Making gravy is so simple with this how-to guide! Turkey, chicken, or beef gravy always turns out perfectly flavorful with just a handful of ingredients.
Making gravy is so simple with this how-to guide! Turkey, chicken, or beef gravy always turns out perfectly flavorful with just a handful of ingredients.
Pumpkin pie bars are a tasty fall dessert that mixes the creamy goodness of pumpkin pie with the convenience of a bar. With a buttery crust and a yummy pumpkin filling, they’re a delicious treat that tastes just like Fall!
Pumpkin pie bars are a tasty fall dessert that mixes the creamy goodness of pumpkin pie with the convenience of a bar. With a buttery crust and a yummy pumpkin filling, they're a delicious treat that tastes just like Fall!
Pumpkin waffles are perfect for fall! They’re lightly spiced and made with real pumpkin puree for a cozy special breakfast.…
Pumpkin waffles are perfect for fall! They’re lightly spiced and made with real pumpkin puree for a cozy special breakfast. We love them with a drizzle of maple syrup and a dollop of almond butter.
Why we love this recipe
It’s fall and that means: cue the pumpkin recipes! It’s our goal to turn just about everything imaginable into a pumpkin flavored version of itself. Of course, that extends to hummus, pasta, coffee, pancakes, soup, oatmeal…and waffles!
These Pumpkin Waffles are the ideal fall breakfast, featuring cozy spices and pumpkin puree. They’re just sweet enough and topped with a little pure maple syrup…let’s just say they went over like a charm over here.
Ingredient notes for pumpkin waffles
Here’s the thing: pumpkin is very dense, so adding it to waffles can make them thick and weighty. Instead, we formulated this pumpkin waffles recipe so that it uses just enough pumpkin to bring in a light orange hue, but not so much that each bite is weighed down with vegetable puree. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for these pumpkin waffles:
All purpose flour: For gluten-free, you could swap in 1-to-1 gluten-free flour (or make these almond flour-based gluten free waffles and add pumpkin spices).
Brown sugar: We typically sweeten waffle batter with maple syrup, but the consistency is better with sugar here because of the moisture in the pumpkin.
Pumpkin puree: Make sure it’s puree, not pie filling.
Pumpkin pie spice: Use purchased or homemade pumpkin pie spices.
Eggs: These help hold the batter together and give it a little lift.
Milk: Use your milk of choice; oat milk is a great substitute for dairy-free.
For the pumpkin pie spice
Here’s a secret: most of what people love about pumpkin recipes are the spices—not the actual pumpkin itself! Pumpkin is pretty bland and bitter right out of the can. Our favorite way to flavor it is with our homemaker spice blend, which makes a large batch. You can also make a smaller size for this recipe. Here’s what to do:
Make a batch: Mix up this Pumpkin Pie Spice: it makes ¼ cup, which is enough for 4 pumpkin waffles recipes.
Or, make a small recipe: For the 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice in the recipe, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon each cloves and nutmeg.
Standard waffles vs Belgian waffles
You can make these pumpkin waffles two ways: using a standard waffle maker or make them into Belgian waffles. We prefer Belgian waffles since they’re taller and fluffier than standard waffles, and just plain more fun to eat. Here are the differences between the two:
Belgian waffles are twice as large as regular waffles: they’re thicker with a deeper grid pattern. Remember a serving size is ½ of the waffle, because it’s double a standard waffle.
Standard waffles are thinner, around 1/2-inch thick. If you’re making a standard waffle, the serving size is 1 waffle.
Once you’ve whipped up a batch of pumpkin waffles, the fun begins! Top them up to make them into a healthy or no so healthy breakfast. Here’s what we used, and a few more ideas:
Storing leftovers
Don’t want to do all the work every time? Make a double batch of these pumpkin waffles and save more for later! Here’s what to do:
To store: Make the waffles, then let them cool completely on a wire rack. Once they’ve cooled, stack the waffles in a freezer-safe baggie. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Pop them into the toaster and cook them on a low setting for just a few seconds, repeating it two or three times. Or, warm them on an oiled baking sheet in a 300 degree oven (make sure to oil the sheet or the waffles will stick!).
