These Spiced Gingerbread Waffles are the best ever light and fluffy waffles with crispy edges. Flavored with traditional gingerbread flavorings like molasses, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and served with a quick maple icing, these waffles are a perfect holiday morning treat.
These Gingerbread Waffles with Maple Icing may just be my absolute favorite waffle recipe of all time. I know that is a bold statement, but hear me out.
The batter is light and fluffy, thanks to taking an extra step to whisk the egg whites separately until they form stiff peaks, which results in a waffle that is super light and airy inside, but crisp on the outside. The waffles are a rich, dark color thanks to the addition of a little molasses and brown sugar, and these waffles are flavored with warming gingerbread spices including cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
The spices are enough that you will definitely know that they are there without being overwhelming. In fact, even non-gingerbread fans will find these Gingerbread Waffles a delightful treat.
The best part of these waffles is the Maple Icing – I mean what gingerbread cookie is complete without icing after all? The icing is a quick mix of dark maple syrup, powder sugar, vanilla extract, and a splash of milk. Make sure you use pure dark maple syrup for a rich, robust maple flavor.
Simple to make, but elevating regular waffles to the next level, these Spiced Gingerbread Waffles with Maple Icing are perfect for your holiday breakfast or brunch or even a lazy Christmas morning. No matter what your holiday season looks like this year, you will definitely want to find the time to whip up a batch of these waffles and enjoy the festive flavors of the season.
Do I Need to Whisk the Egg Whites Separately?
This is probably the biggest question when it comes to making these Gingerbread Waffles. Do I really have to dirty another bowl and take an extra step? While it may not be absolutely necessary to beat the egg whites separate to make these waffles (yes, you could still have waffles without it), I think it makes a huge difference in the final texture of these waffles.
Whisking the egg whites when making this waffle batter incorporates extra air into the batter. As a result, the waffles are super soft, airy, and fluffy on the inside, with a crisp outside. To me it is what makes the absolute perfect waffle. There have been plenty of times when making waffles that I skip this step, and I always regret it – without fail. To me there is a clear, and noticeable difference in the final result.
So I always recommend taking the extra minute (and dirtying the extra bowl) to beat the egg whites before folding them into this waffle batter.
Can I Make These Spiced Gingerbread Waffles Ahead of Time?
I love having waffles for breakfast or brunch, but they always mean dirtying so many dishes, plus the waffle iron, which inevitably sits on my counter for 2 – 3 days before it gets washed and put away. But this waffle recipe is perfect for making ahead, which means you can make a big batch now. Then store the extras in the freezer to enjoy whenever you are struck with a craving.
To freeze these Gingerbread Waffles, I just store them in a ziplock bag (you can layer with parchment paper if you are worried about them sticking together). To reheat, pop in the toaster or toaster oven set to low heat until warm and crispy.
Looking for More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes to Make Your Holidays Special?
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day right now, so I have you covered with lots of savory and sweet recipes perfect for your holiday menu.
- Apple French Toast Casserole
- Easy Cinnamon Sticky Buns
- Blueberry, Lemon, and Cream Cheese Croissant French Toast Casserole
- White Cheddar Biscuit Waffles with Rosemary Sausage Gravy
- Ham and Cheese Frittata for Two
- Caramelized Onion, Prosciutto, Brie, & Swiss Croissant Breakfast Casserole
If you make this Spiced Gingerbread Waffle recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate the recipe below to let me know what you think! You can also share your photos and tag me @NamasteHomeCooking on Facebook or @NamasteHomeCooking on Instagram. I would love to hear from you!
Spiced Gingerbread Waffles with Maple Icing
Ingredients
Gingerbread Waffles
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 4 eggs separated
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp molasses
Maple Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp dark maple syrup
- 1 ½ - 2 tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Gingerbread Waffles
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- In a medium bowl, add the wet ingredients: egg yolks, melted butter, milk, Greek yogurt, and molasses, and stir to combine, breaking up any clumps of yogurt.
- Add the egg whites to a separate large bowl and whisk by hand or beat with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks.
- Add the wet milk/molasses mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently fold in egg whites.
- Heat a waffle iron and grease with butter or cooking spray. Add about ¼ cup of batter to the hot waffle iron (or more/less, depending on your iron's recommendations) and cook according to iron instructions.
- To serve, spread warm waffles with butter and drizzle over maple icing and more maple syrup if desired.
Maple Icing
- In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons of the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. For a slightly thinner glaze, stir in up to another ½ tablespoon of milk - until desired consistency.