Looking for a special breakfast that isn’t too labor intensive? These gingerbread waffles with pear sauce are a delicious way to start the day.
I took a huge risk making this for dinner on Sunday night. DH doesn’t like gingerbread, nor does he like pears. But since we had some leftover pizza in the refrigerator as backup, I decided to go for it.
For the Pear Sauce:
- 4 ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced
- 1/4 C honey
- 1/4 C water
- splash of lemon juice
- Place pears, honey, and water in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the fruit is soft.
- Add lemon juice and mash with a potato masher. If serving at a holiday function, transfer to a serving bowl. If serving just the husband, feel free to leave it on the stove in the pot until needed.
- 2 C flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 C packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground dried ginger
- 1 C milk
- 1/3 C molasses
- 1/4 C oil
- 1 egg
- Combine flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and spices in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Cook in a waffle iron for 90 seconds or so.
- Serve with pear sauce.
The Verdict: Maybe it was the raw honey that I just picked up at the co-op last week, but the sauce was to die for. The gingerbread waffles didn’t taste quite as gingerbread-y as I thought they would, given that I used very dark molasses. The combination was really good, and even DH ate them. I would love to experiment with using whole wheat flour in this recipe.
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Hmm. I found the same not-overwhelmingly-gingerbread-y result with the waffe recipe I used in the gingerbread feature in the current magazine. I gathered up several recipes during my research, and maybe another one might have run a little truer to expected taste. (Although I’d have to say that what we in the States identify as “gingerbreaed flavor” is probably largely molasses and additional spices.) I had to laugh, though, because a good part of the reason I chose the one recipe to publish was that it DID have whole wheat flour amongst the ingredients! (3/4 cup w/w to 1 cup all-purpose, although I’m sure the proportions could be successfully switched. Or a-p eliminated altogether… Good luck!)
ooh thanks, I’ll try that! I have a lot of pears and apples from the co-op.
This sounds absolutely delicious!!
I’m a waffle addict. I love the gingerbread-waffle concept. This will make my Royal Breakfast!
Positively heavenly! I’m featuring your post on my Facebook page today.
Thank you so much for sharing your talent on “A Little Birdie Told Me…” at Rook No. 17! With all the parties out there to choose from, it means a lot that you take the time be a part of mine! Warmest wishes, Jenn
You did a fabulous job with the recipe and photo! Thanks for sharing from Prairie Home Cooking, a book close to my heart.
Best wishes,
Judith Fertig (proud author)
Thank you! I’m honored that you stopped by. I LOVE Prairie Home Cooking & Heartland. You have inspired me to look even further into our Midwest culinary traditions.
The wife likes pears, so I’m going to have to try the sauce. I would imagine that it would taste just as good on gingerbread pancakes as it does on the waffles?
absolutely!