Homemade Pumpkin Puree
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You will be surprised how easy it is to make this homemade pumpkin puree from scratch. All you need are fresh pumpkins, and a good blender to turn it into a smooth puree. In about an hour, you can have rich pumpkin ready for all your favorite fall desserts.
Believe it or not, I am not one of those people who jumps into the pumpkin craze every fall because it seems everyone wants to add pumpkin to just about everything, and I do not always agree. But I will admit, pumpkin pie spice blend and cream cheese frosting are a match made for all the best baked pumpkin treats.
Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin puree is made from roasted fresh pumpkin that has been finely processed until smooth. The flavor of a puree is subtle but really stands out when added to a recipe.
The main reason I use this method is for cooking and baking recipes, just like I do in my pumpkin pie recipe and pumpkin roll cake. In addition, this would be the process if you wanted pumpkin baby food. Just an FYI.
Making my pumpkin puree recipe is pretty simple and takes just over an hour from start to finish. The best way to guarantee pure pumpkin flavor in your baked recipes is to use fresh pumpkin like I do, since many canned versions are actually made with other types of squash.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pumpkin – It is best to use an heirloom pumpkin or pie pumpkin for this recipe.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree from Scratch
Slice the pumpkin: I use a long sharp knife to cut the pumpkin in half. I take my time with this step since pumpkins are firm and need a little extra pressure to slice through safely.
Clean: I use a large spoon to scrape out all the seeds and fibrous strings from the center of each half. I make sure the inside is clean so it roasts evenly.
Prepare for roasting: I place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake: I bake the pumpkin at 400 degrees for about 1 hour, until it becomes very soft when I gently squeeze it.
Cool the pumpkin: I let the roasted pumpkins cool at room temperature until they are easy to handle. This makes it safer and simpler to scoop out the soft flesh for blending.
Remove the flesh: I use a spoon to scrape the soft pumpkin flesh away from the skin. You can also peel the skin off, but I prefer scraping since the skin tends to break apart and takes more time to remove cleanly.
Make the puree: I add the cooked pumpkin to a food processor in small batches and blend on high speed until it is completely smooth. I check the texture as I go to make sure it has the right consistency for baking or cooking.
Chef Tip + Notes
My recommendation when making pumpkin puree is to check the texture before you use it. If it looks too dry, I add a tablespoon or 2 of water while it is blending to help it smooth out. On the other hand, if the puree is too watery, I pour it into a fine strainer or some cheesecloth and let it sit for about 20 minutes. This allows the extra liquid to drip out, leaving me with a thick, rich puree that works perfectly for baking or soups. Trust me, getting the consistency right is key in how recipes taste later.
- Avoid large pumpkins: I stay away from big carving pumpkins because they are too fibrous and do not blend smoothly. Smaller pie or sugar pumpkins cook evenly and make a creamier and sweeter puree.
- Roast, do not boil: Roasting brings out the natural sugars and gives the puree a richer flavor. Boiling can make it too watery and dull in taste.
- Let it cool before blending: I give the roasted pumpkin time to cool slightly before adding it to the food processor. This keeps it from steaming up and becoming too thin.
- Blend in small batches: I work in smaller portions to make sure the puree is smooth and even. This helps avoid overloading the food processor and keeps the texture consistent.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 5 days ahead of time.
How to Store: Cover in an air-tight container and keep it in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days. This pumpkin puree will freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day or until soft before using
Favorite Recipes to Try It In
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 1 heirloom pumpkin or 2 pie pumpkins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Start by slicing the pumpkin in half with a long sharp knife. Be careful when doing this because pumpkins are firm and can take a little extra strength to cut through.
- Using a large enough scrape out all the pumpkin seeds and fibrous strings in the center of each half.
- Place the pumpkin cut side down on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the pumpkin at 400° for 1 hour or until it becomes very soft when gently squeezing it.
- Cool the pumpkins to room temperature or until they can be easily handled.
- Using a spoon scrape all the pumpkin flesh away from the skin. Another way to do it is to peel the skin away from the flesh, however I find that the skin breaks up too much and I spend more time looking for it then actually getting it off.
- Add the cooked pumpkin in batches to a food processor and process on high speed until it becomes smooth to make pumpkin puree. See chef notes on consistency.
I have been making pumpkin puree for decades and freezing it because one of my old canning books (I’m over 70) stated that puree pumpkin should not be home-canned.
Is it safe to can pumpkin puree in a pressure canner? I did so for many years and never had a problem, but stopped doing so after reading the article for fear of it not being safe.
I’m sure you could but without testing it myself, I’m not 100% sure of the outcome.
Turned out perfect.
many thanks!