Irresistible Keto Pumpkin Chaffles: Your Ultimate Cozy Fall Treat!

These Keto Pumpkin Chaffles are low in carbs, high in protein, and packed with warm fall flavor. There’s nothing quite like the warm cozy flavors of pumpkin spice. And these Keto Pumpkin Waffles take that seasonal favorite to new heights with a healthy, protein-packed twist. Light and fluffy on the inside, with crispy edges and plenty of pumpkin flavor, they’re perfect for a quick breakfast or a leisurely fall brunch. Best of all, these keto waffles are quick to make and great for meal prep. They take simple, wholesome ingredients plus an extra boost of protein to keep you energized. Topped with a little butter and some keto maple syrup, you won’t believe that they fit into a low carb, high protein lifestyle!

What are Chaffles?

It’s this relatively new concept of a waffle made of cheese and egg, cooked in a waffle maker. A chaffle is a waffle made of egg and cheese. For this pumpkin chaffle we’re using mozzarella cheese which completely disappears and adds no cheese flavor! The appealing thing about chaffles is that they take very little effort and only 2 ingredients to make the classic version: 1/2 cup shredded cheese and 1 whole egg. Can’t get much easier than that, right!? It started with a simple recipe of cheese and egg, so cheese + waffles = Chaffles. When I first heard about these, I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical. If you’re anything like me and you don’t like recipes that use too many eggs, especially anything in the bread family. BUT, you would be surprised how the addition of cheese helps.

Since it was introduced, there are a number of variations coming out. You can also use the classic version as bread for a regular sandwich, perhaps put some egg salad, with lettuce and tomato? Or how about a BLT? YUM!! You can also use over Eggs Benedict, which is a personal favorite of mine! I’ve even seen them used as a hot dog buns, so perhaps a sub for hamburger buns as well. You can also make them savory style, which I’ve done with my Garlic Parmesan Chaffles! I make them 3 ways: cut them into bread sticks, dipped in marinara sauce, served them bruschetta style and I made an Italian cold cut sandwich with ham, salami and roasted red peppers. All were absolutely delicious!

Why Pumpkin Chaffles?

I refuse to deny my love of pumpkins. Even if it makes me basic, I adore the flavors of pumpkin spice and enjoy creating new recipes with these spices. The idea of pumpkin for breakfast sounds like pure Heaven. It might not feel very cool in Florida, but I’m still all about fall. It’s my favorite season! This recipe uses pumpkin puree in the base chaffle mix. The result is thicker chaffles that taste more like real waffles.

Pumpkin pie ranks among our all-time favorite desserts, and its close association with the fall season only enhances its charm. I like to think that fall exists solely to grant me permission for an extended pumpkin-flavored feast. It would however seems impossible to be able to enjoy both a pumpkin pie chaffle and a cheesecake while following the keto diet. It has the perfect amount of crispiness on the outside to complement the sweet and soft cheesecake filling in the middle which also features that beloved smooth pumpkin flavor on the inside as well. You can enjoy this chaffle at the beginning of your day for breakfast, or as a rich dessert after your favorite keto meal. There is truly no bad time to relish in the delight of this super tasty chaffle.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Why This Recipe Works

When I got a craving for them recently, I decided the time was ripe for an update. I can honestly say that they are now better than ever!

Simple to make: Using a blender helps you whip up the batter in a matter of moments!
Classic flavor: Real pumpkin puree and plenty of pumpkin spice give these waffles that warm, cozy fall flavor.
Make ahead recipe: These store well in the fridge or the freezer, so you can make a big batch for meal prep.
Versatile toppings: These are delicious with whipped cream and toasted pecans, butter and syrup, or with a smear of peanut butter.

