Harvest Morning Waffles with Pumpkin, Cider and Maple Butter

Wake up to cozy fall flavors with these Harvest Morning Waffles made with pumpkin puree, apple cider, and a drizzle of maple butter. These homemade waffles are crisp on the outside, tender inside, and filled with the comforting taste of autumn. 

Harvest Morning Waffles with Pumpkin, Cider and Maple Butter

The mornings here are crisp and and the leaves are starting to turn which has me yearning for a warm, homemade breakfast — the kind that fills your kitchen with the scent of browned butter and spiced pumpkin. I stumbled across a gorgeous waffle recipe on Pinterest from Half Baked Harvest, and it immediately set the mood for a cozy autumn weekend. I decided to try her flavor combination but didn’t have everything on hand, so I made a few tweaks using what I had in my pantry — a splash of Vermont boiled cider, a hint of pure maple syrup, and plenty of pumpkin purée.

One of my favorite touches in this recipe is the Vermont Boiled Cider — a rich, syrupy concentrate made by slowly reducing fresh apple cider until it becomes thick, glossy, and deeply flavorful. It’s like the essence of an autumn orchard captured in a bottle. Just a spoonful adds a subtle tang and warmth that deepens the pumpkin and spice notes in these waffles. If you’ve never used it before, think of it as maple syrup’s apple-forward cousin — sweet, tart, and perfectly at home in cozy fall baking.

The result? These Harvest Morning Waffles with Pumpkin, Cider and Maple Butter are everything I love about fall on a plate — golden and crisp at the edges, soft and fragrant inside, with a buttery maple drizzle that soaks into every little pocket. Serve them with a mug of hot coffee or tea, and you’ve got the perfect start to a slow, golden morning.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients Do I Need?

These waffles come together with simple, comforting ingredients — each one adding its own layer of cozy fall flavor.

• Butter: Adds rich flavor and that irresistible golden crispness when browned. Pumpkin Purée: The heart of this recipe — creamy, earthy, and naturally sweet. It gives the waffles their beautiful color and tender texture.

• Milk: Keeps the batter smooth and light; you can use whole, 2%, or even a non-dairy option like oat milk.

• Vermont Boiled Cider: This secret ingredient deepens the apple notes and enhances the pumpkin spice — pure autumn in a spoonful.

• Eggs: Help bind the batter and give the waffles structure while keeping them fluffy inside.

• Maple Syrup: A touch of natural sweetness that ties in perfectly with the maple butter topping.

• Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the spices.

• All-Purpose Flour: The base that keeps everything balanced and fluffy.

• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Give the waffles their rise — ensuring that perfect, airy texture.

• Pumpkin Pie Spice: A comforting blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves that smells like fall in the kitchen.

• Kosher Salt: Just a pinch to balance all the sweetness and spice.

For the Maple Butter:

• Unsalted Butter & Maple Syrup: Whipped together for a creamy, caramel-like topping that melts right into the waffles.

Substitutions & Variations

Ingredient Substitutions:

• Milk: Swap for almond milk, oat milk, or even buttermilk for a tangy twist.

• Vermont Boiled Cider: I use this one. For an alternative use a tablespoon of apple cider concentrate or a mix of 2 tablespoons of apple cider with 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.

• Butter: Use coconut oil or plant-based butter for a dairy-free version.

• Pumpkin Purée: Sweet potato purée or even mashed roasted butternut squash make great alternatives.

Variations:

• Apple Harvest Waffles: Add finely diced apples or a spoonful of apple butter to the batter for extra orchard flavor.

• Pumpkin Maple Pecan Waffles: Stir in chopped pecans and drizzle with a touch of melted chocolate for a dessert-like treat.

• Whole Grain Twist: Replace half the flour with whole wheat flour or oat flour for a heartier, rustic bite.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Brown the Butter: Don’t skip this step — it adds a nutty, caramel depth that makes these waffles stand out.

• Let the Batter Rest: A short 10-minute rest allows the flour to hydrate and the leavening to activate, giving you light, crisp waffles.

• Preheat the Iron Well: A hot waffle iron ensures even cooking and those beautifully crisp edges.

• Keep Waffles Warm: Place cooked waffles on a wire rack in a 200°F oven while you finish the batch — this keeps them crisp instead of soggy.

