Pumpkin Butter
Learn How to Make Pumpkin Butter using fresh or canned pumpkin. It’s such an easy fall recipe, and only takes 20 minutes to make.
Even though you can buy pumpkin butter at the store, you pay quite the premium for it, when it’s really easy and delightful to make at home.
I say delightful because it makes the kitchen smell SO good.
Simmering pumpkin, pure maple, and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, always feels so festive and nostalgic to me.
Pumpkin butter was something I didn’t discover until about 10 years ago, when I was strolling the aisles of the grocery and noticed a special section with artisan apple butter, pumpkin butter, and more.
I was very curious about what on earth this stuff was, as I realized that there wasn’t actually any butter in it. But like peanut butter, it’s basically just pumpkin in spreadable form.
It’s wonderful spread on toast, biscuits, or stirred into plain yogurt.
How to Make Pumpkin Butter:
In a saucepan, combine pumpkin puree, dark brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and water:
If you use canned pumpkin puree, you’ll need more water than if you’re using fresh pumpkin puree.
And if you’ve never read my Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin post, I recommend it. I did a blind taste test of both, making two identical pies with each kind, then compared the results.
Generally speaking, I find fresh puree to taste better, but of course, it’s a lot more work. Sometimes it’s nice to have the convenience of canned pumpkin.
Stir the ingredients to combine, then bring to a boil, and immediately reduce to low heat:
Cook the pumpkin puree for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring often, until the mixture gets darker, thick, and shiny, like this:
Pumpkin Butter Uses:
The pumpkin butter can be spread on toast, biscuits, pancakes, and more. You can also stir it into yogurt and oatmeal, or swirl it into cakes.
Pumpkin Muffins and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are some of my other favorite fall treats. Enjoy!
The recipe and a video is below.
Can Pumpkin Butter be frozen? Yes, for up to 3 months.
How long does Pumpkin Butter last: In the fridge, it keeps for at least 2 weeks.
How to Make Pumpkin Butter in a Crockpot: Place all the ingredients in the crock and cook on low for 3-4 hours, until thick and shiny.
Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin puree canned or fresh (about one 15oz can)
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 3/4 cup water*
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low heat (otherwise the pumpkin butter will sputter).
- Cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until the pumpkin has become caramelized and dark brown, with a thick and shiny consistency. As long as you stir every couple minutes and use a heavy-bottomed pan, it shouldn’t burn.
- Pumpkin butter can be stored in the fridge for at least two weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated in November 2018. Originally published October 2015.
17 Comments on “Pumpkin Butter”
This looks absolutely delicious! I have two little pumpkins in my kitchen ready to be roasted. Pumpkin butter may be on the agenda for the weekend!
My cozy meter is tingling big time with this recipe. <3
This looks delish…..just Please everyone do Not can pumpkin butter…not even in a pressure canner. The inside of pumpkin butter doesn’t get hot enough to kill the bacteria that causes botulism. If you want to can pumpkin..cut it in chunks and can it. Then make the pumpkin butter out of that for the fridge.
I feel like you just gave me the gift of pumpkin pie without all the white fluff crust around my mid-section. Thanks! The spices in here are spectacular! Just the ticket. Should I ask my mom to make this? Just kidding. I’m a big boy (gym teacher here) I can do it myself.
This is so much cheaper than the store-bought pumpkin butter and it was so easy!
I made this over the weekend….AMAZING!!!!!
Perfect amount of pumpkin and spices. I used the concoction to make pumpkin spice/cinnamon rolls!!! turned out perfect. Also, my mother has been on the search for the perfect pumpkin pie. I think she finally found it, and the secret is……pumpkin butter!!!! She will love this as a gift. Thank you for this simple and exquisite recipe!!!
Hi Rachel, so glad you enjoyed this recipe and could incorporate it into your other cooking! Enjoy!
Can you hot water bath this recipe to keep longer?
Can this pumpkin butter be frozen
That sounds good!!!
Can you do a water bath canning with this recipe?
I was wondering the same thing because I just bought a jar at are local mennonite store and it was about $6
I found a recipe for canning pumpkin butter and it says to process it in water bath for an hour with a 1/4 inch headspace, and if you want to pressure can it you want to process it at 11 pounds for 30 minutes.
I’ve been to 6 different stores in search of pumpkin butter. Nothing, absolutely nothing. It’s like it doesnt exist anymore. So I went searching for a recipe instead, and here I am! I can now make the pumpkin lattes I’ve been craving!!! Just got to go to another store, ….again….
Homemade is the best, but I usually find it at Trader Joe’s during the fall and winter 🙂
I have made this a few times and love it!! Definitely 5 stars. Easy and delicious. No more buying the expensive jars and the farmers market.
I was wondering if you can ‘can’ it so you could gift it like you can do for apple butter and others?