The Joyous Kitchen
by Joy Steward
This article features the same batter in not one but two ways, with a sweet, spicy, boozy glaze recipe that’s simply magical. It all starts with fresh pumpkin puree and a special ginger and pumpkin pie spice butter that doesn’t seem to photograph well, but nevertheless is absolutely divine! The butter is actually a wonderfully all purpose fall dessert addition–try it in your next apple or pear crumble or in your next apple or pecan pie.
Initially, I wanted to use the puree I got from roasting my own pumpkins for baked donuts in my new mini donut pan. But the idea of pumpkin waffles just wouldn’t quit haunting me, so I decided to try adding pumpkin to a buttermilk batter, to make the donuts extra fluffy and so that the batter can double as a pumpkin waffle batter. I knew the short cooking time for waffles and mini baked donuts would hardly allow any spices added to the batter to toast properly and reach their fully toasted potential, so I decided instead to make a ginger and pumpkin pie spice butter to top the waffles. Alternatively you could toast the spices in the butter you’re using for the batter before cooling it off and adding it in.
When I served the waffles, I slathered on a generous amount of ginger spice butter and lots of real maple syrup. I served the donuts glazed generously with the maple whiskey glaze I made by using the maple syrup, some whiskey, confectioners sugar and the ginger spice butter.
Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffle & Donut Batter
1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1 cup whole wheat flour sifted (or you can use all purpose flour)
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 cup packed pumpkin puree
3/4 cup well shaken buttermilk
1 cup whole milk
4 1/2 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 extra large eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Sift all dry ingredients together in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Whisk together eggs, milk, buttermilk, vanilla and pumpkin.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just enough to combine.
Add sugar, then butter and stir only enough to combine.
Bake in a mini donut pan or use a waffle iron immediately.
If you’re making waffles, spread with spice butter (see recipe below) and serve with warmed maple syrup. If you’re making donuts drizzle with glaze (recipe also below).
Ginger & Pie Spice Butter
1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2″ piece of ginger, peeled & grated
4 Tablespoons butter
6 spice cloves (round parts only), crushed
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon allspice
Method
In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt butter
Add spices and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
When you can smell the spices in the kitchen they’ve been incorporated. Remove the butter from the heat and allow it to cool.
Serve on your waffles and/or use part of it to make donut glaze.
Ginger Pie Spice Maple Whiskey Donut Glaze
1 Tablespoon ginger spice butter, melted but cooled
1 Tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1 Tablespoon grade B maple syrup
2 Tablespoons good whiskey
Method
In a bowl combine whiskey, spice butter and syrup.
Whisk confectioners sugar in until the glaze is smooth.
Ladle generously over donuts.