Pumpkin waffles toppings
Wondering how to top these pumpkin waffles? Here are a few topping ideas we love:
Almond butter: This is our top pick for pumpkin waffles because it offsets the sweet with richness, and adds a hit of plant-based protein.
Chopped pecans or walnuts: These nuts both go well with pumpkin! Make toasted pecans or toasted walnuts to bring out their flavor even more.
Greek yogurt with maple syrup: Mix ½ cup Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and ½ teaspoon vanilla and use it for dolloping.
Make it dessert: ice cream! Turn this pumpkin waffle into dessert by topping it with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
More pumpkin breakfast recipes
There are so many fun pumpkin breakfast recipes to make your fall morning cozy. Here are a few ideas:
This pumpkin waffles recipe is vegetarian and dairy-free.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned?
Absolutely! Fresh pumpkin puree will give your waffles a slightly more vibrant flavor. Just make sure to cook and puree the pumpkin until it’s smooth and free of excess moisture.
Can I freeze pumpkin waffles?
Absolutely! Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag for longer storage. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
My waffles are sticking to the waffle iron. What am I doing wrong?
Make sure your waffle iron is properly heated and greased before adding the batter. You may also need to adjust the cooking time depending on your waffle iron.
Can I add chocolate chips to the batter?
Chocolate chips would be a delicious addition: pumpkin and chocolate go hand in hand! You can also add other mix-ins like chopped nuts or dried cranberries.
In a medium bowl, mix the all purpose flour, baking powder, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt until thoroughly combined.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, and neutral oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk vigorously until the batter is mostly smooth.
Lightly brush oil onto the waffle maker. Immediately, add the batter (1 ¼ cups for a Belgian waffle maker and a little over ½ cup for a standard waffle maker) into the center of the waffle iron, then cook according to the waffle iron’s instructions. Remove the cooked waffles and place them on a baking sheet without stacking. Make the waffles to order, or place cooked waffles in a 250°F oven to keep warm.
Cooked waffles can be frozen; place them in a plastic bag and remove the remaining air with a straw before sealing. To reheat, remove from the freezer and lightly toast in a toaster.
Notes
*Or substitute 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
Sausage gravy is the ultimate comfort food. A long-time family favorite, homemade sausage and gravy is a southern classic staple. Spoon it over soft biscuits to soak up all that delicious sauce.
Sausage gravy is the ultimate comfort food. A long-time family favorite, homemade sausage and gravy is a southern classic staple. Spoon it over soft biscuits to soak up all that delicious sauce.
These vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are beyond delicious—soft, chewy, and infused with comforting cinnamon! They’re easy to make and please…
These vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are beyond delicious—soft, chewy, and infused with comforting cinnamon! They’re easy to make and please any type of eater (or are perfect if you’re out of eggs). Of all our vegan cookies, this recipe is a favorite!
Why we love this recipe
We’re big chocolate people around here. When it comes to cookies, our vegan chocolate chip cookies or brown butter chocolate chip cookies recipes reign supreme. Usually we pass up oatmeal raisin—except in the case of these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies!
These cookies are pure goodness: soft and chewy, with just the right scent of cinnamon and chewy pops of sweet raisin in every bite. The key to the flavor? Just the right hint of almond extract seals the deal. Eaters of all kinds love these, and I personally could not believe how delicious they are! They’re great if you’re out of eggs, and perfect for vegan baking. You will swoon! (We hope.)
Ingredient notes for vegan oatmeal raisin cookies
These vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are easy to put together with simple, regular ingredients that are easy to find at a normal grocery store. Applesauce helps bind the dough together instead of egg. Here are a few ingredient and substitution notes:
Refined coconut oil: Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor; unrefined has more of a coconut-y flavor. Using coconut oil is important for the dough texture, since it is solid at room temperature, similar to butter. Do not substitute vegan butter, since it changes the texture.
Neutral oil: You can use grapeseed, canola or vegetable oil; we like to use grapeseed. We have had a few recipe testers that used avocado oil for the neutral oil with good results.
