Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Waffles (Gluten & Dairy Free)
Growing up in Belgium, I grew to love waffles. I mean, no one makes a waffle like the Belgians. Seriously – the stuff labelled “Belgian waffles” on menus elsewhere is not even close to a fresh-made waffle from a stand in Belgium. Soft, warm, fluffy, with little sugar crystals that take you by surprise as you bite into one.
If I go back to Belgium to visit, I definitely indulge in a waffle treat – although these days they are much sweeter than I remember them being!
I have attempted to re-create a proper Belgian waffle (minus the sugar crystals) time and time again, and I actually do have a recipe that is very very close to the real thing, adapted from a recipe given to our family by a lovely elderly Belgian farmer who was known for his waffles at our parish when I was growing up. I’m sure that recipe is only a couple of tweaks off sharing with you guys, but right now, I’m actually a bit more excited about this one.
These waffles are a perfect autumnal breakfast. Warming, comforting, full of pumpkin spice flavour and just right for a Halloween treat or wrapped in greaseproof paper and eaten by a bonfire on November 5th.
They are soft and sweet and flavoursome.
Oh, and yes, they are sugar, gluten and dairy free. Because I never share a recipe with you guys without having first tasted it and made sure it is as good as can be! The recipe makes 4 waffles, which are perfect for sharing between 2 people, but you can easily double the recipe or do the greedy thing and make them just for yourself (not that I’ve done that…ahem…).
Sweet, spiced, warming and delicious, these waffles are a perfect Halloween, Bonfire Night or Thanksgiving treat, but also make a lovely weekend breakfast. Sugar, gluten and dairy free.
- 50 g (3/4 cup) (gluten free) oats
- 65 g (1/2 cup) gluten free plain flour (or use all-purpose/plain flour if not gluten free)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon (gluten free) baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix* (see notes for how I make mine)
- 65 g (1/4 cup) pumpkin puree (you can use sweet potato or squash puree in its place)**
- 1 tablespoon xylitol + 2-3 drops stevia, optional (but recommended if you like a sweet waffle)
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) milk (full-fat dairy or unsweetened non-dairy - I tested with coconut drinking milk)
- 1 egg
- cream, coconut cream or yogurt, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice mix and rice syrup, to serve
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In a food processor or blender, blitz the oats, flour, salt, baking powder and pumpkin spice until the oats have broken down and set aside. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl, then stir the mixes together until combined. Heat a waffle iron and grease well with olive or coconut oil or butter. Pour the batter into the iron to cook the waffles for 1-2 minutes on either side. Serve the waffles with whipped cream (or coconut cream) or yogurt, more pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice mix. Drizzle with a little rice syrup to serve, if you like, just go easy to keep the sugar low.
*my pumpkin spice mix is a mix of 5 parts ground cinnamon (ceylon/true cinnamon, not cassia) to 1 part ground allspice, 1 part ground ginger and 1/2 part ground nutmeg. I usually start with 5 tbsp cinammon and work from there, but go to 10 tbsp if I'm going to use it a lot. Once made, it'll keep in an airtight container for 6 months-1 year.
**at this time of year I stock up on loads of sweet potatoes, squashes and pumpkins and bulk roast them until soft (I peel and chop the squash or pumpkin but bake the sweet potatoes whole and then peel when cool) and then blitz to a puree and freeze in 1 cup (250g) portions in jars, and freeze some in tablespoon portions in ice cubes trays for recipes that need smaller amounts like pumpkin spice lattes.
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