How to Make Pumpkin Puree
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Making homemade pumpkin puree is so easy and tastes better than canned pumpkin. Just scoop the seeds, roast, blend and use in all your favorite pumpkin recipes!
If you’ve ever wondered how to make pumpkin puree at home, you’ll be happy to know it’s so much easier than it looks. All you need is one sugar pumpkin, an oven, and a blender or food processor. Homemade pumpkin puree is fresh, flavorful, and a great alternative to canned pumpkin. You can use it in everything from muffins and breads to soups, baby food, and of course healthy pumpkin pie!
// ★★★★★ Review //
“I’ll be honest, when I first saw this posted on your blog, I thought “why would I bother when it’s so easy to get it from a can?” But I had a leftover pie pumpkin from my Halloween decor so I gave it a go and wow! It tastes sooo much better than canned! So much creamier and sweeter. And still easy to do. I had to add a bit of water to the vitamix to get it going but otherwise the recipe is perfect. I used it to make PSLs and your slow cooker pumpkin oats and they were fantastic.” – Nyssa
Table of Contents
Why You Gotta Try This One
Homemade pumpkin puree might sound fancy, but it’s honestly one of the simplest things you can make. Here’s why I always keep a batch on hand:
- Fresh & flavorful: Homemade pumpkin puree has a brighter color and fresher taste than canned. You’ll notice the difference in recipes where pumpkin really shines.
- Easy to make: With just one ingredient and a few simple steps, this recipe couldn’t be easier. Scoop out the seeds (save them for roasted pumpkin seeds!), roast, blend, and you’re done.
- Versatile: Pumpkin puree is the base for so many delicious recipes! You can use it for pies, muffins, soups, smoothies and so much more! Some of my favorite pumpkin recipes are this healthy pumpkin bread, pumpkin oatmeal and pumpkin protein bars.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s the best part… you only need one ingredient to make pumpkin puree… a pumpkin! Look for a “sugar” or “pie” pumpkin that is about 2 pounds in weight. Regular, jack-o-lantern pumpkins used for carving aren’t great options for making pumpkin puree. The flesh is a bit too stringy and watery. But you can certainly still roast the seeds of a jack-o-lantern pumpkin.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Step 1: Start by cleaning the outside of your pumpkin. Carefully cut in half and scrape the seeds and stringy bits out with a large spoon.
Step 2: Heat your oven to 400ºF and place the two pumpkin halves cut-side down in the oven for 45-60 minutes.
Step 3: After the pumpkin is cooked, remove it from the oven and let cool. Once cool, scrape the flesh from the skin of the pumpkin. The flesh should come off easily – if it doesn’t, it needs to roast longer.
Step 4: Discard the pumpkin skin and place the pumpkin flesh in a food processor or high-powered blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Use immediately or save for a later use!
Brittany’s Tips!
- Use a sharp knife: Cutting pumpkins can be tricky, so make sure you’re working with a large, sharp knife. Never try to cut through the stem because it’s way too tough and can be dangerous.
- Roast until tender: Be patient and roast until the pumpkin is completely soft and fork-tender. The flesh should pull away easily. If it’s still firm, the puree will turn out grainy.
- Strain if needed: Homemade pumpkin puree can be thinner than canned. If yours looks watery, strain it with a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, similar to straining yogurt, for a thicker consistency.
How to Use Pumpkin Puree
There are so many ways to use pumpkin puree. I love cooking with it all year, but it really shines during the fall season. From breakfasts to desserts (and even baby food), here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
- In baked goods: Try my pumpkin cake, pumpkin cinnamon rolls or flourless pumpkin muffins.
- In soup: Curried pumpkin soup or autumn squash soup are perfect for fall weather!
- In a savory dish: Add pumpkin puree to creamy pumpkin pasta or maple balsamic tempeh bowls with pumpkin rice.
- In a drink: Stir it into a pumpkin pie smoothie, pumpkin spice latte, or pumpkin cream cold brew.
- As a snack: Use it in a pumpkin pie yogurt bowl or pumpkin chia pudding. I love topping both with pumpkin granola for extra crunch.
- As baby food: Pumpkin puree is naturally smooth and sweet, making it great for babies. Serve it plain or mix with carrot puree, sweet potato puree, or fruit purees like mango and apple.
- Make dog treats: Don’t forget the pups. Use leftover puree in peanut butter pumpkin dog treats. They’re always a hit!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 2 lb sugar pumpkin
Instructions
- Clean the outside of your pumpkin, cut in half and scrape out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
- Heat oven to 400°F. Place the two pumpkin halves cut-side down on a baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until very soft inside and fork tender.
- Remove pumpkin from the oven and let cool. Once cool, scrape off the flesh of the pumpkin, leaving the shell behind. If there is a lot of thick flesh that is too hard to be scraped up, then the pumpkin needs to roast longer.
- Place the pumpkin flesh in a food processor or high powered blender and puree until smooth and creamy.
- Let cool completely before using or refrigerating for later use. Pumpkin puree should last up to 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Strain if needed: Homemade pumpkin puree is often thinner than canned. If yours looks watery, strain it with a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth (just like straining yogurt) for a thicker consistency.
- Pumpkin type matters: Sugar pumpkins (also called pie pumpkins) work best. Avoid large carving pumpkins because they’re stringy and watery.
- Storage: After your pumpkin puree is cooled completely, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Frequently Asked Questions
For the best results, I’d recommend using a sugar pumpkin (also known as a pie pumpkin). They have a sweeter flavor and smoother texture than large carving pumpkins, which tend to be stringy and watery.
Yes! If you need the pumpkin puree to last longer than one week you’ll want to freeze it. You can freeze large quantities in a freezer-safe bag. You can also freeze smaller quantities in a silicone ice cube trays. This is perfect for smoothies or shakes like this pumpkin protein shake. Just pop the frozen pumpkin out from the ice cube tray and add to your blender! If you need to thaw your pumpkin, just place it in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Nope! You can roast the pumpkin with the skin on. Once it’s roasted and cooled, the flesh will easily scoop away from the skin.
You’ll know it’s ready when the pumpkin is very soft and fork-tender. If it doesn’t easily scrape away from the skin, it needs more roasting time.
Yes — in most cases canned pumpkin is simply cooked, pureed pumpkin. Some brands, however, use a mix of winter squashes and still label it as canned pumpkin. That’s why the flavor and color can vary a little.
What you don’t want to confuse it with is canned pumpkin pie mix. Pumpkin pie mix has added sugar, salt, and spices. Always check the label before buying. Every recipe you’ll find here on EBF uses canned pumpkin (100% pure pumpkin), never pumpkin pie mix.
A lot of work…
I have a can of pumpkin out
right now, ready to make
pumpkin muffins real soon.
I’ll be honest, when I first saw this posted on your blog, I thought “why would I bother when it’s so easy to get it from a can?” But I had a leftover pie pumpkin from my Halloween decor so I gave it a go and wow! It tastes sooo much better than canned! So much creamier and sweeter. And still easy. to do. I had to add a bit of water to the vitamix to get it going but otherwise the recipe is perfect. I used it to make PSLs and your slow cooker pumpkin oats and they were fantastic.
Ah yay! This makes me so happy to hear, Nyssa! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Worked perfect!!
Thanks for the recipe during the national pumpkin purée shortage!
Woo! So glad this recipe worked for you, Sherry!