Pumpkin Puree

by Sabrina Snyder

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19 Comments

5 Servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Strain 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
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Homemade Pumpkin Puree is an easy way to use up your Halloween pumpkins. Tastes fresh and better than any canned pumpkin. Try it this season!

As soon as you feel that first bite of crisp air in the morning, you know it is officially Pumpkin season! This simple recipe is just what you need to make a delicious Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Layer Cake this fall.

Puree in bowl being stirred
Spatula showing scoop of puree
Close up of puree on spatula in bowl
Recipe Snapshot

Why You’ll Love This Puree?

  • A fun way to use your left over pumpkins and make them into something delicious!
  • Make ahead of time and have on hand for any time you are craving a pumpkin treat.

Sabrina’s Pumpkin Puree Recipe

Pumpkin Puree may seem like a tedious or boring thing to cook since we’re in full swing of holiday baking and cooking, but it’s one of my favorite things to do with my family after Halloween. Even though we are not carving them up to put on the porch for decoration, the kids still love pulling out all the pumpkin guts. You can also save the seeds for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Pumpkin Puree Recipe

Homemade Pumpkin Puree is an easy way to use up your Halloween pumpkins. Tastes fresh and better than any canned pumpkin. Try it this season!
Yield 5 Servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder
Puree in bowl being stirred
PrintRate

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 pumpkin , about 5 pounds

Instructions

  • Add water to large pot on high heat to boil and set a steamer 1 inch above the water.
  • Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the strings/seeds.
  • Cut the pumpkin into 5 inch squares and steam for 45-50 minutes.
  • Let cool then scoop out the flesh.
  • Puree in a food processor and if you want the puree to be thicker (like canned pumpking) strain over paper towels for 1-2 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 925mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 23155IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

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Sabrina’s Tips

The pumpkins I love working with for baking are pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins (sometimes called Cinderella pumpkins). If using your traditional carving pumpkins you may find grey or yellow tinted flesh that may be much more watery.

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About this Recipe

It is totally pumpkin season and I love making homemade pumpkin puree because it inspires me to make all the baked pumpkin treats and delicious Creamy Pumpkin Pasta. One of my favorite fall activities is going to a local pumpkin patch and letting the kids pick out their pumpkins for Halloween. I am picking out pumpkins for a reason other than carving. For this recipe, all you need is pumpkins and water to make your own puree at home. No need to worry about any preservatives, just fresh puree every time!

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes! I suggests buying your pumpkins during Halloween when practically every grocery store has them piled up at the front of the store. You can keep your puree in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week. I would only do this if you plan on using it within a short time of making it, otherwise, it can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. This way you can use is all throughout the holidays whenever you are craving a sweet pumpkin dessert.

How to Store

  • Serve: After making, use right away. Do not leave out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
  • Store: Store in an airtight container and keep in your fridge. It will stay good for up to one week. After that, I would suggest making a new batch.
  • Freeze: To freeze your puree, pick containers that will allow for 1-2 inches of space and freeze in shallower containers or ice cube trays.

Ideas to Serve

  • Pumpkin Chili: The ultimate fall comfort food for warming up on a cold night. Made with pumpkin puree, tomatoes, bell pepper, spices, and ground beef.
  • Creamy Pumpkin Pasta: Creamy pasta with a pumpkin sauce made with pumpkin puree, chicken broth, heavy cream, and nutmeg.
  • Pumpkin Spice Cookies: Chewy cake-like cookies made with pumpkin puree.
  • Pumpkin Muffins: Perfect fall breakfast treat or dessert. Moist and fluffy, made with pumpkin puree, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Pumpkin Fluff Dip: The easiest fall dessert or snack recipe with lots of pumpkin-marshmallow flavor!

Alternative Cooking Techniques

Baked Method

  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the strings/seeds.
  • Rub the cut surface with canola oil and place cut side down onto a baking sheet with a cup of water.
  • Cook for 75-90 minutes.
  • Let cool then scoop out the flesh.
  • Puree in a food processor then strain over paper towels for 1-2 hours.

Boiling Method

  • Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the strings/seeds.
  • Cut the pumpkin into 5 inch squares and boil for 20-25 minutes.
  • Let cool then scoop out the flesh.
  • Puree in a food processor then strain over paper towels for 1-2 hours.

Frequent Questions

What is the difference between homemade puree vs. canned?

The difference between pumpkin puree and canned pumpkin is not in the ingredients. The homemade pumpkin puree will generally be wetter. To have a denser puree you can strain the water out by putting paper towels in a strainer and leaving the puree in the strainer for 1-2 hours.

How much pumpkin puree will a 5lbs pumpkin make?

In general for every pound of pumpkin you’ll have about a cup of pumpkin puree.

Variations

  • Spiced Puree: If your using this just for baking, blend a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves into your puree.
  • Maple or Brown Sugar: You can add maple or brown sugar during blending to enhance the sweetness of the puree.
  • Butter or Coconut Oil: To give your puree is rich glossier texture, you can add a tablespoon or butter or coconut while blending.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Photos used in previous versions of this post

How to boil or steam or bake pumpkins to make puree.

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Can I use my sugar pumpkins for this ? They’re smallish, maybe 4-5 lbs. I think they’re for pumpkin pie making actually. Also, what is a steamer? Can I just use a oven safe dish with water in it to create steam? BTW. I love your site. Your recipes are straight forward and simple. Now my go to recipe site. Thank you !!

    Reply

    1. Sugar pumpkins are perfect for this! A steamer in the pot just allows the pumpkins to be in the pot but not in the water. You can use a metal colander or a baking rack. Anything that’s safe to be in a hot pot would work. Good luck!

      Reply

  4. I live a few miles from the pumpkin capitol of the USA and most of the rest of the world! Eating pumpkins, like the ones used in Libby’s canned pumpkin, are Cucurbita moschata squash. The traditional carving pumpkins are Cucurbita pepo; they aren’t very tasty and generally aren’t eaten.
    Squash, pumpkins, and gourds are in the same plant family.
    Search the site “Huffpost” for more information. Great site, Sabrina—keep up the good work.

    Reply

  11. Oh I love this recipe!! I am always in favor of making things homemade. They just taste so much better!

    Reply

  12. I freeze my pumpkin in muffin tins and once froozen I put them in zip lock bags. That way you 1/2 cup portions to add to stews, soups, even spaghetti sauce or of course baking. Enjoy Annette

    Reply