Do you have guests coming for the holidays? I always wonder what to serve for those meals that are not covered by the big holiday feast. Like the breakfast or brunch that precedes the gathering…everyone secretly hopes those other meals are extra special too. Thankfully, I remembered that I developed a pumpkin waffle version of my gluten free waffles last year. I make my waffles in an elderly waffle iron inherited from my mother. My parents received it as a wedding present. For the most part I am not an overly sentimental person, but I do have a special fondness for the appliance. It reminds me of lazy weekend breakfasts and those special “lets have breakfast for dinner” nights. Most importantly, elderly or not, it still continues to turn out great waffles.
These waffles taste of the holidays with warm spice and mellow pumpkin..the additional bonus is that this recipe allows for guests to get up at different times and prep their waffle from the batter…OR the recipe is moist enough that you can make the waffles ahead of time (store in the fridge or freezer)…then just reheat in a low oven, toaster, or in the microwave.
Of course this is also the perfect recipe for a day off or weekend brunch. To make it even more special you can serve with special syrups (homemade or purchased), a selection of fruit toppings, or just a dollop of whipped cream.
Enjoy!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffle Recipe (Great For Holidays)
Makes 8-12 waffles. (serves 4-6)
2 cups ricotta cheese 1 cup canned pumpkin 3 eggs 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 cup oat flour1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
3 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup water
Preheat waffle iron to desired heat setting.
Place dry ingredients together in a bowl and combine.
Beat wet ingredients together in a separate bowl with electric hand mixer or whisk. Add dry ingredients to wet gradually. If mixture is too thick adjust by adding additional water.
Grease or spray waffle iron. Load batter into waffle iron using a spoon. Underfill as the mixture will rise and spread (our iron takes about 5 heaping Tablespoons). Bake until golden brown. Makes 8-12 waffles. Serve with your favorite syrup and toppings.
Delightful gf pumpkin ricotta waffles!!
Yummie!
Can you recommend a substitute for the tapioca flour?
Hi Jean Ann,
I just made these & substituted the tapioca flour with arrowroot. I had a few issues…they stuck to the iron & took a long time to cook. My batter looks somewhat thick like yours in the picture but was much darker in the end & required about 10 minutes in my Krups waffle maker. It seems that I need to make sure the batter is spread very evenly, or it sticks even with spraying the iron. Next time, I will spray more oil, make the batter thinner & spread it evenly. I also cut the recipe in half twice as I don’t need as many waffles but will try freezing the extra & then toasting. Thanks for this recipe – I love all of the ingredients & thought it was a very unique GF one! Very healthy & creative:)
Thanks for the compliment! Trying arrowroot flour was an excellent idea, because it is starchy like tapioca flour. It was also a good idea to spread out the dough evenly. I think your waffles might be sticking because the dough lacks structure. So, you might try amaranth flour instead of tapioca because both add structure and a chewy texture. (Amaranth is also very nutritious!)
Here are a couple of other things you can try. If your waffle iron is adjustable, try turning up the heat a bit (or turning it down). The ricotta and eggs make these waffle tender, but they also require a higher temperature and a bit more time. My waffle iron takes about 5 minutes to bake a waffle. If you have a Belgian waffle iron, make the batter even stiffer by adding less water or none at all.
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for experimenting with it. I believe we both learned something! I will have to experiment with other substitutions and let you know if anything comes of it. JA
Update: I have retested the recipe and here are some of my discoveries. I tested different heat levels in my waffle iron and discovered that lower heat is actually the best for ensuring that the middle of the waffle cooks as quickly as the outside. This prevents that “sticking” you were experiencing. If you attempt to open the iron and you sense there is resistance… do not force… allow the waffle to cook a few more seconds and you will find that it releases once the inside is cooked. I experimented with amaranth and it did work as a substitute for tapioca…however arrowroot might work as well with an iron set on a different temperature. You might want to experiment as I did with differing settings to find what works best. I also found that a batter with less moisture was best.