If you love all things pumpkin, you’re in for a real treat today! I’m sharing a pumpkin waffle recipe that my taste testers have enjoyed for years. We only need simple ingredients you can pronounce, a few tools, and a waffle iron to pull this off. These pumpkin waffles are gluten free pumpkin waffles, and vegan pumpkin waffles, but don’t let that scare you off.
There are notes on swaps you can make, and my tasters who can have wheat, milk, and eggs say this pumpkin waffle recipe is MEGA delicious. Now come on. Grab your tools and let’s make the best pumpkin waffle recipe together.
Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Top 14 Allergens, Alliums, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Celery, Citrus, Coconut, Corn, Cruciferous, Garlic, Legume, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Nightshades, Oat, Onion, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Red Meat, Rice, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Friendly To: EOE, Vegan
Compatible With: Apple Free, Latex Cross Reactive Foods Free (H/M), Stone Fruit Free
- Apple Free, Latex Cross Reactive Free (H/M): Use an alternative vinegar such as White or Rice.
- Stone Fruit Free: Use an alternative oil instead of the olive oil.
Tools to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles
- Large Mixing Bowl + Whisk OR Mixing Bowl + Electric Hand Mixer OR Stand Mixer with Wire Attachment
- Kitchen Scale (this is the one that I use)
- Waffle Iron (details and options are below)
- Silicone or Rubber Spatula (I have several of this spatula)
- Large Measuring Cup (to easily pour waffle batter into the hot waffle iron)
Waffle Iron Information
If you’re brand new to making waffles, and need to know about a waffle iron (or need a new waffle maker), there are few key things to know. Given my collection of 6 waffle irons, I can give you the pros and cons of several popular styles.
No matter which type or size of waffle maker you go with, know that this milk free waffle batter will work in all of them. Ultimately, you have to decide how efficient you want your waffle making to be, along with your budget.
Large Waffle Makers
–The large Belgian waffle maker (like this double one) is hands down my all time fave (it’s also a great wedding gift). You never need cooking spray, there’s an audible beep, an adjustable browning setting, and you make two jumbo Belgian waffles at once. The efficiency is unmatched with any other waffle maker. The only con in my opinion: it’s hand wash only. Now, you won’t need to wash it too often, but if you’re a mixed allergy household, you will need to double up on this appliance for safety.
–Ceramic waffle maker, I have this Hamilton Beach version and love it. It’s not as efficient as the double waffle maker, however, the plates are removable and dishwasher safe. For someone with food allergies, this is perhaps one of the best selling points to this model.
-Important Toaster Note: Whilst the 4″/10cm mini waffle is perfect for a regular toaster, these days, you can purchase a counter top toaster with wide openings. That allows you to make the jumbo waffles, and still heat them in a toaster, like store bought waffles.
Commercial Sized Waffle Makers
–Dash single waffle maker 4″, hands down, one of my least favourite models. Why? Simple: you can only make one waffle at a time. I don’t care if you’re one person, that’s just going to take you too long to work thru all of your waffle batter. Yes, it’s cute, but your time is worth something.
–Dash 4″ waffle maker 4x, now, this is a much better choice. It makes 4 small commercial (4″/10cm) size waffles in one go. The cons are no beep, no adjustment options, and you have to stand and babysit it when cooking waffles. However, the HUGE pro is that you can reheat your frozen waffles in a regular toaster, just like store bought frozen waffles.
Mini Waffle Makers & Novelty Options
-Dash 2″ mini waffle maker, this is absolutely, in my humble free-from opinion, one of the cutest waffle makers on the planet. It’s absolutely not efficient whatsoever, but dang are the waffles cute. You can also use mini waffles for all sorts of other projects, so keep that in mind.
–Novelty waffle makers (sticks, hearts, misc. shapes), these have a place in the world, but like the Dash waffle makers, you’ll have to babysit them, and they’re nowhere near as efficient as the double Belgium waffle maker.
Non Toxic Waffle Makers
If health and wellness is a big deal for you, and you’re not excited about nonstick appliances, I hear you loud and clear, especially as someone with the kind of medical condition that I have.
The large ceramic waffle maker that I linked above is a start, but unfortunately, there’s no perfect choice in the waffle maker category. I have to assume this is because of the shape of the plates and how likely it is that batter would get stuck.
