The Lovell Table

*Photo credit: Joshua Jacobs/Marion Mosaic

This recipe was created for the December 2025 Marion Mosaic issue.

Christmas morning has always felt magical to me. Growing up, I remember leaping out of bed to wake my siblings, racing to our stockings, and spending hours around the tree. I also remember gathering around the table for a wonderful breakfast spread—waffles, eggs, bacon…the works. Looking back, I have no idea how my parents did it. They were always fully present with us, yet somehow managed to get breakfast on the table without missing a moment of the fun.

These Gingerbread Waffles can be made ahead of time so if you are hosting or feeding small children on a magical Christmas morning you can enjoy the company without fussing over also making a meal!

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup molasses 
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice 
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• 1 cup frozen cranberries
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1 cup water
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method

1. Make the cranberry sauce
   •  In a sauce pan on medium heat combine the cane sugar, and water
   • Heat until dissolved
   • Pour in the cranberries and lemon juice
   • Stir with a wooden spoon constantly until thickened (30 minutes)
   • Once the sauce has thickened slightly turn off the heat 
   • Let cool before serving or storing in the fridge
2. Make the waffles
   • Plug in your waffle maker of choice 
   • In a bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves
   • In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and sugar together until combined
   • Whisk in the milk and molasses until combined
   • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until completely combined
   • Ladle the batter onto your heated waffle maker and cook until slightly browned and the batter is not wet in the middle (for my waffle maker it took 2-3 minutes per waffle but this will vary)
   • Transfer the waffles to a warm oven to keep warm or let cool to freeze overnight

*Serve the waffles with whipped cream, the cranberry sauce, and maple syrup. If frozen, reheat the waffles in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.