These sourdough pumpkin waffles check all the boxes: cozy, spiced, nutritious, filling, and so easy to make ahead. Whether you’re serving them fresh on a crisp fall morning or pulling one from the freezer on a busy weekday, they’ll bring that same warm, pumpkin-y comfort every time. Add protein powder for an extra boost!
Why you will love these sourdough pumpkin waffles
This is a fall inspired sourdough waffle recipe from one of my top favorite recipes from my cookbook, Sourdough Pancakes & Waffles. If you need some convincing of why this recipe is the perfect breakfast addition this fall, I got you.
- Balanced + wholesome. Pumpkin, sourdough, and protein powder team up to make a waffle that fuels your body for those busy mornings.
- Family friendly. These are really fun waffles to make with your family involved. Little hands are happy to pre-measure and mix in ingredients. Plus the whole family will enjoy this recipe which is always a plus.
- Crispy + fluffy. Sourdough starter helps achieve that irresistible tender inside.
- Customizable. Not into protein powder or chocolate chips? Leave them out! Want more crunch? Add toasted nuts or seeds inside or on top of the waffles.
- Make-ahead friendly. These freeze beautifully — pop one in the toaster (or microwave) for a weekday breakfast that feels like Saturday morning.
Adding homemade maple cinnamon butter
One of the things that puts these waffles over the edge for me is drizzling on some homemade maple cinnamon butter on top. There’s lots of ways to make maple butter – you can simply just whip maple syrup for a long time until it turns into a butter consistency, or you can whip butter with maple syrup, etc. Well one really FAST and EASY approach is just melting everything together. I prefer that to use it as a syrup than just butter on one spot of the waffle anyway.
How you make it…
1/2 cup salted butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Melt all of those together, pour on waffle, and add a little Maldon flaky sea salt as an extra touch to balance out the sweetness. You can save the leftovers in the fridge for a good few weeks, and remelt when ready to use again!
FAQ of these waffles
What type of protein powder works best? I’ve had the best results with both of my favorite brands of protein powder: Just Ingredients or Clean Simple Eats. These protein powders tend to be more absorbent, so add liquid as needed until the batter feels right. I love that both brands have a clean label, give a great taste, and texture to these waffles. But these are not necessary to make these waffles delicious. Use the brand of protein powder you have on hand already or that you love.
Do these taste strongly of pumpkin? Not overwhelmingly. Pumpkin adds more moisture and color than flavor — the pumpkin pie spice and extra cinnamon is what gives that classic, cozy “fall” taste, so you can add more or less of that for your flavor preference.
Do I need to have my batter sit in the fridge overnight? You can, but not necessary! My favorite way to have these waffles is letting the batter rest overnight, however, you can still use this recipe without the overnight rest and get delicious results.
How do I store leftovers? Keep extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze them in a single layer before bagging. Reheat in the toaster or oven until crisp again (or microwave if you don’t care if it is more soggy as a leftover).
What if my batter is too thick? Pumpkin adds hydration, and different protein powders can absorb differently. If your batter feels too thick, whisk in a splash of milk until it’s pourable but not runny.
Can I make this recipe into pancakes instead of waffles? Yes! You will want to use a griddle or large skillet preheated to 350 degrees instead of a waffle maker. I love this double sided waffle maker that helps me cook up more at a time! We’ve had it for 8 years now, and it’s still going strong!
Do you recommend weighing the ingredients? I really do. You get a more accurate measurement when you weigh the ingredients on a kitchen scale rather than using measuring cups. But weighing is not necessary, just be mindful on how you measure by volume (measuring cups).
Can I make these gluten-free? Yes! It will take a little more steps to make it but you can make these waffles gluten-free. You will need to swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 blend (I recommend King Arthur’s 1:1 GF flour), swap the sourdough starter for gluten-free sourdough starter, and lastly, make sure that the protein powder you use is gluten-free. Naturally, gluten-free flours and protein powders have different textures so you will want to be mindful about that as well.
If you absolutely love this recipe, you should try these!
No really, so many people who have tried this recipe have loved these other recipes. Try these out too!
Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Sourdough Pumpkin Maple Snickerdoodles
Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk
- 230 g (about 1 cup) unfed/discard sourdough starter
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 225 g (1 cup) Libby’s pumpkin puree
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour for more nutrition)
- 37 g (1 scoop) plain or vanilla protein powder optional!
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 oz (1 cup) chocolate chips optional!
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together milk, sourdough starter, melted butter, honey, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and egg. Mix until mostly combined. Then add remaining ingredients and gently mix again. Use right away or cover and let the batter sit overnight in the fridge*.
- In the morning, preheat your waffle maker. Pour about 1/2 cup scoop onto the waffle maker and cook until both sides are cooked to desired brown and crunch level, usually indicated by waffle maker (this will differ depending on the waffle maker you use).
- Continue with the rest of the waffle batter.
- Serve with butter and maple syrup, or level up to my easy 2 minute maple cinnamon butter (*see notes for recipe).
Notes
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon Melt together and give a brief mix. Store in fridge for up to a few weeks, remelting when desired for use.