Ingredients You'll Need

Pumpkin puree: You can use canned or homemade puree. Just make sure it’s not too watery. Make sure you are only using 100% pumpkin, preferably a puree. A canned pumpkin pie filling will contain tons of sugar and carbs.
Sweetener: For crisp waffles, you really need an erythritol based sweetener with no allulose.
Almond flour: A good fine almond flour will produce the best results. Almond flour (blanched.) You can use coconut flour instead.
Protein powder: Use whey protein or egg white protein. Do NOT use collagen or bone broth powder. Use good quality protein powders - whey or egg white will give your waffles the best structure. Don’t use collagen protein in this recipe. I tried that first and it stuck to the two sides and pulled apart as I opened the waffle iron. It was a mess!
Pumpkin pie spice: I usually just purchase pre-made spice mix but you can easily make your own. If you want to make the pumpkin chaffle layers have a stronger pumpkin flavor add more pumpkin spice, but don't overdo it. Can’t find pumpkin pie spice? No worries, you can simply add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon of cloves or nutmeg.
Cottage cheese (pureed.) Ricotta cheese, softened cream cheese, or mozzarella cheese can be used instead. The basic keto chaffle recipe uses mozzarella cheese. Since ricotta worked so well in chocolate chaffles, I knew creamy cottage cheese would work too. It does, and it's delicious. Use your sweetener of choice! We linked to the brand we used.
Mozzarella cheese: While the classic chaffle recipe can use any type of cheese that melts well, I chose to use mozzarella in this recipe. The reason is because mozzarella cheese has a very mild flavor and it melts beautifully. You can certainly use any type of cheese that you like, but using anything else will likely change the flavor a bit. One thing I think you may find once you begin to experiment with chaffles is that mozzarella is used in a lot of sweet or mild flavored chaffles where as cheddar and colby are used in your more savory, bolder flavored chaffles.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s the entire recipe.

Preheat the waffle maker.
In a bowl, combine all ingredients except cheese. The batter for these keto pumpkin waffles is extra easy to whip up in a blender. You can simply mix in a bowl, but a blender makes the batter more cohesive and it whips air into it, so the waffles are fluffier. Stir egg, pureed cottage cheese, almond flour, sweetener, and spices together in a small bowl. It will be runny but also a little viscous. Using a small bowl, mix all of the keto pumpkin chaffle ingredients together - mozzarella cheese and egg, pumpkin puree, almond flour, sweetener, heavy cream, cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and vanilla. Add in all the ingredients, except for the mozzarella cheese to a bowl and whisk. Add in the cheese and mix until well combined.
Spray waffle maker with nonstick spray, then add 1/4 of the batter to the iron. Preheat the waffle iron. Open the waffle iron and lightly mist it with cooking spray. Transfer about 2 heaping Tablespoons of batter (which is about half) into the base and spread it out. Transfer half the batter (about ¼ cup) into the base. Use a silicone spatula to spread the batter to the edge of the well for a clean edge.Note: Spread the batter to the edges for a clean edge. This is just for looks. It will taste great even if you don't take this step.Spoon 1/4 of the batter into the hot waffle iron and smooth the batter out to the edges of the waffle iron.
Close the lid and cook until golden brown (time will depend on your waffle iron). Allow the chaffle to cook for about 4 minutes. Gently remove it with silicone tongs. When the steam stops escaping from the sides of the waffle maker, it's done! It takes about 4 minutes in a Dash. This version of the egg and cheese waffle tends to be soft when removing it. But it does firm up quickly.Close the iron and cook for 3 minutes.Remove the waffle and set aside. Add 1-2 teaspoons of sweetener to the batter, if you prefer a sweeter waffle. Close the lid and cook for 4-6 minutes, depending on how crispy you want your Chaffles.Remove and cook the second Chaffle. Carefully remove and repeat for the second chaffle. Set to the side to crisp up while you make the filling.
Remove the cooked waffles to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining batter.Repeat with remaining batter.

Serving and Topping Ideas

Top with whatever you like! What do you like to put on top of your keto chaffles? For this recipe, you can use crushed pecans or whatever nuts you like. You can also top these chaffles with butter and sugar-free syrup. Are you going to eat this for dessert? If your macros allow, you could top this with a smear of sweet cream cheese from this whoopie pie recipe. With a whisk or fork, combine all frosting ingredients together. Add frosting between the two chaffles. Enjoy! Now, it is time to make the cheesecake frosting for the middle of the keto pumpkin chaffle layers. Add the frosting ingredients - cream cheese, maple syrup or extract, sweetener, and vanilla extract - and mix together. Spread the frosting between the two chaffles.

These pumpkin chaffles are sweet, so you can enjoy them plain. But you can also deck them out the same way you would a pancake or waffle.