• Serve It Up: These waffles are best fresh, with a generous spoonful of maple butter and a drizzle of warm syrup — maybe even a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar for a farmhouse touch.

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    RECIPE IS DOWN BELOW👇     

Cider Pumpkin Waffles

Indulge in the cozy flavors of the season with Cider Pumpkin Waffles—warm spices, rich pumpkin, and a hint of apple cider in every golden, fluffy bite. Perfect for crisp autumn mornings or festive winter brunches!

Cider Pumpkin Waffles

Today's recipe tastes so good I know you are going to love them!  Cider Pumpkin Waffles are a cozy and flavorful breakfast treat that blends the essence of autumn and winter. These waffles are made with a rich batter incorporating smooth pumpkin puree and a splash of apple cider, and boiled cider for added oomph, creating a perfect harmony of seasonal flavors. Warm pumpkin pie spices infuse the waffles with a fragrant, spiced aroma reminiscent of a crisp fall morning or a festive winter holiday.

The waffles have a golden, slightly crisp exterior with a tender, fluffy interior. They pair beautifully with a drizzle of maple syrup, a dollop of whipped cream, or a sprinkling of powdered sugar. For an extra indulgence, top them with caramelized apples or pecans to enhance their rustic charm. These waffles are ideal for a cozy breakfast or brunch, celebrating the best flavors of the colder months.  Plus, they're easy to make, versatile, and sure to impress family and friends!  Make this large batch and freeze any leftovers for a warm comforting breakfast all through the season.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Dairy
• Unsalted butter
• Large eggs

• Canned Goods
• Pumpkin puree

• Baking
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Kosher salt

• Pantry
• Vanilla extract
• Maple syrup

• Beverages
• Apple cider
• Boiled cider (optional) - can be purchased here

Substitutions and Variations

Substitutions

• Unsalted Butter: Use melted coconut oil, vegetable oil, or unsweetened applesauce for a dairy-free or lower-fat option.

• Pumpkin Puree: Substitute with sweet potato puree

• Apple Cider: Use apple juice or a mix of water and a touch of apple cider vinegar for a similar flavor.

• Boiled Cider: Omit or reduce apple cider in a saucepan until thickened for a homemade substitute.

• Vanilla Extract: Swap with a small amount of maple flavoring.

• All-Purpose Flour: Replace with whole wheat flour, oat flour, or a gluten-free flour blend for dietary needs.

• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Mix cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves if you don’t have pre-made spice.

• Kosher Salt: Use sea salt or table salt, but adjust the quantity (table salt is finer and saltier).

These swaps ensure flexibility without losing the warm, cozy flavor of the waffles!

Variations

• Top the waffles with caramelized apple slices or an apple compote.

• Add ½ cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds to the batter for added crunch and flavor.

• Sprinkle extra nuts on top with a drizzle of maple syrup for serving.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Use Room-Temperature Ingredients:  Bring eggs, butter, and other refrigerated ingredients to room temperature to ensure a smooth batter and even cooking.

• Don’t Overmix the Batter:  Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined to keep the waffles light and fluffy. Overmixing can make them dense.

• Preheat the Waffle Iron Properly:  Allow your waffle iron to heat thoroughly before adding batter for crispy exteriors. A properly heated iron also helps prevent sticking.

• Grease the Waffle Iron:  Even if your waffle maker is non-stick, lightly grease it with a brush or spray before each batch to ensure easy removal.

• Concentrate the Apple Cider Flavor:  The addition of Boiled Cider gives the dish a concentrated apple flavor plus it will last in your refrigerator up to 6 months.  If you are not using you can simmer apple cider on low heat to reduce it by half before adding it to the batter in addition to the regular called for apple cider.

• Freeze Extras:  Make a double batch and freeze leftovers. Cool waffles completely, wrap them in parchment, and store in an airtight container. Reheat in a toaster or oven for a quick breakfast.

• Check for Doneness:  Don’t rely on the waffle iron’s indicator light alone. Peek inside to ensure the waffles are golden and crisp to your liking.

• Serving Ideas:  These waffles pair beautifully with seasonal toppings like whipped cream, toasted pecans, spiced apple compote, or a drizzle of maple syrup. For a festive twist, add caramel sauce or a dusting of powdered sugar.

