Make the best homemade pumpkin puree and use it in place of canned pumpkin in your favorite fall recipes. The ultimate guide for how to cook pumpkin in easy to follow steps!
When fall settles in, we love to make our favorite pumpkin recipes like pumpkin snack cake and pumpkin pecan coffee cake. We always make pumpkin bisque soup every fall and it has become a delicious tradition for our family.
Making pumpkin puree for all of your yummy recipes is so easy to do at home!
Better than Canned Pumpkin
Have you ever noticed that sometimes it is hard to find canned pumpkin once everyone starts their fall baking? This is so easy to make that you won't have to worry about that ever again! It is also freezable to use later and a lot more tasty than canned puree.
Many pumpkin puree recipes call for added salt or water, but I prefer to keep mine as close to pure as possible. My reasoning for this is that it is always easier to boost ingredients, such as salt, in the cookie or cake recipe you are making
Best Pumpkins to use for Making Puree?
Generally speaking, if you are buying from the grocery store, a sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin will be the best for making this pumpkin puree recipe. You can usually find them in the produce department. A 2 pound sugar or pie pumpkin yields roughly 2 cups of pumpkin puree. It will largely depend on the thickness of the pumpkin wall, however. Smaller pumpkins tend to have better flavor and will also be easier to slice and bake.
With that said, my best tip is to find a local farmer, if you are able, and ask them which of their pumpkins is best! I live in an area surrounded by farming communities. Some of the best pumpkins I have ever baked have been larger ones that a farmer recommended. They know their crops!
If all else fails, just ask your grocer for the pie pumpkins. You can't go wrong there!
How to Cook Pumpkin
Cooking pumpkins can be done in either the slow cooker or the oven. I usually use the oven, but they both have great results.
Oven Baked
To cook pumpkin, use the following steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Wash and pat dry pumpkin.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the pumpkin vertically from stem to base.
- Scoop out the "guts" (seeds and membrane). Set seeds aside to roast later for a delicious snack.
- Cut out stem and discard.
- Spilt each half into half again, and place face down on a parchment lined baking sheet. (this is my favorite parchment I use every day)
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until a fork easily punches through the pumpkin skin and flesh.
Slow Cooker
- Wash and pat dry pumpkin.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the pumpkin vertically from stem to base.
- Scoop out the "guts" (seeds and membrane). Set seeds aside to roast later for a delicious snack.
- Cut out stem and discard.
- Spilt each half into half again, and place in a slow cooker. Cut into smaller pieces if necessary to fit in your crock pot.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until pumpkin is fork tender.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree Recipe
- Bake pumpkin in oven or crock pot (as described above).
- Remove from oven and allow to cool until it is comfortable to handle.
- Peel away skins and discard.
- Put baked pumpkin flesh into a food processor, blender, or bowl for mashing, a couple pieces at a time.
- Pulse the pumpkin (or mash with a potato masher) until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it with cheesecloth or through a fine mesh strainer)
Pumpkin Puree Recipes
You should be able to use this pumpkin puree in any recipe where pumpkin puree is listed as an ingredient.
Here are some of our very favorites:
- Pumpkin snack cake
- Pumpkin pecan coffee cake
- Savory roasted pumpkin and vegetable bisque
- Pumpkin Custard Pie with gingersnap crust
- Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Low Calorie Pumpkin Chai
- Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate
Recipes are so much better (and no preservatives!) with homemade pumpkin puree!
How to Freeze Pumpkin Puree
Freezing this pumpkin puree recipe for later is very easy to do! Whether using canned or homemade, I usually end up with extra puree. Throwing it in the freezer for later will ensure you always have it on hand!
Using these resealable freezer bags, dump a heaping cup into each bag. Then seal, making sure to remove any air that is trapped. Flatten and place in the fridge, stacked one on top of the other.
When ready to use, remove from the freezer and thaw. If water collects on the top, I tend to discard. Sometimes freezing can make the puree a little more watery. If not, just stir back into puree.
I'm curious now, what recipes are your favorite to make with pumpkin puree?
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