Waffles again..?! Oops! Well, can I use the fall season as an excuse for these pumpkin waffles? (even though there’s no fall season where I live now) I really miss the pumpkin baking season in North America where everyone would make pumpkin-related dishes just because it’s “that time of the year”. Halloween, Thanksgiving and other holidays-that-make-your-heart-go-warm-and-fuzzy are just the best times to be jumping into that pumpkin bandwagon.

It was pretty hard looking for canned pumpkins here in Singapore. Not to mention, the ones i found were ridiculously expensive. So I threw both hands up in the air and reluctantly succumbed to using FRESH pumpkins… to which I discovered wasn’t really hard at all! I tweaked my recipe several times to find that the crispiest waffles are the ones using corn starch. Hence, this recipe employs 1/4 cup of corn start to add that crispy exterior with a soft and fluffy interior.

Pumpkin Waffles with Peanut Butter & Almond Nuts

Makes 4 Delicious Pumpkin Waffles

• 1 small pumpkin (1 cup of pumpkin puree)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup oil (can substitute with melted butter)
• 2 eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cups corn starch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• peanut butter
• almond nuts

1. Cut the pumpkin in quarters and bake it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes until the flesh becomes soft and tender. Skin should turn brown
2. Scrape the flesh into a bowl. Blend it further with food blender. Since I didn’t own one, I used my stand mixer on the whisk attachment to blend the pumpkin flesh. Worked like a charm! Set aside to cool
3. Separate the egg whites with the yolks.
4. Whip egg whites with sifted brown sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
5. When the pumpkin puree has cooled (doesn’t have to cool completely. Lukwarm is fine), add the milk, oil and whisked egg yolks. Beat gently to combine.
6. Add all the SIFTED dry ingredients to the pumpkin puree mixture. Fold in gently. (flour, corn starch, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
7. Lastly fold in egg whites mixture until combined. Do not over mix.
8. Let your batter sit. Meanwhile, pre-heat your waffle iron. Your waffle mixture is ready to be cooked! Serve with peanut butter, almond nuts and maple syrup!

My family and I thoroughly enjoyed this waffle for breakfast / lunch / dinner, because I eat waffles for any meal! And I hope you do too! See? Even my Sheltie wanted some… hehehe..

Happy Thanksgiving!