Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffles With Apples and Apple Cider Syrup

southernliving.com

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• Apples and Syrup

• 9  tablespoons butter, divided
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 7  teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon, divided
• 6  tart cooking apples, such as Pippin or 6  granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 in. thick
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1⁄2 cups  unfiltered apple cider or 1 1⁄2 cups  juice

• Waffles

• 2  cups flour
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 5  tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2  large eggs, separated
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 2  cups buttermilk
• 3⁄4 cup canned pumpkin
•  cooking spray

Directions

1. Prepare apples and syrup: Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a 12-in. nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add honey, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, and apples. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are lightly glazed and have softened slightly, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon, the sugar, and cornstarch. Add apple cider and 5 teaspoons lemon juice and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tablespoons butter.
3. Make waffles: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. In another medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until pale yellow; whisk in oil, buttermilk, and pumpkin.
4. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the balloon whisk, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add egg yolk mixture to flour mixture, stirring to combine. Gently fold in egg whites just until blended.
5. Preheat oven to 200°. Preheat a waffle iron and coat it with cooking-oil spray. Ladle 1 cup batter (or amount directed by waffle-iron maker) onto hot iron, spreading with a spatula, and cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer waffle directly to oven rack. Repeat with remaining batter. Meanwhile, reheat apples and syrup.
6. Break waffles into sections, divide among 8 plates, and top with apples and syrup. Serve remaining syrup on the side.