Pumpkin Pecan Waffles Recipe

After nearly 20 years of making homemade waffles, I’ve developed these pumpkin pecan waffles to celebrate the flavors of fall. For the past decade, my family’s weekend tradition has centered around starting the day with special waffle and pancake breakfasts, giving me hundreds of opportunities to refine these recipes to perfection. This pumpkin version is the perfect treat for a fall morning, packed with real pumpkin, warm spices, and crunchy pecans.

While our apple cinnamon waffles have been a family staple for years, these pumpkin pecan waffles have quickly become our new autumn favorite, delivering rich seasonal flavor with every bite. Like our whole wheat waffles with Greek yogurt recipe, I’ve incorporated whole wheat flour for added nutrition and a subtle nuttiness that complements the pumpkin beautifully.

Complete your fall breakfast experience by topping these waffles with homemade pumpkin syrup and enjoying a cup of coffee with my pumpkin coffee creamer—a perfect way to use any leftover pumpkin puree from your waffle preparation!

Pumpkin Waffle Recipe Ingredients

• Canned Pumpkin Puree. You need one 16oz can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) to make this recipe. Check out the FAQ section for more information on why 100% pumpkin puree is the best choice for pumpkin desserts.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice AND Cinnamon. Warm spices are a must for homemade pumpkin bakes! We’re using pumpkin pie spice, plus additional cinnamon, for the perfect blend and balance of spices. Using pumpkin pie spice (found in your store’s baking aisle) helps reduce the amount of spices you need to have and measure.
• Pecans. Pecans add a rich and buttery flavor to our pancakes and a little bit of a crunch that compliment our pumpkin waffles wonderfully. Plus, pecan harvest season starts in late September through December, making them another lovely fall ingredient for eating seasonally!
• Large Eggs. Eggs help waffles form a stronger structure which helps the waffles to hold their shape once they’re cooked. Eggs also help waffles have the perfect fluffy interior. 
• Neutral Oil (Canola or Vegetable). In addition to making nice and moist waffles, oil helps to create an extra crispy outer layer and helps prevent the waffles from sticking to the waffle iron.
• Vanilla Extract. Adding vanilla to our recipe enriches the other flavors in our waffles.
• Milk of Choice. We generally use skim, 2%, or whole dairy milk when making these. But almond milk and oat milk are both great non-dairy options if that better fits your dietary needs.
• Brown Sugar. The richness of the molasses in brown sugar is the perfect compliment to the pumpkin in this recipe. You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar has a more subtle flavor than dark brown sugar, due to a lower molasses content.
• Salt. Salt is a natural flavor enhancer. Adding a little to our batter makes a big difference!
• Baking Powder. Baking powder as the leavening agent helps to create the perfect, fluffy texture for our waffles.
• Whole Wheat Flour. We use regular whole wheat flour in our recipe, resulting in waffles with a higher fiber content! Whole wheat flour also has a greater variety of vitamins and minerals as compared to its all-purpose flour counterpart.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make Pumpkin Pecan Waffles

Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (the eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and milk) until all ingredients are well combined.

Begin to whisk in the dry ingredients, starting with the brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices (pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon).

Slowly whisk in the whole wheat flour (switching over to a rubber scrapper once your batter begins to thicken for easier mixing). Then stir in the chopped pecans.

Assess the batter, if too dry or thick, add a little more milk (in 1 Tablespoon increments) until your desired texture is achieved.

Using a ⅓ Cup measuring cup, scoop the pumpkin waffle batter into the center of the preheated waffle iron sections.

Close the lid and cook per the manufacturer’s instructions until your waffles are golden brown.

Serve with your desired toppings and enjoy!

How to Keep Finished Waffles Warm While You Cook the Rest of the Batter

The best way to keep cooked waffles warm is to heat your oven to 170-200°F and place the finished waffles in a single layer on a wire cooling rack on cookie sheet (if you do not have a wire rack, right on the cookie sheet will work too). No need to cover your waffles while they are in the oven.

Placing the waffles in a single layer is important for a few reasons. First, this helps to keep the edges of the waffles crisp and the interior soft (aka avoid serving a sad, squashed waffle). Second, it also minimize the risk of serving soggy waffles (when you stack the waffles, this minimizes the amount of air that can get around them, allowing moisture to build up).

Pumpkin Pecan Waffle Recipe Variations

• Swap out the oil for butter. If preferred, you can use melted butter in place of the neutral oil for your waffles. Just swap them out one-for-one (for example, swap 1 Tablespoon oil for 1 Tablespoon butter).
• Use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour. If preferred, you can use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat (especially if this is what you happen to have in your pantry!). Just swap out one-for-one.
• Amp up the fall spice. If you really love those deep fall spices like nutmeg, clove, and ginger, swap the ratio of pumpkin pie spice to cinnamon (change to 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and ½ teaspoon cinnamon).
• Make pumpkin chocolate chip waffles. Swap out the pecans for chocolate chips for another fun take on pumpkin waffles!

Possible Dietary Restrictions?

This waffle recipe is vegetarian as written. One simple swap and you can make these into gluten free waffles too!

To make this into a gluten free pumpkin waffles recipe, replace the whole wheat flour with a one-to-one gluten free flour alternative.

Pumpkin Waffle Serving Suggestions

You can enjoy these pumpkin waffles with all kinds of sides. Pair them with simple scrambled or fried eggs for some added protein. Warm cinnamon apples are a great addition to your fall breakfast spread. And you can’t go wrong with a side of sausage or crispy bacon!

Our Favorite Toppings For Pumpkin Pecan Waffles

Butter, maple syrup, and additional chopped pecans are the perfect toppings for these waffles. Adding a dollop or whipped cream on top is another great addition!

If you’d like to add some additional protein, a generous scoop of vanilla Greek yogurt with a drizzle of maple syrup is a great combination too.

How to Store Pumpkin Pecan Waffles

In the refrigerator: You can store cooked pumpkin waffles in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.

In the freezer: You can also freeze cooked waffles for 2-3 months to enjoy another day! Prior to freezing, be sure to cool your waffles completely. If you have time, flash-freeze your waffles by setting the cooling rack and baking tray into the freezer for 1 hours. Then transfer the waffles in a ziplock bag or freezer safe container to store. If you don’t flash freeze your waffles, placing a piece of parchment paper between the waffles can help them from sticking together too.

How to reheat: Reheat refrigerated or frozen waffles in your toaster, toaster oven, or in the microwave.

Pumpkin Waffles Recipe FAQs