PUMPKIN SPICE PROTEIN WAFFLES
This morning felt a bit chilly and crisp, which meant Pumpkin Spice Protein Waffles were in order! I based this off my Perfect Protein Waffles, swapping the Greek yogurt for pumpkin puree and adding some sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. The result? Amazing! Definitely the best waffles I’ve made. They’re irresistible topped with pure maple syrup and chopped pecans (Mmm). Not to mention, each waffle packs 20 grams of protein, with only 4 grams of sugar and less than 8 grams of fat. These are also gluten-free if you use sorghum flour like I did. I’m even sharing some vegan subs for y’all!
Protein recommendations
The protein comes mostly from Jamie Eason’s Lean Body for Her Whey Isolate in Vanilla (use discount code “SARAH10” for 10% off your order at www.labrada.com/products). This is my favorite whey protein because it tastes delicious (and not “fake” like so many other brands), mixes and bakes well, and has zero artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners. You can also use a plant-based protein powder, whey-casein blend, or straight casein, but you may need to use more or less liquid (egg whites, milk, water) to get a thick pourable consistency.
Flour substitutions
For a gluten-free flour, I opted for Bob’s Red Mill Sweet White Sorghum Flour, which is fast becoming my favorite gluten-free flour! You can also use regular all-purpose flour or spelt flour. In my experience, oat flour tends to dry out the waffles and make them stick to the griddle. You need a lot of butter to overcome these properties. I have not tested any other flours to be able to recommend them!
Other ingredients
The sweetener I use is Pyure Organic Stevia Blend, which is a combination of stevia and erythritol that’s twice as sweet as sugar. If using baking stevia or granulated sugar, you’ll need twice as much (two tablespoons).
For the spice, I used cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves; but you can substitute one teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice if you don’t wish to purchase all the individual spices (though I’d argue it’s a worthy investment).
The butter is not optional because it makes the waffles crispy and keeps them from being too dry. I used Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread (vegan), but you can also use coconut oil, grass-fed butter, or ghee if you prefer. For completely vegan waffles, substitute two flax eggs for the egg and egg whites.
Here’s the printable recipe for these Pumpkin Spice Protein Waffles! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Please rate and comment below if you try them 😉
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Pumpkin Spice Protein Waffles
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup white sorghum flour* or gluten-free baking flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) whey protein powder* I used Lean Body for Her vanilla whey isolate
- 1 tbsp. calorie-free sweetener* I used one that's twice as sweet as sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon*
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg*
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger*
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves* can sub individual spices for 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/3 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 whole egg*
- 2 large egg whites*
- 2 tsp. vegan buttery spread* I used Earth Balance
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
*See blog post above for substitutions.
Instructions
- Preheat waffle griddle (I set mine to medium heat).
- Whisk together dry ingredients (through spices) in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add wet ingredients (through vanilla extract) and mix until combined.
- Add 1/2 cup of batter to waffle griddle and cook until golden brown.
- Add desired toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Also in Blog
CHOCOLATE PEANUT PROTEIN CANDY BARS (VEGAN)
PUMPKIN CHIP PROTEIN BREAD (GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE)
This Pumpkin Chip Protein Bread has a rich, tender texture full of pumpkin spice and chocolate chips (no dry protein bread here). The kids and I can't get enough! Best of all, it's gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and easily made egg-free and vegan.
