Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Below is my simple method for making homemade pumpkin puree.   

Each year between Halloween and Thanksgiving, I start dismantling my outside fall decorations.  I usually have about 10 pumpkins to dispose of.  Over the years I’ve come to rely on more Green Disposal Options for Pumpkins and Fall Decorations that includes whipping up a few batches of pumpkin puree. 

Feeling guilty for throwing away perfectly good food led me to start processing some of my fall pumpkins and squash. While my family aren’t huge pumpkin lovers, I’ve found and developed a few recipes that put the puree to great use. 

Choosing Which Pumpkins to Puree

Not all fall pumpkins and/or squash make good puree. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins that are perfect for carving are out.  As are these huge Big Max pumpkins my mom grew a few years ago.  These types of pumpkins are stringy and have less flesh since they’re grown for carving and/or decoration.

It’s not that you can’t process them – I’ve successfully done it with jack-o-lanterns. They are definitely stringier and produce less useable fruit. Now, I reserve the larger varieties for seed harvesting, feeding wildlife, donating to local farms or composting. Instead, I use varieties grown for eating like Fairytale and Sugar Pumpkins to make the puree.   

When selecting my fall decoration, I always grab a few Sugar Pumpkins and pick squash that cooks up well.  One of the benefits of visiting local farm stands like Stoltzfus Pumpkins or Pumpkin Hill, is you can rely on the grower’s expertise when selecting your fall pumpkins.     

Pumpkin Prep

Step one to making homemade pumpkin puree is thoroughly washing the outside of the pumpkins.  Although you will discard the skin, you don’t want to transfer bacteria to the inside flesh when you cut into it.  Next, cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.  You can remove most of the strings and loose seeds with a metal spoon. I’ve even uses the plastic scrapers used for cleaning out jack-o-lanterns for this step.

Place a small amount of vegetable oil on a paper towel and spread on the outside of the pumpkin halves.  Next, sprinkle the inside with some salt and place them cut side down in a roasting pan.

Transfer the pan to a pre-heated 375-degree F oven and bake for 35 – 45 minutes. The pumpkins are done when you can gently pierce through the flesh with a fork or knife.

Pumpkin Processing  

Remove the pumpkins from the oven and let cool in the roasting pan. Sometimes I place the warm pumpkins in a crock pot with the lid on for about 10 minutes, which makes removing the skin super easy.

After the pumpkins are cool to the touch, use a large spoon to remove them from the skin.  Reserve the seeds for roasting and the skin for composting.

Let the pumpkin cool completely then place the pumpkin/squash in a blender. It is very important, that the pumpkin is not hot when you blend it.  I blew the lid off a blender once because I didn’t let the pumpkin fully cool first. No one wants that kind of mess…

Use your blender to puree the cooked pumpkin in batches until it is smooth. 

Straining the Pumpkin Puree  

Depending on how moist your puree is, you may be able to skip this step. I usually remove about two cups of liquid from the puree this way, which is important if you plan to bake with it.

Place three to four coffee filters, overlapping, inside a large colander/strainer. You can also use cheese cloth.  Place your lined colander inside a larger bowl. Transfer each batch of pureed pumpkin to the colander. 

Cover the large bowl and place in the refrigerator overnight. Discard any strained liquid.

Transfer the drained pumpkin puree to an airtight container or freezer bags.  Use the pumpkin puree within one week or freeze for up to three months.  

How I Use my Pumpkin Puree

I have three go-to recipes for using my DIY pumpkin puree.  One is mixing a tablespoon or two in with a serving of vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt. As an extra treat, I sprinkle a teaspoon of mini chocolate chips on top. It makes a delicious breakfast or snack.

My two-baking standby’s for using the puree are Pumpkin Rolls and Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats. I’ll post both recipes on the blog soon. 

Using the puree for the dog biscuits is a two-fer. It allows me to indulge in fall baking but keeps me from eating too many homemade pumpkin sweets. Plus, they make great hostess gifts for holiday parties, Christmas gifts for animal lovers on your list and/or can be donated to local animal rescue groups for their use or for bake sales.

If you try the recipe, please leave a comment below.  Also, let me know how you use plan to use your homemade pumpkin puree.