These tips help ensure your waffles are perfectly cooked, flavorful, and ready to impress!

     Items you may need     

Boiled Cider

Mixing Bowls 

Mixing Bowls with Lids

Belgian Waffle Maker with Pancake Plates

Dash Mini Waffle Maker

Round Belgian Waffle Maker

Spatula

Small Tongs

Platter

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Cider Pumpkin Waffles

serves 6

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups apple cider

1 Tablespoon boiled cider
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Add all the butter to a medium pot over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and brown, until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin, cider, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, stir until just combined.

Preheat your waffle iron. Cook the waffles according to your waffle iron's directions. Serve topped with butter and maple syrup if desired. 

Winter Wonders: Apple, Cranberry, Feta Salad

This easy Apple, Cranberry, Feta Salad is packed with nutrients and is perfect for all your Fall/Winter holidays!

Apple, Cranberry, Feta Salad

Crisp apple, dried cranberries, feta cheese, almonds, and butter lettuce come together in this fresh Autumn/Winter salad.  And the best of all? It has the perfect homemade apple cider dressing to go with it!  This salad is a must for your lunches or as a side dish,  but also for picnics, gatherings, and potlucks.  Since it has a Autumn/Winter vibe it's perfect along side Thanksgiving or Winter holiday dishes.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• butter lettuce
• red apple - I used an Envy
• sliced almonds
• feta cheese
• dried cranberries
• cucumber
• apple cider
• apple cider vinegar
• olive oil
• dijon mustard
• honey

Substitutions and Variations

• Try adding poppy seeds to the dressing for a nice depth of flavor.
• Change the base lettuce to kale, such as curly kale or lacinato kale.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

Note that the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a larger group.

• This salad recipe can be turned vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, simply omit the cheese.
• If you have some time available, toast the almonds in a dry pan before chopped them, this will greatly enhance their flavor.

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Apple, Cranberry, Feta Salad

serves 4

Salad

1 head butter lettuce, chopped
1 red apple, cored and chopped in to chunks

1/2 English cucumber, sliced
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Dressing
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt + fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

In a large bowl add lettuce, apple, cucumber, almonds, feta, and cranberries.

In a bowl or mason jar, whisk together all dressing ingredients: apple cider, mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Dressing will be a little loose.  Toss with the salad before serving. 

Fall Baking: Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins

Bursting with the fall flavor of apple cider, these delicate muffins taste just like your favorite Apple Cider Doughnuts.  No one can resist these muffins, hot from the oven!

Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins

It's time to do some Fall baking and today we're talking muffins.  Simple and quick you'll have these in the oven and made in under 45 minutes.  I look forward to going to a local farm stand every year during the Fall season, specifically to get fresh apple cider.  There is nothing better, apart from a juicy whole apple, than fresh pressed apple cider.  We always buy a large quantity of it so that apart from drinking it warm, and cold (and spiked) I love to bake with it, and that's what we are doing today.

Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins are all around the internet lately so I thought I would join in the celebration and bring my version.  This uses my basic muffin recipe with the addition of apple cider, apple cider concentrate, and cinnamon.  The topping is cinnamon and sugar which creates that "doughnut" effect that makes this unique and special.  You only need 1 bowl to make these, so let's get baking!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• egg
• apple cider
• canola oil
• boiled cider (optional)
• flour
• brown sugar
• baking powder
• salt
• cinnamon
• white sugar

Substitutions and Variations

• Make mini muffins instead of regular size

• Add apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon in the muffin and/or in the topping

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• 1st rule of thumb when making muffins is not to "overmix" the batter.  You want it batter to just come together.  Little spots of flour is okay.

• To get high muffin tops turn your oven up to 400 degrees.

• Make sure you are using fresh baking powder.  To test put 1/2 teaspoon into 1/4 cup of boiling water.  If it bubbles, you are good.

• Purchase a 6 well muffin tin for small batches.

• Double the recipe for 12 muffins.

• Muffins can be frozen individually and kept for 3 months.

• Fill the muffin tin almost to the top for nice big muffins.

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Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins

small batch - 6-7 muffins

1 egg
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon boiled cider (optional)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

2 Tablespoon butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl add the egg, apple cider, and oil and boiled apple cider (if using). Mix together using a whisk.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir just until combined. Do not over mix. 

