How To Make and Store Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Making pumpkin puree at home couldn’t be easier! Homemade pumpkin puree can be used in any of your favorite pumpkin recipes, both sweet and savory. Plus I’ll share some of my favorite tips and tricks for both short-term and long-term storage!
Canned pumpkin puree isn’t something I mind picking up at my local grocery store, after all, most brands of canned pumpkin are pretty healthy, and organic pumpkin puree is readily available too.
To be completely honest if there is one thing I probably don’t need to worry about making from scratch it’s pumpkin puree.
But given the fact, we always have more than a few fresh pumpkins, lying around the house come early October, and I’m always on the lookout to find quick and easy ways to use up fresh produce. Learning how to make pumpkin puree at home, just seemed to make sense.
I still buy my fair share of canned pumpkin puree, don’t get me wrong. But I also make homemade pumpkin puree every year like clockwork.
Not only is making pumpkin puree at home super easy, but it also makes the most delicious puree ever and is perfect for any of your pumpkin recipes.
Pumpkin bread, pumpkin butter, homemade pumpkin pie filling, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin spice lattes. If it has pumpkin in the title then this easy homemade pumpkin puree is perfect for it!
What is the best kind of pumpkin for making fresh pumpkin puree?
Basically, any type of pumpkin can be used to make pumpkin puree.
Smaller pumpkins, such as pie pumpkins and sugar pumpkins, often produce the best results and flavor and are the number one choice for making homemade pumpkin puree. I always use pie pumpkins as I find they work the best.
Larger pumpkins, such as carving pumpkins are also edible and can easily be used to make puree too! However they are usually lacking a bit in flavor, and it can often be a challenge to get them into the oven!
At the end of the day, any edible pumpkin can be used to make homemade pumpkin puree(even white pumpkins!) but personally, I find I get the best results when using a small to average-sized pie pumpkin. Just be sure to use a firm ripe pumpkin of whatever variety you choose!
How to make homemade pumpkin puree
Ingredients
- pie pumpkins
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
Wash the outside of your pumpkins with a wet rag, to get off any dust or dirt.
Using a sharp knife, cut each pumpkin in half, horizontally. Then with a spoon scrap out as much of seeds and pulp as you possibly can. There shouldn’t be any seeds left in the pumpkin, but a little pulp is okay!
Place each pumpkin cut side down on your prepared baking sheet. Then using a fork poke a few holes in each pumpkin.
Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Allow the pumpkins to cool for 15-20 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.
Flip each half over, then using a spoon scrap the cooked pumpkin flesh out of the peel, and place it in a large bowl. Discard the pumpkin peels.
In a food processor, blend the cooked pumpkin in small batches, until smooth. If you are having trouble getting your pumpkin to blend, add a little water as needed, until the puree is smooth.
Transfer the pureed pumpkin to an airtight container and place it in the fridge until ready to use.
Use it for all of your favorite pumpkin recipes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Fresh pumpkin puree can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week!
If you like you can save and wash your pumpkin seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds! These make a great snack, they are also great for parties and make the perfect fall-time appetizer!
How to store homemade pumpkin puree
Here are some of my favorite go-to ways to store homemade pumpkin puree!
Fresh pumpkin puree can easily be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, sandwich bag, or mason jar, for up to 1 week!
If you are looking for more long-term storage, homemade pumpkin puree can also be frozen! Pumpkin puree can be frozen for up to 3 months! You can easily freeze pumpkin puree in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers.
I love to freeze my puree in specific measurements, for example, if I need 1 cup of puree for most of the baked goods I make, then I’ll freeze 1 cup of puree in each freezer bag. This way I can easily pull a bag out of the freezer, thaw, and dump it into whatever I am baking without needing to worry about measuring!
Another trick I like to use is freezing my puree in ice cube trays! Each cube holds roughly 2 tbsps of puree, which just happens to be the perfect amount for making my homemade pumpkin spice latte! Freezing some puree in smaller amounts makes it super easy to grab and go, for all my favorite pumpkin drinks!
Looking for ways to use homemade pumpkin puree? Check out these delicious recipes!
Maple Syrup Sweetened Pumpkin Spice Latte
Honey Sweetened Pumpkin Muffins
How To Make and Store Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 2 average-sized pie pumpkins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Wash the outside of your pumpkins with a wet rag, to get off any dust or dirt.
- Using a sharp knife, cut each pumpkin in half, horizontally. Then with a spoon scrap out as much of seeds and pulp as you possibly can. There shouldn’t be any seeds left in the pumpkin, but a little pulp is okay!
- Place each pumpkin cut side down on your prepared baking sheet. Then using a fork poke a few holes in each pumpkin.
- Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Allow the pumpkins to cool for 15-20 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.
- Flip each half over, then using a spoon scrap the cooked pumpkin flesh out of the peel, and place it in a large bowl. Discard the pumpkin peels.
- In a food processor, blend the cooked pumpkin in small batches, until smooth. If you are having trouble getting your pumpkin to blend, add a little water as needed, until the puree is smooth.
- Transfer the pureed pumpkin to an airtight container and place it in the fridge until ready to use.
- Use it for all of your favorite pumpkin recipes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is great! Wonderful idea since you can’t can pumpkin puree! I love the photography.
I absolutely love October, too! And pumpkins! Thanks for the great post and the 9 recipe suggestions. Great ideas!!
I love the idea of making my own pumpkin puree! I can’t wait to buy a pumpkin to try this!
Pumpkin is my favorite! I can’t wait to try some of those recipes!
Great post! I love the versatility of pumpkin puree and now I have some new ideas to try, thank you!
Great post! I’m moving off-grid and didn’t put up any pumpkin this year as I’m not sure how long it will be before I get set up to store it there 🙁 Will definitely miss my pumpkin fixes this winter!
I came into the post thinking I’d have to sift through a lot to find something I would be interest in eating as pumpkin is touch and go for me, but they all sounded very scrumptous!