Cast iron waffle makers are a thing, and that’s a great option, but they’re not electric, so there’s that. If it’s pre-seasoned, depending on what you’re allergic to, you’ll need to make sure the seasoning won’t be an issue for you.
Mamavation has an article about non-toxic waffle irons, and I was pleasantly surprised to see my ceramic waffle maker in the midrange category. Additionally, I wasn’t one bit shocked to see the Cuisinart in the “don’t purchase” category, because that’s the nature of these products. The article is worth reading, and they have links to a lot more products you can investigate.
More Gluten Free Waffle Recipes (Vegan, Allergy Friendly)
If you’d like to make more delicious waffles that are free from major allergens, I’ve got you covered. Here are a few to start, and if you need more (or manage less common allergens), check out the Advanced Recipe Search on RAISE (my membership website). You can mix and match over 100 filters, and then limit your results to the Pancake & Waffle Collection.
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Crispy Waffles (one of my kids say these are the best waffles ever)
- Spinach Banana Blender Waffles (super easy recipe)
- Truly Corn Free + Dairy-Free Waffle Recipe (grain free, top 14 free, and more)
- Vegan Rose Fluffy Waffles (I’ve been told these are some of the best vegan waffles I’ve ever made)
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Ingredients for Your Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles
Flax Gel/Binding Agent
- 6 TBSP Golden Flax Meal (use this brand for the best results)
- 12 TBSP Water (room temperature is fine)
Note: This is sometimes called flax eggs, but I don’t use that term since there isn’t one agreed upon measurement.
Part 1 Ingredients (Dry Ingredients)
- 160g Sorghum Flour, superfine OR Brown Rice Flour, superfine
- 130g Organic Gluten Free Purity Protocol Oat Flour OR Organic Tiger Nut Oil (tuber, not a tree nut)
- 130 Organic Maple Sugar
- 45g Millet Flour
- 30g Arrowroot
- 4 tsp Baking Powder
- 3 tsp Organic Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 6 dashes Organic Ground Nutmeg
See recipe notes for alternatives to my gluten free flour mixture.
Part 2 Ingredients
- 280mL Milk of Choice (10 ounces)
- 3 tsp Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Part 3 Ingredients
- 12 TBSP Organic Pumpkin Purée (about 9 ounces, this is the brand that I use)
- 4 TBSP Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract (this is the brand that I use)
Important Pumpkin Waffle Recipe Notes & Ingredient Substitutions
Flax: This is a binding agent. If you’re not egg free, you can swap the flax for 2 medium eggs, whisked.
Gluten-Free Flour Alternative for My Gluten-Free Flour Blend: This recipe uses a total of 365g of flour (sorghum, oat/tiger, millet arrowroot). You can use 365g of an all purpose flour in its place. However, do not swap this for a single specialty flour such as bread flour, whole wheat flour, cassava flour, almond flour, coconut flour, and so on. You can only swap this blend for a proper all purpose flour replacement.
Organic Maple Sugar: Maple sugar is a granulated sweetener that also has a little flavour and sweetness. It’s less sweet than cane sugar.. You can swap this for light brown sugar, organic coconut sugar, or organic date sugar. I wouldn’t use organic dark brown sugar only because the taste will be a bit darker. These great waffles use a granulated sweetener, and you cannot swap it for liquid sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and so on.
Milk of Choice: Unsweetened almond milk from this brand is always an easy option, however, you can use any of the dairy-free milk options at your local grocery store (or Costco, or something you order online). And I do mean any. This easy waffle recipe works with unsweetened soy milk, rice milk, cashew milk, oat milk, banana milk (yes, that’s a thing), and so on. The only thing to keep in mind is that if you plan on using coconut milk, it needs to be the boxed/watery style, and not full fat coconut milk from a can.
If you’re not allergic to milk, and you’re not vegan, feel free to use your favourite regular milk when making these easy pumpkin waffles.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: You can swap this for avocado oil (make sure you’re using an authentic/trusted brand), or other oils that are liquid at room temperature. When choosing an oil, make sure it’s a neutral oil to avoid shifting the flavor considerably. Personally, I wouldn’t use something like vegetable oil or canola oil. Do not swap the oil for a fat that’s hard at room temperature such as melted coconut oil or melted butter (milk based or dairy free).
Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Waffle Recipe Instructions
Before you start putting together the batter for this vegan waffle recipe, turn on your waffle iron so it preheats, and is ready when you are (it won’t take too long to make the waffle batter).
