Weekend Brunch: Pumpkin Waffles

When it comes to canned foods, why do recipes always call for only a portion of the can? For example, when I made pumpkin bread a month ago, I had leftover pumpkin puree in the can. When I made my pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving I had leftover pumpkin puree in the can. Typically this issue would be fine if the can contained refried beans, water chestnuts or olives but pumpkin isn't something that I'll eat straight out of the can with a spoon.

I check Smitten Kitchen daily for recipes and this recipe not only takes care of my leftover pumpkin puree issue, but it has caused me to stock up on pumpkin so that I can have it anytime. The only thing I have changed about the recipe is split it in half. The full recipe always yields too many waffles and unfortunately I haven't discovered the secret to freezing and reheating homemade waffles.

Pumpkin Waffles

Adapted in half from Smitten Kitchen
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/6 cup packed light brown sugar or (2 tbs and 2 tsp)
1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs, separated
1 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray
Optional: 1/4 cup of candied pecans chopped

Turn on your waffle iron. In a large bowl sift the flower, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

Separate the egg whites into a separate bowl and add the egg yolks, buttermilk, pumpkin and butter to the sifted flour mixture. Either whisk or blend the ingredients together with a mixer until everything is combined.

Make sure your egg whites are in a ceramic or metal bowl. In the past I put my egg whites into a plastic mixing bowl. The attempt to whip my egg whites to stiff peaks took 20 minutes, then I finally gave up. Use the whisk attachment for your mixer and beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. The egg whites should go from a clear to a very foamy state and eventually they will get very stiff and clump up. That's when you know your egg whites are ready.

Since my parents were over for Thanksgiving my dad helped to beat my egg whites. Thanks Dad!

Fold the egg whites into your waffle batter and sprinkle in the candied pecans if you are using them.

Brush oil over the waffle iron so the waffles do not stick. Depending on the size of your waffle iron you should be able to ladle about 1/2 cup to a cup of batter onto the iron and the cook time should be about 3 minutes.