Drizzle with syrup, any type, including sugar-free options. My preferred brand of sugar free syrup is Choc Zero. It’s thick and sticky like traditional pancake syrup.
Stir in or top with chocolate chips. We used stevia-sweetened chips. You could add unsweetened chocolate chips, ground cinnamon, or dark melted chocolate to the top.
Add a dollop of whipped cream. Optional: Add whipped cream on top, crushed pecans, some Choczero maple syrup, etc.
Spread sweetened cream cheese between the stack for a cheesecake-like taste.
Top with fruit.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Store - Place pumpkin chaffles in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the waffles in a covered container on the counter for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to 10 days. It is important to store keto chaffles correctly, especially seeing as they have a dairy frosting.It is best to store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This will keep them fresh, as well as crunchy on the outside, and creamy in the middle.
Reheat - Reheat in a toaster oven, toaster, or air fryer. The microwave is not recommended. Air Fryer- Provides the crispiest reheated chaffles; Heat to 300 degrees F and reheat for 3-4 minutes. Waffle Maker- Preheat then drop the chaffle in for about one minute. Toaster- It should be reheated in about 30-45 seconds in the toaster. To reheat, let them thaw first. Then reheat in a toaster oven and breakfast is ready. They get extra crispy when reheated this way. Microwaves tend to make them soft.
Freeze - Chaffles may be frozen in an airtight storage container for up to 3 months. These pumpkin chaffles freeze really well. To freeze them, lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Place this baking sheet and the chaffles in the freezer. You can freeze the pumpkin chaffle recipe if you wish to. Ensure to store the keto waffle and cheesecake center in an airtight container or a freezer bag. They will last up to three months and taste best if you thoroughly defrost them before consumption.For the freezer, you want to flash freeze them first by laying them out on a cookie sheet and freezing until solid. Then place in a container or freezer bag.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Pumpkin Chaffles

Use the right waffle maker: I highly recommend the Dash Multi Mini, which cooks 4 mini waffles at once. I use my Dash Mini Waffle Maker, which I ordered on Amazon, but I’ve also seen them locally at TJ Maxx. You can order them from a number of stores online and since they’ve become so popular lately, it they won’t be hard to find. I paid $9.99 for mine and had several colors to choose from. The brand isn’t too important, so you can use whichever waffle maker you like. A mini waffle iron is essential to make chaffles. They will make the crunchiest yet fluffiest chaffles and make the cooking routine much easier. We use the Dash Mini Waffle Maker to make this recipe. It's affordable and easy to store. A regular-sized or Belgian waffle maker can be used instead!
Don't overfill the waffle maker: Next, add the chaffle batter to the waffle maker (about 2 sccops for the Dash waffle maker) but be careful not to overfill.
Ensure your waffle maker is hot: Turn on your Mini Dash and let it start heating up. Plug in waffle maker to preheat.
Spray well: Spray your waffle plates with nonstick spray (I used coconut oil) and add in half the batter to the center.Spray waffle maker with nonstick spray.
Add baking powder: Add some baking powder to your chaffle as it will cause it be be even thicker and fluffier!
Invest in a good mini waffle maker: Invest in a good mini waffle maker. It will make your life easier and will guarantee to make perfect chaffles everytime.
Different Appliances - If using a different type of waffle maker, follow your appliance's directions. The general process works the same way.

FAQ

Is pumpkin keto friendly? Pumpkin is a relatively low carb vegetable and can be consumed in moderate amounts on a keto diet. A half cup of pumpkin puree has 9 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber. Is pumpkin ok on a low-carb diet?Pumpkin can be enjoyed on a low-carb or keto-friendly diet. It's a healthy fruit that has lots of fiber. Enjoy it in moderation.
Can you make Keto Pumpkin Waffles in advance? The waffles last well in both the fridge and the freezer.
How many carbs are in Keto Pumpkin WafflesThese high protein pumpkin waffles have 8 grams of carbs and 3.3 grams of fiber. If you count net carbs, that comes to 4.7 grams per serving.
Can I use a substitute for almond flour? Yes, there are other low-carb flours you can use to make these pumpkin chaffles suitable for the ketogenic diet. You could use coconut flour or chia flour. Both will work well. But, coconut flour might change the flavor slightly.
Can I make chaffles without a waffle iron? It is possible to make chaffles without a waffle iron or Belgian waffle maker. However, the final result might not look the same or be as fluffy inside.You could use an air fryer, toaster oven, or a stovetop and a griddle.
What can I do with leftover batter? If you have remaining batter, you could create smaller chaffles. Or, freeze the mixture to create other pumpkin recipes in the future.
Could I add more sweetness to the recipe? If you want to intensify the sweetness of these already sweet chaffles, go for it. As long as you use keto-friendly ingredients, the recipe will remain keto-fied and low in net carbs.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #pumpkin #chaffles