Gingerbread Waffles

It’s the season of gingerbread men, gingerbread houses, and warm buttery waffles. Just like my gingerbread latte sheet-pan pancake, these crispy, spiced waffles are perfect for a festive weekend crew. Gingerbread encompasses the sweet, smoky, and spice-filled flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. In this recipe, I made it into a waffle batter for a breakfast experience that’s a little more warm and cozy. Add candied pecans tossed in a buttery maple syrup to pull this all together in a snap. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you make them.

Room temperature ingredients:
Just as you want your ingredients (milk, eggs, and molasses) to be room temperature when baking, it’s great to do the same when making these. Measure your milk and nuke it in the microwave for a few seconds or set on the lowest stovetop setting.

Folding:
The technique is important here. You need to add the flour and milk in two batches to ensure the flour has time to absorb the liquid.

The sweeteners:
In this recipe, I use both dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. The dark brown sugar has a little molasses in it, contributing caramel, color, and more moisture. The granulated sugar provides crispness.

The pecans:
If you need a side project, you can make our version of candied pecans. Of course, if you’re short on time, you can buy them from mostly any grocery store or online.

Storage:
These waffles can be made 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a toaster oven or convection oven at 350° to crisp them up a bit.

Try this recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below!