Pretty much every weekend I wake up craving a ridiculous restaurant-style brunch minus the restaurant-style wait and prices. The hottest brunch spots have every flavor pancake and waffle under the sun (red velvet, birthday cake, carrot cake) with some out of this world toppings to boot. My only problem is that I always make too much and never eat the leftovers during the week. Here's my take on my own restaurant breakfast for one. 

Pumpkin Waffles with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Topping
Adapted from Food.com 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (you can use whole wheat as well)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
pinch of salt
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup milk, more if needed

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Meanwhile, plug in your waffle iron to preheat. Then, make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the butter, milk, brown sugar, egg white and vanilla. Lightly mix together the wet ingredients, and then slowly incorporate them into the dry. Fold in the canned pumpkin. 

Pour batter into the waffle maker. It should make two large waffles. Now onto the topping:

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 stick of softened butter
2 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt 

Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Lastly, add in the cinnamon and salt. You will have a good amount left over. My recommendation is to increase the recipe and use this frosting to top off cupcakes or banana bread. 

I added a tiny scoop of the frosting on top of my waffles along with a sprinkling of powdered sugar – no syrup required. The topping melted down the waffles, adding a perfect light and sweet quality to these hearty waffles. For anyone who isn't a pumpkin lover, you can leave out the pumpkin, but it doesn't have that strong of a flavor in this dish. 

The perfect Thanksgiving morning breakfast? Sounds like a good way to start the day to me. 

 –Marly Schuman