Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles Recipe (With Active Starter)
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These sourdough pumpkin waffles are golden and crisp on the outside, soft and warmly spiced on the inside, and so easy to pull together on a fall morning. Or let the batter rest overnight for even more flavor and gut-health benefits. They’re the coziest fall breakfast, made even better with warm maple syrup and a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
For more fall pumpkin goodness, pair them with my Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes or Sourdough Pumpkin Dutch Baby for the ultimate brunch spread.
Quick Look: Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rest Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes per waffle
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Servings: 8 waffles
- Calories: ~263 kcal per waffle (based on nutritional panel)
- Cook Method: Waffle iron
- Flavor Profile: Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and warmly spiced with pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. A cozy fall breakfast best served with maple syrup!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple batter, quick to cook, and ready in under 30 minutes. Can also be prepped the night before!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles Recipe
- Two ways to fit a quick breakfast into my schedule: You can make the quick version with sourdough discard or refrigerate the active-starter batter overnight for a deeper tang. For another perfect breakfast with quick and long-fermented options, make my Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes or Sourdough Waffles.
- Crisp outside, tender inside: Pumpkin puree and melted butter give me soft centers and golden edges without losing that sourdough flavor. When I want more pumpkin spice at breakfast, I turn to Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels and Sourdough Pumpkin Scones.
- Easy to make ahead: You can cool and freeze a big batch, then toast individual waffles on busy mornings. We use the same freezer-friendly approach with Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and Fluffy Sourdough Apple Pancakes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for these pumpkin version sourdough waffles. I always get crispy waffles with a soft center, the perfect sourdough delicious breakfast recipes for fall mornings.
- Brown Sugar – I love the rich, caramel flavor light brown sugar brings to this original recipe, and it goes so well with pumpkin. You can also use white sugar, cane sugar, real maple syrup, or honey if that’s what you have.
- Sourdough Starter – I use room temperature sourdough starter discard that’s a day or two old. It gives the chewy waffles that gentle tang and homemade flavor. If you want to long-ferment the batter, you can use active sourdough starter instead in the same amount.
- Pumpkin Puree – This is the star of the show. Be sure to use real pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie puree.
- Milk – I like using whole milk, but any milk works fine. Oat milk, almond milk, or your favorite dairy or plant-based milk. It helps the batter stay smooth and gives the waffles a pretty golden color.
Eggs: Large eggs give the waffles structure and help them rise while staying tender inside. - Baking Powder – This gives the batter a little lift so the waffles cook up light and tender instead of dense.
- Butter – Melted butter adds flavor and richness and gives the waffles those crisp, golden edges.
- Spices – Warm fall spices such as a mix of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and a pinch of salt brings all the flavors together and makes the kitchen smell amazing.
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the pumpkin puree and milk until smooth. Warm in the microwave. Then add that and the remaining wet ingredients to a separate bowl (medium) and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined. It’s okay if there are a few lumps in the waffle batter. Leave the batter to rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Preheat the waffle maker.
- Pour the batter into the hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown and crisp.
- Serve warm with pecans and maple syrup and enjoy!
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Take the chill off the milk and eggs before mixing the quick batter so the melted butter blends smoothly. We use room-temperature ingredients for Sourdough Pumpkin Dutch Baby, too.
- Let the quick waffle batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes and give the iron time to heat fully between batches. You would follow the same crisp-edge cue for Sourdough Waffles.
- Place finished waffles in a single layer on a cooling rack instead of stacking them, which keeps steam from softening the edges. When I want a skillet-cooked fall alternative, I make my Fluffy Sourdough Apple Pancakes.
- Freeze cooled waffles flat before bagging them so I can pull out only what I need. Keep Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins on hand for the same quick-breakfast reason.
How to Store
Have the waffles cool completely before storing so they keep their crisp edges. If you stack them while still warm, the steam will make them soft. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container or a zip-top bag and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, freeze the leftover waffles in a single layer on a baking sheet until they’re firm, then move them to a freezer bag. They’ll stay fresh for about 2 months. Next time you want a waffle, take one straight from the freezer and pop it into the toaster or toaster oven. It warms up crisp on the outside and soft inside, just like it was freshly made.
