If you’ve never made homemade pumpkin pureé, you’re in for a real treat! It’s far superior to canned pumpkin pureé from the store (no offense to Libby’s!) There’s just something special about transforming the humble pumpkin into a silky ingredient for this homemade pumpkin pie recipe, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread, an easy soup and more!
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Quick Look at This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Homemade Pumpkin Pureé
- ✅ Ready In: ~30 minutes
- ✅ Yield: 4 Servings
- ✅ Calories: 88
- ✅ Tools: Sharp Knife, Cutting Board, and Lined Baking Sheet
- ✅ Freezer Friendly: Yes, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- ✅ Why You'll Love It: The flavor of this easy and frugal recipe will noticeably elevate your seasonal pumpkin recipes.
- ✅ Tip: Don’t throw those seeds away! Roasted and seasoned pumpkin seeds make a delicious snack. Rinse the seeds well, spray them with some avocado oil, season them with salt or your favorite spice blend and roast at 300°F until crispy and dry.
What Makes This Recipe Unique?
- Technique - Homemade pumpkin pureé can be SO much better than the can on your grocery store shelf, or it can be MUCH worse. The key is selecting the right variety, curing, and roasting properly, all of which are covered in this tutorial.
- Flavor - Homemade pumpkin pureé made the right way is SO MUCH MORE delicious! If you have a signature homemade pumpkin pie recipe that typically uses the store-bought can, this homemade pumpkin pureé will take it to the next level of perfection.
- Frugal - The cost of growing your own pumpkins is literally pennies per jar. Even if you don’t grow your own pumpkins, buying pie pumpkins to make pumpkin pureé will still save money on groceries.
- Easy - You don’t need expensive equipment or hard-to-find ingredients for this tutorial. All you need is a pumpkin and basic kitchen tools!
⭐ Featured Reader Review
@mtallent5028 says, “Best pumpkin video hands down!”
Ingredients and Supplies Needed
- Pie Pumpkins - Sugar or pie pumpkins are the best choice for pumpkin pureé. The flesh of these pumpkins is more tender and sweet compared to the big jack-o'-lantern pumpkins that are meant for carving or roasting seeds. A small to medium sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin will yield about two cups of pumpkin pureé.
- Sharp Knife and Cutting Board - Learn proper knife sharpening basics, and how to clean a cutting board to keep these kitchen tools in good condition.
- Lined Baking Sheet - If you don’t have a reusable silicone baking mat, parchment paper works great, too.
- High-Powered Blender - A high-powered blender is purely optional. You can mash your pureé with a fork or use an immersion blender for a smoother consistency.
Homemade Pumpkin Pureé Instructions
Step 1: Allow 10-14 days for your pumpkins to cure properly in a warm, humid environment with plenty of airflow. Curing will harden the rind and concentrate the sugars in the flesh. A fully cured pumpkin will resist the pressure of your fingernail, the stem will be dry and rigid, and the pumpkin will make a hollow sound when thumped.
Step 2: A cured pie pumpkin will have a very hard stem that’s difficult to remove. To remove the stem, hold the pumpkin firmly in both hands and give it a good “whack” on the edge of the counter.
Step 3: If you don’t mind digging out the seeds once the pumpkin has already been roasted, you can simply pierce the pumpkin with a knife and roast it whole. This is what we do most often because it’s just easier! Alternatively, you can cut the whole pumpkin in half and dig out the seeds before roasting.
Step 4: Place the whole pumpkin (or the halves, cut-side-down) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat and bake at 350°F. For smaller pumpkins, bake for 20 to 30 minutes. For larger pumpkins, you’ll want to test your pumpkin after 25 minutes, but it could take anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on size and whether you cut it or are roasting it whole. You’ll know the pumpkin is done roasting when a fork or knife pierces through the skin easily all the way to the center of the pumpkin.
Step 5: Allow the pumpkin to cool slightly, and peel the skin away from the flesh. If you didn’t remove the seeds prior to baking, now is when you’ll want to scoop out the seeds and separate them from the pumpkin flesh. Save the seeds for roasting.
Step 6: If there is any remaining skin, go ahead and scoop out the flesh, and now you have your cooked pumpkin pureé! You can either use it as is in recipes or, for a smoother consistency, blend it in a blender, mix it on medium-high speed in a stand mixer, give it a few pulses in a food processor, or blend it with a stick blender until the desired consistency is reached.
Storage Instructions
If you use your homemade pumpkin pureé within a few days, you can store it in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.
If you won’t be using the pumpkin for a while, you can freeze it in a zip-top bag. I recommend pressing it flat for quick defrosting later. To defrost frozen pumpkin pureé, place the frozen ziptop bag in a dish with cold water for about 10 minutes.
Clever Ways to Use Homemade Pumpkin Pureé
Do you ever wonder why recipes don’t call for an entire can of pumpkin pureé?
Well, the one drawback to making your own pumpkin pureé is that you’re never left with an exact amount. So, if you happen to have a slightly larger pie pumpkin and find yourself left with a little extra, consider the following ideas to use it up:
- Fruit Leather - Have you ever heard of pumpkin fruit leather? This recipe makes a delicious, refined sugar-free treat your kids will love.
- Instant Breakfast Mix – We love our instant breakfast mix. Adding a tablespoon or so of homemade pumpkin pureé, some pumpkin pie spice and a drizzle of maple syrup turns it into a delicious fall treat.
- Oatmeal – Make a delicious pumpkin Instant Pot oatmeal by adding the last bit of pumpkin pureé to the pot.
