Pumpkin Waffles with Warm Buttermilk Syrup

I cannot over-emphasize how AMAZING these waffles and this syrup are. I seriously think they are the best breakfast ever! The waffles are flavorful, with the perfect amount of spice and they bake up somewhat crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I've made them twice and I CRAVE them! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! 

I did double the waffle recipe to yield 8 full-size Belgian waffles (pictured above), cut the butter in half and compensated by adding a little more milk. We had plenty for our family and enough leftovers for the next day's breakfast. Recipe from my friend Paige Smedley.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons baking powder

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 3/4 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Separate egg yolks (reserve egg whites) and beat yolks slightly. Add milk, pumpkin, butter and vanilla to the yolks. Add to dry mixture. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold gently into mixture (do not over mix). Spoon into greased waffle maker per maker directions. Yield: 8 full-size Belgian waffles

BUTTERMILK SYRUP

The syrup will double in size when you stir in the baking soda, so make sure your pan is big enough. Recipe from my friend Polly Yoho.

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add buttermilk, sugar and butter to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and immediately add vanilla and baking soda. Serve warm over waffles, pancakes or German pancakes. 

Yield: 1 3/4 cups syrup.

Biggest Loser Oatmeal Pancakes

These pancakes are a new favorite at our house. I know you may be skeptical when you first read the ingredients (I was a little) but give them a try and you will be hooked! They almost taste like a mix between a pancake and french toast. My whole family loves them. My three year old calls them "the most delicious pancakes ever in the world."

Ingredients:6 egg whites1 cup rolled oats, dry1 cup cottage cheese2 teaspoons sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon1 teaspoon vanilla 

Instructions:  In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. For each pancake pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle. Flip when they start to bubble. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batches, spraying the griddle as needed. Makes about 10 pancakes.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

My family LOVES pancakes, but we usually only get to make them on the weekends when we're not rushing out the door to school. This weekend I made these fluffy, light, lemony pancakes. Like our favorite Cottage Cheese Pancakes, they have more protein and fewer carbohydrates than most pancakes, which works well for this diabetic:)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt 

1 1/2 cups low-fat milk

1 (15 oz.) carton low-fat or non-fat ricotta cheese

5 eggs, divided

1 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbs. fresh lemon zest

1/2 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)

1. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. 
2. Crack the egg whites into a small bowl and place the egg yolks in a separate bowl. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside. 
3. Add the milk, ricotta cheese, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice to the egg yolks and mix well.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Fold in the beaten egg whites. 
5. Heat a non-stick griddle or pan to about 325° F. (medium heat). Spray with cooking spray, then drop pancake batter by 1/4 cups onto hot griddle. Flip when bubbles form around the edges and cook on the other side.
6. Serve hot with maple or berry syrup or fresh berries. This raspberry sauce would be divine too! 

Makes about 30 pancakes.

*Nutritional info (per pancake): Calories: 53, Fat: 0.9 g., Carbohydrates: 8.3 g., Dietary fiber: 0.2 g., Protein: 3.1 g. 

...OR TRY THESE OTHER YUMMY PANCAKE RECIPES:

Best Breakfast Crepes

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

German Pancakes

Swedish Pancakes 

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Best Breakfast Crepes

**We have tried many different crepe recipes, but this one from Alli is our very favorite!! So good in fact, that I did not get a picture of the finished product before they were all gone! Guess I'll make them again tomorrow!

3 cups milk
3 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 TBSP butter, melted
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

Mix milk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter in blender. Add flour, sugar baking powder and salt and blend until smooth. Heat a 6-8" non-stick skillet over medium heat for about a minute, then grease pan with butter. Immediately pour 1/3 cup of the batter into skillet and rotate until spread over the bottom. Cook until edges just begin to brown, then run a spatula around the edge and flip to cook the other side. Serve warm with your favorite toppings. We love fresh fruit and Nutella or peanut butter, cinnamon & sugar, powdered sugar and jam. These crepes are so delicious that my kids often skip the fillings and gobble them up plain!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

This is another of my favorites from childhood. Fluffy egg whites give these pancakes a lightness which is not usually found in wheat pancakes...

Beat until stiff peaks form:

           3 egg whites

Combine in a measuring cup, then set aside:

          1 1/2 cups milk

          3 egg yolks

Combine in a medium bowl:

          1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, unsifted

          1 1/2 Tbs. sugar

          1 1/2 Tbs. baking powder

          1/2 tsp. salt

Pour milk and egg yolk mixture into flour mixture and mix well. Fold beaten egg whites gently into batter. Cook pancakes on griddle or large pan coated with cooking spray. These cook a little slower than regular pancakes. Flip when bubbles form around the edges. Serves 5.

Swedish Pancakes

- this is a mix between a crepe and a pancake and is our favorite Sunday morning meal.

2 c. milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

*Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well.
Cook over medium heat in a small to medium fry pan or crepe pan. Make sure to spray with Pam before each pancake.
Serve rolled with fruit, jam, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar,cream, or syrup.

German Pancakes

1/4 c. butter
2 c. milk
1 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put butter in 9" x 13" glass pan and bake for 5 minutes, or until butter melts. Increase oven to 450 degrees. Mix all other ingredients in a blender until smooth. Remove glass pan from oven & carefully pour batter into pan. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake another 8-10 minutes, or until edges are puffed and browned and center is set. Cut into squares and serve with syrup.

*Serves 6.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Since three of us are Type 1 Diabetics we are constantly looking for lower carb recipes. These pancakes are higher protein and lower carb than most and they are delicious! 

2 c. cottage cheese

1 c. flour

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/4 c. wheat germ (optional)

8 eggs 

Combine all ingredients in blender until completely smooth. Spray hot pan or griddle with non-stick cooking spray and cook until lightly browned. Serve with fruit, yogurt, powdered sugar or syrup. Makes 20-24 pancakes.