Granulated and light brown sugar: A mix of sugars is key for the flavor; the brown sugar adds hints of molasses to the flavor. Do not substitute liquid sweetener; using agave or maple syrup add too much moisture and the texture becomes cake-like.
Unsweetened applesauce: Applesauce works instead of egg to hold the dough together and add moisture. Substitute sweetened applesauce if desired.
Vanilla extract and almond extract: Vanilla extract is key to cookie dough. Another essential is almond extract, which brings a toasty, complex nuance to the flavor without overpowering it. In our recipe testing, we found this was helpful for a vegan cookie since it doesn’t have the richness of egg or butter.
All purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt: These are the traditional baking characters. The salt is important since there is no butter or egg to add flavor.
Raisins: You can use any type of raisins, even golden raisins. You can also add ¼ cup finely chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans.
Tips for baking
These vegan oatmeal raisin cookies don’t require chilling the dough, which makes them quick and simple to mix up! There are just a few tips to watch out for when baking:
Use a cookie scoop. A 2 or 3 tablespoon cookie scoop is helpful for portioning the dough: just overfill it slightly. You can also weigh out the batter at approximately 50 grams per cookie (or weigh the entire dough and divide by 18).
Bake each tray separately for the most even bake. Do not refrigerate the cookie dough while the first tray bakes (the dough texture is best non-refrigerated).
Storing leftovers
These vegan chocolate chip cookies are delicious warm from the oven, after cooling about 20 minutes. The cookies also hold up well over time. This is a must for cookies in our opinion, since you’re making them in a big batch. Here’s what to note about storing these cookies:
Store in a sealed container at room temperature for 1 week. The texture holds up well: no need to add anything to the container.
Store refrigerated for 2 weeks. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
These vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are vegan and dairy-free.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different type of flour?
While all-purpose flour works well, you can experiment with using up to ¼ of the volume with whole wheat flour. We have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour.
Can I use a different sweetener?
We have not tested with other types of sweeteners. We do not recommend using maple syrup or agave syrup since they add moisture and the texture becomes more cake-like.
Can I add other mix-ins?
Absolutely! Chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries would all make delicious additions.
These vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are beyond delicious—soft, chewy, and infused with comforting cinnamon! They’re easy to make and please any type of eater (or are perfect if you’re out of eggs). Of all our vegan cookies, this recipe is a favorite!
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, or omit if using non-stick cookie sheets (we swear by these).
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), add the neutral oil, coconut oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix with the paddle attachment (or an electric mixer) on Medium speed until fully combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the applesauce, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until combined, a few seconds.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, kosher salt, and Old Fashioned Oats. Turn on the mixer and gradually add the flour and oats mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Add the raisins and mix on low for a few seconds until mixed in. The dough will feel slightly oily, but this is as expected.
Scoop nine 3-tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, leaving a few inches between each cookie for spreading (using a cookie scoop is helpful; we overfilled our 2 tablespoon scoop or weigh out 50 grams each). Bake one batch for 12 to 13 minutes, or until just golden (baking one batch at a time makes the most even bake). Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool fully. They taste great warm after cooling on the rack for about 10 minutes, or fully cooled.
While the cookies cool, portion out and bake the second batch of dough; don’t refrigerate the dough in between. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerated for 3 weeks (bring to room temperature before serving).
Notes
*We highly recommend using the almond extract for the best flavor! 1/16 teaspoon equates to 1 to 2 drops, just enough to give it a nuance in flavor but not enough that it is strongly perceptible. We use a ⅛ teaspoon measure and fill it halfway; if you don’t have one, you can approximate using a ¼ teaspoon.
This easy-as-pie cherry cobbler recipe is sure to become a family favorite late-summer dessert. Fresh or frozen cherries with a simple batter is baked until perfectly golden, then topped with ice cream or whipped cream!
This easy-as-pie cherry cobbler recipe is sure to become a family favorite late-summer dessert. Fresh or frozen cherries with a simple batter is baked until perfectly golden, then topped with ice cream or whipped cream!