- Breakfast Bake – It doesn’t have to be in the recipe to add a little pumpkin flavor! Just add pumpkin pureé to this baked oatmeal recipe, French toast soufflé, or my make-ahead French toast casserole.
- Granola – Do you have a healthy homemade granola recipe? Adding some pumpkin pureé as the liquid would be delicious!
- Dessert – Add a little extra sugar to your pumpkin pureé and add it to your favorite cheesecake recipe.
- Quick Bread – Many quick breads call for applesauce or mashed bananas. You can swap out pumpkin pureé to change the flavor of a delicious quick bread.
- Yogurt – Does your family love yogurt? We make Instant Pot yogurt and swirl in some pumpkin pureé, cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice) and maple syrup. It gives it a delicious fall twist. Homesteading Hack: Turn this yogurt into popsicles by freezing it in popsicle molds!
- Smoothie – Adding the last few tablespoons of pumpkin pureé to your morning green smoothie is a nutritious way to use it up.
- Pumpkin Coffee Creamer – Make a homemade pumpkin coffee creamer by adding pumpkin pureé (about 2 Tablespoons) to a cup of heavy whipping cream or half and half, a splash of vanilla and a sweetener of choice (maple syrup would be a delicious pairing).
- Soup – Add pumpkin pureé to a large pot of soup. Chances are you won’t even notice the flavor, but it will add a delicious, subtle sweetness, and your family will benefit from the added nutrients.
- Hummus – Try mixing in pumpkin pureé to your next batch of homemade hummus. The flavor may surprise you!
- Baby Food - Skip the expensive jarred baby food, and follow this tutorial to make nutritious homemade baby food using pumpkin pureé!
FAQs
Start by choosing a properly cured pumpkin of the right variety. Remove the stem and roast the pumpkin until a fork can pierce the skin and slide through the flesh. Remove the skin and seeds, and mash or blend the pumpkin flesh into pureé.
Yes, to achieve ideal consistency, pumpkins need to be roasted before being made into pureé.
Homemade pumpkin pureé is made from sugar or pie pumpkin varieties. You can also make similar pureés from several different varieties of winter squash.
Although these ingredients are used interchangeably in recipes, homemade pumpkin pureé yields a much better flavor than canned pumpkin from the store.
More Posts You May Enjoy
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Homemade Pumpkin Pureé
Equipment
- Sharp Knife and Cutting Board Learn proper knife sharpening basics and how to clean a wooden cutting board to keep these kitchen tools in good condition.
- Lined Baking Sheet Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat work well.
- Blender A high-powered blender is purely optional. You can mash your pureé with a fork or use a blender for a smoother consistency.
Ingredients
- 1 medium Pumpkin sugar or pie pumpkin varieties
Instructions
- Allow 10-14 days for your pumpkins to cure properly in a warm, relatively humid environment with plenty of airflow. Curing will harden the rind and concentrate the sugars in the flesh. A fully cured pumpkin will resist the pressure of your fingernail, the stem will be dry and rigid, and the pumpkin will make a hollow sound when thumped.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Take your properly cured pie pumpkin and remove the stem by carefully banging it on the edge of the counter.
- Pierce the pumpkin with a sharp knife.
- Place pumpkin on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat mat, parchment paper, or lightly sprayed with oil.
- Cook the pumpkin for 20 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the pumpkin with a fork.
- Remove pumpkin and allow to cool slightly.
- Peel the skin away from the pumpkin.
- Remove the seeds and other stringy bits from the center of the pumpkin.
- Use puree as is or blend until a smooth consistency is reached (in a blender, a stand mixer or with a stick blender).
Notes
- Instant Breakfast Mix – We love our instant breakfast mix. Adding a tablespoon or so of homemade pumpkin pureé, some pumpkin pie spice and a drizzle of maple syrup turns it into a delicious fall treat.
- Oatmeal – Make a delicious pumpkin Instant Pot oatmeal by adding the last bit of pumpkin pureé to the pot.
- Breakfast Bake – It doesn’t have to be in the recipe to add a little pumpkin flavor! Just add pumpkin pureé to this baked oatmeal recipe or my make-ahead French toast casserole.
- Granola – Do you have a healthy homemade granola recipe? Adding some pumpkin pureé as the liquid would be delicious!
- Dessert – Add a little extra sugar to your pumpkin pureé and add it to your favorite cheesecake recipe.
- Quick Bread – Many quick breads call for applesauce or mashed bananas. You can swap out pumpkin pureé to change the flavor of a delicious quick bread.
- Yogurt – Does your family love yogurt? We make Instant Pot yogurt and swirl in some pumpkin pureé, cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice) and maple syrup. It gives it a delicious fall twist. Homesteading Hack: Turn this yogurt into popsicles by freezing it in popsicle molds!
- Smoothie – Adding the last few tablespoons of pumpkin pureé to your morning green smoothie is a nutritious way to use it up.
- Pumpkin Coffee Creamer – Make a homemade pumpkin coffee creamer by adding pumpkin pureé (about 2 Tablespoons) to a cup of heavy whipping cream or half and half, a splash of vanilla and a sweetener of choice (maple syrup would be a delicious pairing).
- Soup – Add pumpkin pureé to a large pot of soup. Chances are you won’t even notice the flavor, but it will add a delicious, subtle sweetness, and your family will benefit from the added nutrients.
- Hummus – Try mixing in pumpkin pureé to your next batch of homemade hummus. The flavor may surprise you!
- Baby Food - Skip the expensive jarred baby food, and follow this tutorial to make nutritious homemade baby food using pumpkin pureé!