Sourdough Pumpkin Waffle FAQs
You can replace some or all of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, but the waffles will be heartier and denser. Start with half of each flour and add a splash of milk if the batter becomes too thick. For a lighter all-purpose-flour breakfast, I make Sourdough Pancakes.
You can use a Belgian waffle maker; its deeper pockets make thicker waffles that may need more batter and a little extra cooking time. Preheat it thoroughly and follow its capacity guidelines so each waffle cooks until golden and crisp. You would use those same cues for Sourdough Waffles.
Use 100 grams of either starter. Room-temperature sourdough discard works for the quick version, while bubbly active sourdough starter suits the overnight batter in the recipe card. If you want a naturally fermented pumpkin loaf instead, make Sourdough Pumpkin Bread.
Use plain pumpkin puree, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling, so you can control the brown sugar and spice. If you use homemade puree, blot away excess moisture before adding it. I also use plain puree in Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake and Sourdough Pumpkin Quick Bread.
If you tried this Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 230 grams all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups + 2 T
- 12 grams baking powder 1 Tablespoon
- 40 grams light brown sugar 3 Tablespoons
- 4 grams ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons
- 1 gram pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon
- 3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
- 240 grams milk 1 cup
- 240 grams pumpkin puree 1 cup
- 85 grams unsalted butter, melted 6 Tablespoons
- 110 grams eggs about 2 large eggs
- 100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/3 cup
- 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Quick Version
- Preheat waffle iron. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt until combined. Set aside.230 grams all-purpose flour, 12 grams baking powder, 40 grams light brown sugar, 3 grams salt, 1 gram pumpkin pie spice, 4 grams ground cinnamon
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and pumpkin puree. Heat the mixture in the microwave until warm, not hot. To a medium bowl, add the pumpkin/milk mixture, melted butter, eggs, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.240 grams milk, 240 grams pumpkin puree, 85 grams unsalted butter, melted, 110 grams eggs, 100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 4 grams vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just blended. Careful not to over mix, a few lumps in the batter is okay! Allow the batter to rest for at least 10-15 minutes.
- Spoon batter and pour into the hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown and crisp. (Refer to your waffle maker’s instructions for how much sourdough waffle batter will fit. Mine fit just under a 1/2 cup)
Overnight Version (Long Ferment)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, and bubbly sourdough starter. Once smooth, pour the wet ingredients onto the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Cover and place the bowl into the fridge to ferment overnight.
- The next morning, pull the sourdough waffle batter out of the fridge. There should visibly be lots of bubbles on top and the batter should have a pleasant tangy aroma.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice and vanilla extract. Pour the egg mixture into the batter and mix until incorporated.
- Spoon batter and pour into the hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown and crisp. (Refer to your waffle maker’s instructions for how much sourdough waffle batter will fit. Mine fit just under a 1/2 cup.)
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for these pumpkin sourdough waffles. I always get crispy waffles with a soft center, the perfect breakfast for fall mornings.
- Brown Sugar – I love the rich, caramel flavor light brown sugar brings to this recipe, and it goes so well with pumpkin. You can also use white sugar, cane sugar, maple syrup, or honey if that’s what you have.
- Sourdough Starter – I use room temperature sourdough starter discard that’s a day or two old. It gives the waffles that gentle tang and homemade flavor. If you want to long-ferment the batter, you can use active sourdough starter instead in the same amount (grams).
- Pumpkin Puree – This is the star of the show. Be sure to use real pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie puree. You could use homemade pumpkin puree, as well, but I would dab it with some paper towel as it tends to contain more liquid than canned.
- Milk – I like using whole milk, but any milk works fine. Oat milk, almond milk, or your favorite dairy or plant-based milk. It helps the batter stay smooth and gives the waffles a pretty golden color.
- Spices – Warm fall spices such as a mix of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and a pinch of salt brings all the flavors together and makes the kitchen smell amazing.
Another hit from McKenna! The better consistency is the best one I have found, flavor comes through and the waffles cook up nicely. I usually add 1 T flaxseed meal and 1T chia seeds to my waffle batters and will try that next time.
I’m so glad these were a hit! The flaxseed meal and chia seeds sound like a great addition too. I’d love to hear how they turn out when you try it. Thank you so much for the kind review!
Such any easy way to enjoy fall flavors! Love making a double batch and freeze half for the future!