Fluffy and Easy Gingerbread Waffles Recipe

What I love about making waffles

• With a batter that is so incredibly easy to make, there is no excuse not to have fresh waffles almost weekly.
• Homemade waffles hold up really well in the fridge after being cooked, or even in the freezer.
• The combinations for toppings and add ins are the best part about making homemade waffles.
• This is an easy, grab and go recipe, especially if you are adding in protein powder.
• You can make a whole bunch of them at one time, and cook quickly.

What are the ingredients needed for these gingerbread waffles?

1. Eggs - eggs are a very important ingredient in making baked goods, as it adds to the overall structure and makes these gingerbread waffles fluffy.
2. Cane Sugar - sugar is not only important for the sweetness, of course, but is also very important for moisture retention and leavening (rising).
3. Oil - oil is the fat used in making waffles and gives it the crispiness and flavor.
4. Molasses - molasses is a very typical ingredient in gingerbread recipes. It's used to add the darker, amber color, and also the flavoring paired with the seasonal spices.
5. Spices - warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. These three combine along with the molasses to bring a seasonal, holiday, festive vibe to these waffles.

Swaps and Substitutions

• Flour - You can swap out the all purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten free flour. I've tested this recipe with GF flour and it works really well. I prefer Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour or Primal Palate.
• Sugar - I would suggest staying with the cane sugar versus coconut sugar as it will change the flavor, structure, and texture.
• Milk - If you would prefer to use almond or oat milk, you can easily swap this out.
• Molasses - Molasses is a typical and classic ingredient in gingerbread recipes so I would suggest keeping this in, but if you are hard-pressed against using it, omit and use the spices.

What can I do to make these gingerbread waffles fluffier?

From my experience, I've learned what NOT to do when it comes to making waffles, pancakes, or other mixes like muffins. Here's my top three things to remember:

1. Do not over-mix - we talked about swapping to a spatula from a whisk, and doing so helps you limit the over-mixing. Over-mixing will overwork the gluten in the recipe, causing a dull, dense texture.
2. Use active baking powder - believe it or not, baking powder (and soda) do in fact have a shelf life. Baking powder, if mixed with boiling hot water, should foam. If it does, it's good to use! If not, it's "dead" and needs replacing.
3. Let the batter sit - giving the batter time to sit actually helps with the fluff factor. It allows all the rising agents and other ingredients marry together before being used.

Storage and Freezer Information

You can easily prepare a batch of waffles before you actually want to eat them!

To Store: Add any waffles to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to four days.

To Freeze: Prepare the waffles and add to the freezer. Pop into the microwave or in the toaster the morning you want to make them. These will stay in the freezer for up to three months.