Pumpkin season isn’t over yet you guys! Try this easy and flavorful homemade pumpkin butter; it’s the perfect topping for all sorts of things!
I personally start my pumpkin season early, like let’s say late August and I keep it going clear through Thanksgiving! There are just too many incredible pumpkin things that I need to make (and eat)!
When it comes to the regular pumpkin recipes though, there are a few that never ever get skipped over here; pumpkin French toast, pumpkin chili, pumpkin snickerdoodles, and this pumpkin butter made with homemade pumpkin puree. I make these recipes every single year (and sometimes, multiple times!).
If you’ve never tried pumpkin butter, it’s a little bit like apple butter, but more pumpkin-y (yes, pumpkin-y is a totally a thing!). Anyway, it’s basically just pureed pumpkin cooked together with some brown sugar and spices to make it into a thick and spreadable ‘butter’. Then you just slather it all over anything you want. Some of our favorites are warm toast or scones, over vanilla bean ice-cream, and my personal favorite is to stir some into my morning oatmeal! Mmm!
The process for making this pumpkin butter is super simple. All you need is one pie pumpkin and some traditional baking spices, which I bet you already have on-hand.
To make the pumpkin puree, start by washing the pumpkin really well. You want to get all the dirt off. Then cut the stem off, halve it, scoop out the insides (it doesn’t have to be perfectly clean), chunk it up and pop it in the Crock-Pot, skin side up. Cook the pumpkin for 2-ish hours (until fork tender), remove it from the Crock-Pot and let it cool. After you scrape the flesh from the skin and process it in the food processor for a few minutes (or mash it with a fork), you’ll have perfectly smooth homemade 100% pumpkin puree.
To make the pumpkin butter, you combine the pumpkin puree, sweeteners, applesauce, and spices in a sauce pan on the stove and cook it down for about 20 minutes. Let it cool a little, spoon it into a mason jar, and enjoy!
I often make a double batch of this pumpkin butter (using 2 pie pumpkins) because not only does it freeze great (and then you can have a little bit of fall all year long!), but it makes a great gift! I’ve made little scrapbook style tags and attached them to the mason jars with twine and they were a-dor-able! With the holidays quickly approaching you could easily knock out a whole bunch of gifts with this one recipe! …just an idea! 🙂
Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients
- 1 pie pumpkin
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or honey
- 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
To make the puree:
- Thoroughly wash the outside of the pie pumpkin.
- Slice the top of the pumpkin off and cut in half.
- Remove the seeds and strings from the inside of the pumpkin (saving the seeds if you want to roast them later).
- Chop pumpkin into large chunks and place in Crock-Pot skin side up.
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours until pumpkins are soft and a fork easily pierces this skin.
- Remove from Crock-Pot and allow to cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the pumpkin skin and place in the food processor.
- Process on high for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth.
To make the pumpkin butter:
- Place 2-1/2 cups pumpkin puree in a medium saucepan.
- Add brown sugar, applesauce, maple syrup, spices, and vanilla extract.
- Over medium heat, whisk all the ingredients until smooth.
- When the mixture reaches a 'boil', cover and reduce heat, cooking for 20 more minutes, whisking occasionally.
- After cooking, remove lid and stir in lemon juice.
- Place in a mason jar and allow to cool.
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
You’ll also love these pumpkin ginger molasses cookies or these whole wheat pumpkin waffles!
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