An Addendum to the Pear Post: My Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Waffles

I don’t get onto the pumpkin bandwagon when most people do – like on September 1st.  I wait until mid to late October to buy my pumpkins for outdoor decorating and I rarely bake with pumpkin until then or later.  You know, I’m still dragging out my Summer state of mind as long as there are tomatoes, corn and peaches in the Farmer’s Market.  Now, for me,  it IS time for Pumpkin baking and cooking.

I have used Ellie Krieger’s recipe for gluten-free pancakes on so many occasions.  Today, I decided to try to adapt it into a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Gluten Free Waffles.  I’d say this turned out quite well.  George has had two breakfasts now and I’ve had 1/2 of one.

GLUTEN-FREE PUMPKIN SPICE WAFFLES – with or without Pears and Cranberries

1 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup almond flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 large eggs, room temp

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon canola oil

pure maple syrup – I prefer dark amber, warmed

sliced pears and dried cranberries if using

butter

Directions:

1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the brown rice flour, almond flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cornstarch.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk, oil, honey and vanilla.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated.  Batter will be light and airy.
4. Spray pre-heated waffle iron with canola or grapeseed oil spray.  Spoon batter into each waffle space, filling only about half full.
5. Close the top of the waffle iron and let cook – my waffle iron has a beeper on it to tell me when the waffles are done.  If yours doesn’t, let them stay for a bit longer than you think they should cook.  These are very light waffles and need to be left in to develop a light crust on the outside.  Otherwise they might crumble a bit when you take them out – which of course doesn’t matter when you are dousing them with maple syrup, butter and fruit!
6. Top with hot maple syrup and butter and, if you so desire, sliced pears and dried cranberries.

Enjoy!