I’ll be using my stand mixer. You can use a handheld mixer if needed. You can also mix by hand in a large bowl.
Place an empty measuring cup on your kitchen scale and tare to zero. Add your milk of choice, then add the organic apple cider vinegar.
For waffles, I use an electric stand mixer with the wire attachment. Place your empty mixing bowl on your kitchen scale and tare to zero. Add the Dry Ingredients (Part 1 Ingredients), and tare between weighted ingredients.
Once they’re all in, lightly mix to combine. With your mixer on low speed, we’ll add the wet ingredients. Start by adding the milk + vinegar combo. Mix for several moments, then turn the mixer off. Wait 1 minute before continuing (this allows the reaction a little time to take place).
Whilst we wait for a minute, place the dirty measuring cup on your scale, tare to zero, then add the oil and vanilla. Now, turn your mixer back on medium speed and pour in the oil and vanilla combo. Mix until all of the ingredients are combined, then mix on high speed for 20 seconds, then turn the mixer off. I like to scrape the bowl with my spatula to ensure there aren’t any lumps. That’s it! Your waffle batter is ready and you can get to cooking.
To make waffles, heat your waffle maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. I like to use the setting 4 (out of 6) on my double waffle maker. Try not to use too much batter when filling the heated waffle iron, to prevent a massive mess you have to clean up later. I’m of the mindset that it’s better to have a clean waffle maker and small waffles than perfect waffles and a mess.
That’s it! You mix, you scoop & cook, and your tasty gluten free vegan pumpkin waffles are ready to be served.
How to Jazz Up These Vegan + Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles (Read This, seriously, because the ideas are epic)
You can add your favorite toppings (pure maple syrup, fresh fruit slices, etc.) or, you can try one of the tasty ideas below.
- Melt chocolate and drizzle all over the top like what’s in the picture
- Fold in mini chocolate chips to the waffle batter just before cooking. Make sure you stir the batter before scooping each time as the chips can settle at the bottom of the bowl.
- Spread on a little vegan butter (or regular if you don’t have a kid with a milk allergy like me), and then sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top.
Make a Cream Cheese or Yogurt Dip
You can put cream cheese, plain yogurt, or vanilla yogurt into a small bowl and add organic ground ginger, organic allspice, a small dash of cloves, and of course, organic ground cinnamon. Mix this up really well, and optionally, you can add a little maple syrup or maple sugar as well.
Dip slices of your yogurt into this mixture for a lovely breakfast, or even an afternoon snack. Also, if you have seasonal pumpkin yogurt in your area, that can be the base, as well as any other yogurt flavour that pairs well with pumpkin.
Add Some Creamy Goodness
Whip up organic heavy whipping cream or coconut cream, plop a generous dollop on top of your vegan pumpkin waffles after they’ve cooled a little, then sprinkle on pumpkin pie spice (or other warm spices) or mini chocolate chips. My youngest would call this the perfect breakfast by the way.
Make Waffle Bites
Oh man… best idea ever! Cut your leftovers into little squares and air fry them! You’ll increase the surface area and have loads of crispy edges!!! Think of this like, vegan pumpkin waffle bites. I really want to make this and have a crunchy bite waffle situation now.
You can also combine this idea with the cream cheese dip idea and have a *chef’s kiss* vibe on your hands. Or, in your hands I suppose.
Make it a Brunch
Invite friends over for a waffle bar brunch! It could be pumpkin themed and you can have other pumpkin recipes as part of your spread. You know, if you’re a fan of DIY stuff, you could purchase the absolute CUTEST jars, and have a Build Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice station.
Friends can add a little of this and a little of that to their pumpkin pie spice jar and take it home for future use. The best part is that each time they use it, they’ll remember making it with you. Now I need to host a cute brunch…
Make a Pumpkin Elvis Waffle
If you love a nuttier flavor when it comes to food, you’re in for a real treat. So, traditionally, an Elvis is bacon + peanut butter + banana + chocolate (on top) + waffle. In this case, it’s going to be a pumpkin waffle + bacon + chocolate on top + almond butter or cashew butter.
We’re still in the Elvis neighborhood, but it’s going to be different. I think peanut butter might clash with the pumpkin, so almond or cashew butter will give you a more enjoyable experience.
Storage
Do NOT put your leftover homemade waffles in the fridge. My tasters have tested refrigerator storage and give it two thumbs down.
