Healthy Pumpkin Waffles Recipe (Whole Wheat Flour)

These are just a few of our favorite recipes to make in the fall. This whole wheat pumpkin waffle recipe is another one I look forward to making during this time of year.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Real Food Ingredients: During pumpkin season, I look forward to making all things pumpkin. The only thing is, so many of my favorite recipes use white flour and refined sugar. One of the great things about these delicious waffles is that they use whole wheat pastry flour and honey. Because of the healthy, simple ingredients, I feel good about serving these healthy pumpkin waffles to my family. I love knowing they’re made with whole grains and naturally sweetened with honey.
• Great for Freshly Milled Flour: You can use store-bought whole wheat flour, or you can grind your own. Here’s how to make your own flour with a grain mill. For this recipe, I just got out some whole wheat pastry berries and ran them through my grain mill.
• Filled with Nutrients from Whole Grains: By milling the grain right before making the recipe, we get the freshest possible flour with all the nutrients and minerals.
• Easy Breakfast Idea: Also (another reason to love these waffles!), it’s a great easy fall breakfast recipe. Especially if you make a large batch of waffles and store them in freezer bags for later. This little bit of advance food prep is so helpful on busy mornings!

Healthy Pumpkin Waffles Tips

• You can try substituting 2 cups of all-purpose flour for these pumpkin waffles (we always use whole wheat pastry flour, so I haven’t tested this).
• You could add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batter for added flavor.
• This recipe uses canned pumpkin puree, but feel free to substitute homemade pumpkin puree (here’s how to cook a pumpkin in the oven to use for homemade pumpkin puree).
• I like to top them with pure maple syrup for a naturally healthy sweetener, but you could serve them with some of the topping ideas shared below.
• The recipe calls for separating the eggs and adding the yolks and the whites separately. If you forget to separate them (or don’t have time), don’t worry, the recipe will still turn out! Folding the egg whites into the batter makes the waffles lighter and fluffier, so I recommend trying it if you have time. The waffles in these photos were made without separating the eggs, and they were still great!

How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Waffles

1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Combine the dry ingredients (first 6 ingredients) in a large bowl.

3. Whisk together the wet ingredients: egg yolks, milk, butter, honey, and pumpkin in a medium bowl.

4. Beat the egg whites in a small bowl until stiff and set aside.

5. Heat your waffle iron.

6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until combined. Fold the egg whites into the batter.

7. Brush the waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon in the batter (about 1/4-3/4 cup per waffle), spreading quickly.  Cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions.

8. Transfer waffles to a wire rack in the oven to keep them warm and crisp.  I put a wire cooling rack on a cookie sheet for this, and lay the waffles on it in a single layer.

9. Repeat with the remaining batter.  Serve waffles while still hot. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Makes about 8 standard-size waffles or 6 Belgian waffles.

(We double or triple this recipe and make a big batch for our family. We then freeze any extras for a quick breakfast later.)