also, do I have to replace it with something or can I just leave it out?
Nora says
Hi Marie, that’s not horrible at all – tastes are different! There’s not much in it, so the flavor doesn’t come through that strongly. But you can always replace it with honey or another liquid sweetener. You could also try adding 4 tablespoons of brown sugar. If the batter is too thick with the sugar, add a few teaspoons of milk. I wouldn’t leave out the sweetener altogether, as it helps with the browning and adds flavor and body to the waffles. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.
Mel says
I made these tonight for dinner, and my husband is still talking about them !!! The only change I made was to use molasses instead of maple syrup.
This is a keeper for sure, can’t wait to make them for my grandchildren.
Nora says
I am so happy to read this, Mel. I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed the waffles, I’m sure your grandchildren will too! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, it means a lot to me.
Darin says
Made these tonight. I separated the egg whites and whipped them before folding them into the batter last thing. Just a waffle habit I have. Everyone really enjoyed them. Thank you.
Nora says
I’m so glad you like the waffles, Darin. What a clever trick with whipping the egg whites, I bet it makes waffles come out amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to report back, I really appreciate it.
Cristina says
This were delicious. I cannot wait to make them again. The only thing I will do differently next time is add in some chopped pecans and it will put these over the top!! Yummm!
Nora says
I’m so happy you like the waffles, Cristina! Adding chopped pecans will definitely make them only better 🙂 Thank you so much for making the recipe and reporting back!
Janiece says
I usually make scones on Saturday morning but decided to change it up a bit today … I really wanted something “pumpkin” and waffles sounded like a nice change of pace. I sprinkled some coarsely chopped pecans on the batter but other than that I made this exactly as written. Oh my … the waffles were wonderful and very easy to make. I served them with maple butter and pure maple syrup … this is definitely my “go to” pumpkin waffle recipe!
Nora says
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Janiece! I’m so happy the recipe was successful for you. Have a lovely weekend!
Jilian says
I loved them
Jilian says
Thank you
Nora says
I’m so glad you did, Jilian! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for coming back to comment on it. I really appreciate it!
jilian says
I add some m&m
Michele says
My nine year old made these . There so good. She add some m&ms . It made them so good . I add walnuts . Loved them .
Nora says
That makes me so happy, Michele! Your daughter is genius with the M&Ms! Walnuts are lovely, too. Thanks so much for making this recipe and for reporting back.
Linda says
Made these yesterday morning. Delicious!!
Nora says
I’m so happy you liked them, Linda! Thanks for reporting back!
Donna says
I was looking for a pumpkin waffle recipe this morning online and after looking at about 10 recipes, I chose this one. And boy, and I glad I did! They were easy to prepare and everyone loved them. I served them with warm real honest to goodness maple syrup and they were a yummy way to start off a fall Saturday morning. Maybe next time I will mix in some chopped pecans to make them extra yummy. Thanks for a great recipe Nora!
Nora says
Donna, you’re too sweet! I’m so happy you all loved the waffles! Adding chopped pecans is an excellent idea, I’ll have to try that one as well 🙂 Have a lovely rest of your weekend!
Mandi says
I am planning on making these as I am in full- on pumpkin mode! Can anyone tell me if you can get away with using regular maple flavored syrup like everyone has in the pantry or do you have to use true maple syrup?
Nora says
Hi Mandi, I haven’t personally tried it since I only have access to 100% maple syrup, so I can’t tell you for sure. But I have used maple syrup, honey, agave nectar and golden syrup interchangeably without any issues in various baked goods. I don’t see why maple flavored syrup would work in any other way so I’d say go for it and please report back to us 🙂
Jennefer says
We had these waffles for dinner tonight! They were a hit!!! Delicious! We added a few chocolate chips to ours just because… Thanks for the recipe!
Nora says
I’m so incredibly happy that you enjoyed the waffles, Jennefer! Genius with the chocolate chips 🙂
Lizzy says
Started looking for a recipe today, since I saw I still had pumpkin and it was a cool morning.
Since I’m mum to 4 bottomless pits I doubled the recipe (plus I had 1 3/4 c pumpkin). Didn’t have quite enough pumpkin, and missing an egg, but still came out well.
The horde can’t seem to get enough.
The only thing I’ll do different the next time I make it (besides having enough eggs) is just to put all the wet ingredients right into a blender. Maybe it doesn’t matter with a single batch, but with a double I needed my blender.
Nora says
I’m so happy to read this, Lizzy!! Awesome that you and your family liked the waffles! And thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe, I appreciate it so much!
Dana says
I was searching for a pumpkin waffle recipe and came across this one. Best pumpkin waffles EVER! Definitely a keeper!
Nora says
Wow, thanks Dana! I’m so happy to hear this!
Michelle says
I was scrambling for waffle ideas today and found your recipe. Since there is only two of us I halved the ingredients and used the 3 setting on my cuisinart waffle iron.. What an excellent recipe! Truly gorgeous and delicious waffles. Thank you.
Nora says
I’m so, so happy to hear this Michelle! Thanks for trying them and for sharing your experience! You made my day!
Liz says
Making them this weekend AND scheduled them to publish on our company Facebook. I am SO excited to try these! 🙂
Nora says
Yay, thanks so much Liz! And I’m probably even more excited for you to try them – would be great if you reported back 😀
Liz says
I made them! They’re amazing! Boyfriend loved them. Best friend loved them. I’m making them again Friday night! 🙂
Nora says
Aaaah Liz that makes me sooo happy! I’m so glad you all loved them 😀
Thalia says
These are just these best waffles I have made recently Nora. I love the pumpkin flavour… perfect for fall! Great recipe!
Nora says
Thank you Thalia – I can’t get enough of pumpkin!