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to the individual muffin tins.  Bake 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin. 

In a bowl add sugar and cinnamon, stirring to combine.  Brush the tops of each muffin with the melted butters.  Dip muffin tops in the cinnamon sugar mixture, covering well.   Serve warm or at room temperature.

Apple Cider Muffins

The BEST Fall muffins are filled with apple cider and bursting with tart apple bites.  Hot from the oven these muffins will leave you warm and cozy!

My Fall baking continues.  Since I baked a pumpkin dish last time (Essential Pumpkin Bread) I thought I would switch it up to my other favorite fall flavor...Apples!  Boy how I love apples, and it doesn't matter how they are made I just love the flavor.  I even look for apple flavored sparkling water I love them so much.

APPLE CIDER MUFFINS

Let's take my basic muffin recipe and tweak it into something heavenly for fall.  With ingredients like apple cider, apple chunks, cinnamon, and a cinnamon sugar topping how can we go wrong?  One bowl and a few ingredients and you are on your way to the best Fall muffins around.  A quick bake in the oven and breakfast is on the table in under 30 minutes.

Perfect for breakfast, a Autumn brunch, grab and go snacks, or even as a warm dessert with a little vanilla ice cream (I won't tell!).   We just loved the moist rich flavors of these muffins and will all the warming spices they were dare I say...perfect!

Enjoy!

Apple Cider Muffins

small batch - 6-7 muffins

1 egg
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon boiled cider (optional)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tart apple (such as jazz or granny smith), cored and peeled, diced small

Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1/1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl add the egg, apple cider, and oil and boiled apple cider (if using).  Mix together using a whisk.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.  Fold in the diced apples.  

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to the individual muffin tins.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on the tops of each muffin.  Bake 18-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Peach and Apple Oatmeal

This might be one of the most comforting breakfast I've had in a long time.  The seasons are surely changing and we are in that period where it is hot one minute then cold the next.  Blustery winds are everywhere (my umbrellas can attest to that!) and Fall is in the air.  

The best part of October as a produce month we are still transitioning from late summer fruits and vegetables to fall ones.  Peaches are still in abundance and soooo ripe and juicy, yet I'm craving warm Fall apple flavors as well.  What to do?  Mix them!

Oatmeal is a great way to make a quick, comforting breakfast  and when you load it up with spices and fruit you get something that's a kin to a warm fruit pie.  Oh yum!  Who wouldn't love a warm piece of pie for breakfast?  I will admit that I'm sure I've snuck a piece once or twice in my life!  But this is much healthier than that.  All that sweet, cinnamon-y, warm notes of apple and peach pie rolled into one bowl of breakfast comfort!

PEACH AND APPLE OATMEAL

What are the ingredients?  The main star is the oatmeal.  You can use your favorite, but for the sake of time I used quick cooking oats for this dish.  Oatmeal is full of good for you fiber and carbohydrates.  They help keep you full for hours!  Another fall flavor I used is maple syrup which is mixed with the softened peaches.

Is there a secret ingredient?  Yes, there is.  I came across boiled cider here, and it's been a wonder of a product.  It's apple cider that been boiled down until it forms a thick condensed syrup with loads of apple flavor.  It adds intense apple flavor to anything you use it with. (So worth the purchase) In this case I put it with the water when cooking the oatmeal and I used it along with butter and maple syrup when cooking the peaches.  Sooooo delish!  If you don't want to use this then you can substitute apple cider instead, however, the flavor will not be as intense.

Enjoy this spectacular breakfast that will leave you feeling warm and comfy all over!




Peach and Apple Oatmeal

serves 2


1 cup oatmeal (instant or regular)
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 boiled cider
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
2 peaches, peeled and sliced
2 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 Tablespoon boiled cider
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium saucepan add water, boiled cider, raisins, and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil and then add the oatmeal.  Turn heat to medium and cook until thick and creamy.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet heat to medium heat.  Add butter and allow to melt.  Add sliced peaches and cook 2 minutes until tender.  Add maple syrup, boiled cider, and cinnamon and stir until mixed well and peaches are tender.

Spoon oatmeal into 2 bowls and top with peaches.