Pumpkin Butter Recipe: A Fall Favorite to Spice Up Everyday Dishes

Learn how to make a homemade pumpkin butter recipe on the stovetop. Made using minimal ingredients, this pumpkin butter is simply a combination of fresh pumpkin, sugar and spices. Spread this delightful, fall flavored butter on bread and biscuits. Or use it spice your favorite dishes to give them seasonal flare. It’s the perfect addition to pancakes, yogurt and overnight oats.

Every fall, I have to make at least one batch of pumpkin butter. Although not as popular as apple butter, pumpkin butter is a fall favorite that has similar spices and all the taste of the season.

If you’ve never had homemade pumpkin butter, then you must try this pumpkin butter recipe. It’s similar to a pumpkin pie, but it’s easier to make. You can also eat it several different ways, so it’s more versatile than a pumpkin pie. It’s rich and creamy and tastes like pumpkin pie in a jar with a buttery texture.

How Do You Make Pumpkin Butter From Scratch?

Pumpkin butter is easier to make than you probably think it is! You just need fresh or canned pumpkin, sugar, and spices.

I prefer the taste of fresh pumpkin when making a pumpkin butter recipe. However, preparing a fresh pumpkin is definitely a labor of love. You’ll need to cut it, bake it, and then peel it. It does give this pumpkin butter a delicious homemade taste, but you can use canned pumpkin and still make a good butter.

If you do buy canned pumpkin, make sure you get pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling. I recommend buying organic because I think it has a fresher flavor.

Why Can’t You Can Pumpkin Butter?

Unlike apple butter, homemade pumpkin butter isn’t safe to can. Your grandma might remember canning it back in the day, but the USDA changed the recommendations back in 1989. Pumpkin is a low acid food, so it’s at a high risk for botulism spores to grow in the jar. Pumpkins can have a wide range of pH, so it’s not possible to add another ingredient to bring it to a safe level.

The pH makes it a bad candidate for canning, but pumpkin can’t be canned for another reason. Pumpkin is very dense after it’s cooked. The entire jar must reach 240 degrees in a pressure canner in order to kill the germs. Since pumpkin is so dense, you can’t be sure that the inner parts fully reach 240 degrees to be safe.

Homemade pumpkin butter can’t be canned, but it can be frozen. Actually, it freezes quite well! Freeze in a small freezer container and enjoy this delicious treat all winter when pumpkins aren’t in season.

Does Pumpkin Butter Need to Be Refrigerated?

Yes, it is perishable. Store the pumpkin butter you make from this pumpkin butter recipe in the fridge or freezer. Pumpkin butter will last in the fridge for about two weeks. You also can freeze pumpkin butter for up to three months.

What Do You Eat Homemade Pumpkin Butter With?

Pumpkin butter can be eaten several ways. Here are several to try:

• Mix in plain or vanilla yogurt.
• Spread on top of pancakes or waffles.
• Add to overnight oats.
• Make a parfait with yogurt and granola.
• Add to rolled oats.
• Spread it on bread, toast, rolls or biscuits.
• Dip apples or pretzels in it.

You can also use my homemade pumpkin butter recipe in several dessert recipes. It makes a great dessert bar or mix it with brownie batter for pumpkin brownies. (Try it in lieu of the pumpkin puree in this pumpkin cheesecake brownies recipe.)

Make your own quick and easy pumpkin spice coffee, too! Just add two tablespoons of homemade pumpkin butter to coffee and stir in your favorite cream.

I made my homemade pumpkin butter recipe using the wonderful, organic spices from Mountain Rose Herbs. Their spices are hand-selected from the finest harvests each year. So you can rest assured you are getting unmatched quality and freshness. Not only do most grocery store brands not measure up to the same quality standards, but by purchasing your spices in bulk for baking and holiday food gifts, you’ll also save money!

You can find my homemade pumpkin butter recipe below.

Homemade Pumpkin Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Cups pumpkin, peeled and diced
¾ Cup sugar
1 Tsp cinnamon cassia powder (or sweet cinnamon powder)
¼ Tsp nutmeg powder
½ Tsp ginger root powder
⅛ Tsp allspice powder
⅛ Tsp clove powder

Directions:

To make this homemade pumpkin butter recipe, place the diced pumpkin in a small saucepan over medium heat. Then cover the pumpkin with water and bring to a boil. Continue to cook the pumpkin until it is fork tender.

Once the pumpkin is tender, use a colander  to drain and discard the water. Next, mash the pumpkin. Then add the sugar to the softened pumpkin.

Mix the sugar into the pumpkin. Now, bring the pumpkin and sugar mixture to a simmer. Cook the pumpkin, stirring constantly, for around 25 minutes, or until the pumpkin has caramelized.

Finally, use measuring spoons to measure the spices. Add the spices to the pumpkin butter. Then stir to combine. Once the spices are fully incorporated, spoon the pumpkin butter into a mason jar or other airtight container.

Store in the refrigerator up to two weeks, until ready to use.

Substitutions for Making Pumpkin Butter:

You can use pumpkin puree in place of fresh pumpkin in my homemade pumpkin butter recipe! Simply swap the pumpkin cubes with 3 cups pumpkin puree. Then immediately proceed to step in which you add the sugar.

Yield: About 4 Cups

Homemade Pumpkin Butter Recipe

Print

How to make a homemade pumpkin butter recipe. This fall favorite is a great way to spice up everyday dishes like pancakes, yogurt and overnight oats. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Cups pumpkin, peeled and diced
• ¾ Cup sugar
• 1 Tsp cinnamon cassia powder
• ¼ Tsp nutmeg powder
• ½ Tsp ginger root powder
• ⅛ Tsp allspice powder
• ⅛ Tsp clove powder

Instructions

1. Place the diced pumpkin in a small saucepan over medium heat. Then cover the pumpkin with water and bring to a boil. Continue to cook the pumpkin until it is fork tender.
2. Once the pumpkin is tender, use a colander  to drain and discard the water. Next, mash the pumpkin. Then add the sugar to the softened pumpkin.
3. Mix the sugar into the pumpkin. Now, bring the pumpkin and sugar mixture to a simmer. Cook the pumpkin, stirring constantly, for around 25 minutes, or until the pumpkin has caramelized.
4. Use measuring spoons to measure the spices. Add the spices to the pumpkin butter. Then stir to combine.
5. Once the spices are fully incorporated, spoon the pumpkin butter into a mason jar or other airtight container.

Notes

To reduce cook time down to 20 minutes, swap the pumpkin cubes with 3 cups pumpkin puree. Then immediately proceed to step 3 in which you add the sugar.

Store your homemade pumpkin butter in the refrigerator up to two weeks, until ready to use. Alternately, this pumpkin butter recipe can be frozen for up to three months.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 49Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 0g

Like my homemade pumpkin butter recipe? Be sure to pin it for later!

More Fall Favorite Food Recipes

If you like my homemade pumpkin butter recipe, then you’ll also enjoy these other seasonal fall recipes.

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies Recipe
• Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
• Ginger & Molasses Cookies Recipe
• Easy Brown Sugar Drop Cookies Recipe
• Vanilla Chai Tea Recipe
• Gourmet Caramel Apples with Crushed Cookie Toppings
• Organic Chai Tea Mix Recipe
• Healthy Chili Seasoning Mix Recipe
• Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili Recipe

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