Homemade pumpkin puree will make your fall baked goods even more fresh and delicious! Leave the canned pumpkin on the shelves—here's how to make pumpkin puree from pie pumpkin or any kind of squash.
Every fall, I spend an afternoon roasting pie pumpkins and squash to make pumpkin puree to use all season long. If you make a large batch and freeze it in small batches, you'll always have fresh pumpkin puree on hand for pumpkin pie, pancakes, and muffins.
Here's a little secret—the pumpkin puree in canned pumpkin usually isn't pumpkin. A can of pumpkin puree typically contains a blend of pumpkin and squash.
When you make pumpkin puree yourself, you can also use squash. I actually prefer to use butternut squash for my "pumpkin" baked goods. You can also use it as baby food, or give it to your dogs as a nutritious treat, as long as it's plain with no salt or oil added.
🎃 Ingredients
All you need to make pumpkin puree is pie pumpkin or squash. One pie pumpkin or squash will make anywhere from 2-4 cups of puree. I recommend making a large batch so you only have to clean up once!
Like I mentioned above, you can use pie pumpkin or squash to make puree, and I actually prefer to use squash, specifically butternut. Pie pumpkin yields a puree lighter in color and thinner in texture, and butternut squash puree is a deeper orange and thicker texture. Other types of squash such as acorn squash and kabocha squash will make a puree somewhere in between.
In the photo below, the puree made with pie pumpkin is on the left, and butternut squash is on the right.
🔪 Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the pumpkin or squash in half with a sharp knife.
Scoop out the pulp and seeds and discard or wash and save for roasted pumpkin seeds.
Place the halves face down on the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven.
Bake until the pumpkin can be easily pierced with a fork, 35-40 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool. Scoop out the flesh.
Place in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
🧊 Storage
The pumpkin puree can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
Freezing Instructions
Portion the pumpkin puree into airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze up to a year. Let thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Most pumpkin baked good recipes call for ½ to 1 cup puree. If you freeze the puree in these small portions, it will be measured and ready to go for baking!
💭 Tips
- Use a sharp knife when slicing the pumpkin or squash to prevent it from slipping.
- You can use any kind of pumpkin or squash, not just pie pumpkin.
- Save the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds! See the post text for instructions.
❓ FAQs
How do I substitute pumpkin puree for canned pumpkin?
Pumpkin puree is a 1:1 replacement for canned pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin puree is usually contains more liquid than canned, so you may need to reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe. Start with half the amount of liquid in the recipe, then add more as needed to get the texture described in the recipe.
What's the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
Pumpkin puree is 100% pumpkin or squash, and pumpkin pie filling is puree with flavoring and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Many recipes will specify using pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling since it will change the flavor of the recipe.
🥧 Pumpkin Recipes
There are so many ways to use your homemade pumpkin puree. Besides the classic pumpkin pie, here are some recipes to get you started.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Save your pumpkin (or squash) seeds! All you need for basic roasted pumpkin seeds is salt and pepper, but you can add seasoning like garlic powder, chili flakes, or a sprinkle of sugar if you like salty and sweet.
Here is a basic recipe:
½ cup pumpkin or squash seeds
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray or drizzle with oil.
- Wash and dry the squash seeds, then spread out evenly on the baking sheet.
- Even sprinkle the seeds with the salt and pepper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fragrant and crunchy. Remove from heat.
Vegan Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel Topping
These pumpkin muffins smell delicious in the oven with spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves! Whip up a batch for breakfast on the weekend.
A twist on the classic cinnamon roll, these vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls are a fall tradition in our house!
Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This pumpkin cake is a must have on a vegan Thanksgiving menu! It's sweet, lightly spiced, and topped with a vegan cream cheese frosting.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Puree from Fresh Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 1 pie pumpkin or squash
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the pumpkin or squash in half with a sharp knife.
- Scoop out the pulp and seeds and discard or wash and save for roasted pumpkin seeds.
- Place the halves face down on the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven.
- Bake until the pumpkin can be easily pierced with a fork, 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
- Scoop out the flesh and place in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Notes
- Use a sharp knife when slicing the pumpkin or squash to prevent it from slipping.
- You can use any kind of pumpkin or squash, not just pie pumpkin.
- Save the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds! See the post text for instructions.
- Fresh pumpkin puree is usually contains more liquid than canned, so you may need to reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe.
- Freezing Instructions: Portion the pumpkin puree into airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze up to a year. Let thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: ½ cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 46Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 40mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on seitanbeatsyourmeat.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.
Comments
No Comments