For best results, freeze any leftover waffles you have. To freeze waffles, I like to put them on a baking sheet (use parchment to separate layers if you’re stacking). I freeze the whole baking tray and when the waffles are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag for long term storage.
You can also use an airtight container if you have one that’s a good size for your waffles, without having a bunch of wasted space. OK, on a whim, I just looked online, and you can get an air-tight container that’s a large circle, and would fir Belgian waffles pretty well. Look for a cookie storage container, or a circular container, and you may hit paydirt (because wasted space is the worst).
To thaw, you can leave your waffles at room temperature for 60 – 90 minutes, or heat in an oven at 375f/190c. Start with 5 minutes and go from there until they’re completely thawed. You can also experiment with reheating waffles from frozen using an air fryer, which will add some crunch and delectable crispy edges.
My kids love reheating waffles from frozen in the toaster oven for about 10 minutes. You can also pop frozen waffles into a standard toaster. Just be sure you have a wide opening if you use the same jumbo waffle maker as me.
Know that this is a good waffle for busy moms to batch cook and freeze on the weekend, assuming you’re using a large waffle maker. Having something like this always ready to go can make busy mornings a breeze. Personally, I make triple batches of waffle recipes that my kids enjoy.
More Delicious Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes
I’m here with gluten free recipe, vegan recipes, and allergy friendly recipes allllll featuring pumpkin. So, dive into some fabulous grub (and fill your freezer).
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Vegan Protein Balls Recipe (Vegan, Top 9 Free)
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Vegan, Top 9 Free, Top 14 Free)
- Gluten Free Baked Pumpkin Donuts Recipe (Vegan, Top 9 Free, Top 14 Free)
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Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Waffles Recipe ~ Questions and Answers
Will I really have a fluffy texture without eggs?
The great news is that even without egg whites, this waffle mix can deliver on the perfect texture. It’s all about how all of the ingredients come together. It’s the blend of flour, the leavening agent, and so on.
If we were to take an approach that isn’t mindful of the free-from world, sure, a homemade waffles recipe could really fall flat. Oh man, didn’t mean for that pun, but I’ll take it. As long as you’re thinking through what’s not present, in the long run, recipes tend to deliver pretty well.
Also, my tasters and I have a simple rule: if it isn’t awesome, I don’t post it. So, if you see one of my recipes, know that it’s been approved by folks who can have wheat, milk, eggs, nuts, and much more.
Will the waffle iron make a difference as to how these cook?
When it comes to waffle makers, the size impacts the overall shape and how much waffle batter you need. For example, my double waffle maker needs almost a cup of batter for a large waffle, where the mini will use a lot less batter (maybe 1/4 cup depending on which one I’m using).
Once cooked, it’s the same waffle, just scaled up or not. Now, there is an argument to be made that the jumbo waffle will always be a little different because there’s just so MUCH waffle there. In the long run, just use the waffle iron you have and enjoy breakfast because I don’t think it’s such a big deal.
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of the gluten free flour blend?
For this gluten free waffle recipe, honestly, I’m not sure. I don’t work with whole wheat flour since several of my taste testers have a wheat allergy and/or Celiac Disease. If I had to make a suggestion, I’d say use all purpose flour and avoid specialty wheat flours like whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
Now, having said that, if you regularly use whole wheat flour, AND you’ve made this kind of swap before, AND it’s come out great each and every time, it’s worth a try. On the flip side, if you haven’t done this before (or rarely), and you really want to know, make a half batch of this pumpkin waffle recipe and see how it turns out. Again, I don’t work with wheat, so I can’t make any promises.
I’ll also add, whole wheat flour is more dense when compared to other wheat flour options, so depending on the waffle texture you enjoy, that may work against you.
Can I freeze pumpkin waffle batter?
Oh my goodness yes! OK, so, you may not know this about me, but I love all things meal prep, and batch cooking + freezing. You can freeze gluten free waffle batter, but you can also freeze cooked (and cooled) waffles.
Rather than talk your ear off about the whole process, I’m going to point you towards this article where I go over the process in great detail, containers, tips, and so on.
Do I need to use cooking spray on my waffle maker?
Personally, I get the perfect waffles each and every time, and I NEVER use cooking spray. Whilst each waffle maker is different, if you’re working with a nonstick waffle iron, I’d encourage you to make a waffle without the cooking spray and see how it turns out.
