Don't waffle over this gingerbread recipe — make it for brunch

(Gingerbread Waffles with vanilla ice cream is a sweet way to start the day)

The Thanksgiving feast is over and you're already tired of the leftovers, so what to do? How about making some fresh waffles for brunch?

I love waffles and the aroma that permeates the kitchen when I break out the old waffle iron I paid $1 for at a tag sale decades ago.

Cornmeal waffles are one of my favorites, especially using the locally grown and milled, organic polenta-style cornmeal from Wild Hive Farm. They are rich in texture and so good with maple syrup and a dab of Smart Balance. Cut back on the sugar and the cornmeal waffles can be topped with beans, scrambled eggs and greens and a little coriander-sour cream for a savory dish.

But the holiday season has me craving a little spice, so I decided to try Gingerbread Waffles, adapted from "Waffles from Morning to Night" (William Morrow, 1993) by Dorie Greenspan. (Yes, that same Dorie of "Tuesdays with Dorie," the blogger community that bakes a recipe each Tuesday from "Baking: From My Home to Yours" by Dorie Greenspan.)

This fragrant batter is dark and thick, and it's recommended you use a metal spatula to thin it out a bit after you ladle it into the waffle iron.

I changed the recipe up a bit, using Smart Balance instead of butter. I did not have buttermilk on hand and I was almost out of regular milk, so I used a combination of soy milk and regular and added 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to the 1 1/2 cup total liquid and let it set a spell. This easy trick makes "buttermilk" in minutes, which is great, because I rarely keep buttermilk in the fridge and when I do, it goes bad before I can use it all.

These gingerbread waffles were wonderful with a little maple syrup and Smart Balance, but I had to indulge a bit and topped one with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and folded it in half for a sweet and spicy ice cream sandwich.

Gingerbread Waffles

Makes about 8-9 waffles

1. 4 tablespoons Smart Balance, melted
2. 2 cups flour (1 1/2 cups white; 1/2 cup whole wheat)
3. 1 tablespoon Rumford baking powder (it's aluminum-free, the only one to use)
4. 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
6. 1 tablespoon ground ginger
7. 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
8. 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
9. 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
10. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
11. 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
12. 1/4 cup white sugar
13. 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
14. 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
15. 2 large eggs, separated

• Mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and sugars together in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, molasses and egg yolks.
• Whip the two egg whites in a little bowl until peaks form; set aside.
• Blend the buttermilk ingredients into the dry ingredients with a few swift strokes.
• Stir in the melted Smart Balance.
• Gently fold in the whipped egg whites.
• Bake in a preheated waffle iron until dark brown. (Spread the batter out a bit in the waffle iron to make a thinner, more crispy waffle.)

Click here for the recipes for cornmeal waffles and another gingerbread recipe, this one for pancakes.