Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte waffles

I’m giving Fall a hug with these waffles for being on time. Maybe Fall is hugging me… or perhaps I’m hugging back… but there are a lot more waffles and hugs going on.

John and I have been coffee snobs since we lived in Portland, Oregon, and were introduced to the wonder of medium-roasted coffee. This is coffee that hasn’t yet been burnt to a crisp.

The darker the coffee, the better! Now, I know it can taste different than ash.

The kind of coffee that you need for these waffles, however, is not the best. I purposely used over-roasted coffee beans for this recipe because the almond milk and brown sugar will offset them. You don’t want your best beans wasted on waffles. Instead, you want them straight in your mouth.

Any kind of bean is fine. The darker and bolder it is, the more flavorful the finished product will be.

The waffles require only one bowl and take about thirty minutes to make. All the ingredients are likely to be on hand. Suppose You love coffee and pumpkin. It’s a fact that I know very few people who don’t love coffee and pumpkin.

These waffles are incredibly delicious, even though I was thrown for a loop when testing the recipe. It took me four tries to find the perfect combination of ingredients.

The result was worth it. Tender pumpkin pancakes with lots of coffee and fall spices. I think this is the best way to start an autumn morning or a lazy weekend at home. Plus, after freezing, they toast perfectly. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax egg)
• Use 2 1/2 tbsp of water to make flax eggs.
• 1/4 cup pure pumpkin purée
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Avocado, coconut oil, or olive oil: 1 tablespoon
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 cup of very strong coffee
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat or spelt pastry flour

Instructions

• Combine flaxseed meal with water in a large dish and allow to rest for five minutes.
• Add the pumpkin puree and oil. Then add the baking powder, pumpkin spice, and brown sugar, and whisk. Add the almond milk and coffee, and whisk again.
• Add the flour and mix until combined. While preheating the waffle iron, let the batter rest for five minutes.
• After preheating, generously spray the waffle iron in non-stick cooking spray. Spoon about 1/2 cup of batter into the center of your iron and cook as per the instructions on your machine. I set mine on the darkest setting to make it extra crispy.
• Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let the steam escape and crisp up. Serve with maple syrup and vegan butter, such as Earth Balance. For an extra special treat, you can mix maple syrup with espresso or coffee.