Just make sure the waffle iron is properly heated before you start, or the first waffle can be problematic. Like… VERY problematic. You can also check your waffle maker’s instructions to see if spray is mentioned, but if possible, just skip it.
How do these taste when compared to regular waffles?
I asked my tasters who can have regular waffles with wheat, milk, and eggs. They tell me that my waffle recipes are just different, and not in a bad way. They aren’t the same because the texture is different (that will always be the case with gluten free + egg free), but, they’re also not plain waffles, or crumbly waffles, or nasty cardboard waffles like what some stores sell. These have flavour, a fabulous mouthfeel, and make for a delicious breakfast.
I think if you go into any of my recipes expecting standard run of the mill food, you’ll be disappointed, but in a “good way”, and that’s because I have a tendency to let simple ingredients shine. All too often, my tasters say that the recipes I make taste better than their regular counterparts with allergens, but, you’ll also know that they’re different, because inherently, they are.
So whilst these are gluten-free waffles, egg-free waffles, dairy-free waffles, nut-free waffles, and the list goes on, you can rest assured that you’ll have something on the same level of deliciousness as traditional waffles.
Can I make pumpkin pancakes with this waffle recipe?
Unfortunately, this pumpkin waffle batter won’t convert nicely into pancakes pumpkin spice waffles. Instead, you’ll want to follow a proper pumpkin pancake recipe for the best results.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
If you love pumpkin pie filling, I think that’s a great idea. However, you may not want to do this because of the very sweet flavor. A lot of pumpkin pie fillings have added sugar (in large amounts), and this recipe already has organic maple sugar.
As an alternative, you can increase how much of the warm pumpkin spices you use when making the waffle batter, and make sure you enjoy your waffles with a drizzle of maple syrup. It’s like the best of both worlds, but without an excessive sweet flavor.
Is it possible to make this recipe as paleo pumpkin waffles?
That’s going to be a maybe. This is an egg free recipe, and when you go Paleo + egg free, the rules change (where flours are concerned). I don’t want to say yes, have you change up a main ingredient, then have a mess on your hands. So, I’m going to cautiously say no, and encourage you to find a Paleo pumpkin waffle recipe online that meets your needs from the ground up.
Will homemade pumpkin purée work in this recipe?
If it’s pumpkin season as you read this, sure, you can use your own pumpkin puree when you make these gluten free waffles. However, it’s important that your homemade pumpkin puree have the same consistency as canned (or get really close to it). It should be super smooth, and not very watery.
Can I leave out the salt?
The teaspoon salt that this recipe calls for is there to help balance the waffle mixture. Fun fact, salt is added to baked goods for the same reason, and salt can help draw out the natural pumpkin flavor of these waffles.
Now, if you can’t have salt for medical reasons, absolutely, leave it out of this vegan pumpkin waffle recipe. Just know that the flavour shifts slightly, but, you won’t see any different in the texture or overall performance. Enjoy your waffles!
Is this considered a healthy waffle recipe?
This is a great question and there’s no straight answer. The term healthy isn’t a regulated one (like milk free). So, what one person would call healthy, the next may say no way. There’s also context to consider.
For someone coming from the Standard American Diet (SAD) this would look like a healthy recipe to them. There’s real pumpkin puree, organic ingredients, whole grain flours, and simple ingredients they can pronounce.
However, a gym bro that eats super clean, might even be Paleo or carnivore, and so on could look at this pumpkin waffle recipe and be like, nope. There’s no way that’s healthy.
And yet, the average person may look at the ingredients and realize that the pumpkin has great vitamin and mineral content (including beta carotene), there’s fiber from several of the main ingredients, the sugar is an unrefined sweetener, and there’s nothing weird inside this recipe.
See what I mean? Ultimately, the word healthy needs to be viewed through the lens of your personal health needs. Think about the foods that make you feel nourished and help you perform your best, because for you, that’s where healthy starts.
Is this a good recipe for busy weekday mornings?
Yes, no, and maybe. Grab a chair and let’s chat (assuming you have the time). So, using a mini waffle maker with this batter will have me saying no, this is not a good waffle recipe for busy weekday mornings.
However, if you use a large waffle maker like the one that I have, yes, it’s great for busy weekday mornings. You can pour batter into the warmed waffle iron, flip, scoop batter into the other side, flip, then walk away to get other things done. The great thing about that waffle maker is that it has an audible beep. You don’t need to set a timer, and you don’t have to babysit it. Plus, there’s no guesswork involved, like, is the center cooked?
