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Overnight Cider Pumpkin Waffles

Overnight cider pumpkin waffles with a deeply golden exterior and tender, pumpkin-scented center. You’ll mix the batter the night before, then cook fresh waffles and finish with quick apple cider caramel.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Overnight 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For overnight batter
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1.5 tsp instant yeast
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 cup apple cider warmed
  • 0.5 cup milk warmed
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.33 cup unsalted butter melted
To add in the morning
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.25 tsp baking soda
For apple cider caramel
  • 0.5 cup apple cider
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup cream
  • 2 tbsp butter

Equipment

  • 1 waffle iron

Method
 

The night before: make and refrigerate the batter
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined, with no dry spice pockets visible.
  2. Stir in warmed apple cider, warmed milk, pumpkin puree, and melted unsalted butter until smooth and thick, then scrape down the sides so the batter looks uniform.
  3. Cover the bowl loosely and refrigerate overnight for about 8 hours so the batter rises and thickens.
The next morning: finish batter, cook waffles, and caramelize
  1. Stir eggs, vanilla, and baking soda into the risen batter until smooth and slightly puffed.
  2. Preheat waffle iron thoroughly, then grease well so the waffles release cleanly without sticking.
  3. Cook waffles for 4-5 minutes until deeply golden, pulling one to confirm the edges look crisp before finishing the batch.
  4. Simmer apple cider caramel ingredients—apple cider, brown sugar, cream, and butter—for 5 minutes, stirring until the sauce looks glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
  5. Pour apple cider caramel over the warm waffles and serve immediately for best crispness.

Notes

Pro tip: for the crispiest texture, cook the waffles until they’re truly deeply golden rather than pale—this also helps the overnight batter set properly. Refrigerate leftover waffles in an airtight container up to 3 days; re-crisp in a toaster or 350°F oven until hot. Freeze cooked waffles up to 2 months and reheat straight from frozen. For a dairy-light swap, use lactose-free milk and lactose-free cream (or a dairy-free baking cream) to keep the caramel smooth.