One of the quintessential flavors of the holidays is gingerbread. I’ve made ginger cookies and a small army of gingerbread men before, but never waffles. However, this recipe has been brewing in my mind for a while now and I was so pleased that it only took one try to get it right! I honestly half expected to see a crumbly mess upon opening up the waffle iron since the batter is vegan. But alas, it wasn’t so! Experimentation success. This batter really is very simple to throw together. You likely already have all the essentials in your pantry right now: Pumpkin puree, molasses, whole wheat pastry flour, brown sugar, ground ginger and cinnamon. Basic stuff, plus a little flaxseed and non-dairy milk to help keep this dish vegan. Buckle up kids – we’re quickly entering into vegan holiday foodie heaven. Have I ever told you that John does all of the pouring for the photos? The pictures really wouldn’t be the same without him. I mean, how awkward would it look if my outstretched forearm was lurking in on the side of all the images, struggling to get that perfect pour down? Awkward, trust me. I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work out. So much praise to the photo assistant, who, in this instance, happens to be my adoring, charming and incredibly well groomed husband. These waffles turned out as delectable as they look. Tender, spicy, not too sweet and hearty enough to be a stand alone breakfast. Plus, during the cooking process I found a way to help the waffles remain crispy once out of the iron. Simply lay them on a cooling rack so air circulates around them. I’ve noticed that when I stack my waffles on a plate they get steamy and make each other a bit soggy. But when you lay them on the cooling rack for just a minute or two before digging in, it’s perfect! You could also make them even crispier by warming them in the toaster for a bit after cooling.