Now, I’m also going to say maybe because you still have to make the waffle batter. For me, this is less than ten minutes, but if you have an entire family of people looking for your attention in the morning and you can’t really get the batter made efficiently… then we’re back to no.
So, it’s all about context for this question.
Now, let me let you in on one of the best things you can do the next time you make waffles….
When my kids were teenagers and I was teaching them about personal responsibility, they all stopped eating breakfast. They “weren’t hungry” then they couldn’t focus, and then they got hangry. I was like… what gives?
Turns out, they were all being lazy and didn’t want to make waffle batter. So, I met them in the middle. I’d make huge batches of waffles in several flavours, then put all the batter into large glass storage bowls with a lid. The liquid mixture went in the fridge for the kids, and each morning, without fail, they’d take turns making waffles for each other. Plus, on pumpkin waffle days, they got to start their day with a dose of pumpkin spice flavor.
So, if that can help you, do it. Make the batter and pop it in the refrigerator, then on busy weekday mornings, pour batter in between helping kids find missing shoes and so on.
Can I reheat these vegan waffles in a toaster?
Yes! You can essentially have toaster waffles like what you can get in the freezer section of grocery stores. One of my favorite ways to pull this off is to use the Dash 4″ (10cm) waffle maker. It’s literally the perfect size for the average countertop toaster, and you can reheat straight from frozen.
Alternatively, and this is something I’ve also done, you can purchase a counter top toaster that has really large openings. This allows you to use a large Belgian waffle maker and still reheat from frozen. The only difference is that you’ll have to reheat waffle quarters, not the entire waffle.
Should I put my waffles on a cooling rack after they cook?
When crispy waffles are the goal, yes, a wire rack is incredibly helpful. That’s because if you stack waffles after they cook, you create a steaming effect. Ultimately, the first waffle that’s at the bottom of the pile…. that poor little dude takes a steam beating and may not have a great texture when you’re ready to serve breakfast.
A wire rack can also be helpful if you plan on making a double or triple batch to stock your freezer. A lot of cooling racks stack vertically, so you have somewhere to put them instead of spreading out on your cabinet, or stacking.
This particular waffle recipe is more for soft waffles, and you don’t *need* to use the cooling rack. You can if you want, but if you’re making a single batch of waffles using the large Belgian waffle maker like me, you don’t need the rack. By the time you’ve cooked the waffles, it’s not such a big deal.
When I batch cook these waffles, I have a large baking tray on standby, covered in parchment paper. Cooked waffles go directly on the tray, and when I have a full single layer, I’ll add another large sheet of parchment paper, then make another layer of waffles. It’s rare that I make more than two layers given the size of the waffles. So, keep that in mind as an option as well.
Will these gluten free pumpkin waffles turn out well even though there’s no xanthan gum?
Yes!! Great news, well, not great, but you get the idea. I personally have a severe, life threatening corn allergy. That means a LOT of ingredients are off the table, including most xanthan gum.
I’ve been able to own and operate an award winning GF + free-from bakery, all without xanthan gum. I’ve also published loads of cookbooks, all without xanthan gum (all GF). Now, I did tinker with guar gum at one point, but when I did side by side comparisons (even with a freeze and thaw test), the guar gum didn’t have a meaningful impact.
Here’s why it works: I don’t call for all purpose flour. Instead, I make a custom gluten-free flour blend for all of my recipes. This means there’s balance from the start, and you don’t need dough conditioners and enhancers and additives to boost the results.
So, as long as you follow this pumpkin waffle recipe as-is, yes, it will turn out beautifully, even without xanthan gum, guar gum, and all their friends.
Is non-dairy milk the same thing as dairy free milk?
Non-dairy (also written as nondairy) used to imply that there could be a very small amount of cow’s milk dairy in a product. Dairy free on the other hand means zero dairy. Period.
Whilst the regulation has changed over the years, the US FDA generally has the viewpoint that “non dairy” could contain up to 0.5% of dairy milk derivatives such as caseinate. Dairy free always meant zero milk or milk derivatives.
At the time of publishing in 2026, what I can tell you is this: many brands are using the terms as if they’re interchangeable. This can be confusing to a lot of people because you’re not sure what they’re referring to.
When in doubt, anyone with a milk allergy should always contact a company to better understand their ingredients and manufacturing process.
