Homemade pumpkin pureee is so easy to make yourself and turns out creamy and delicious, perfect for fall baking! Make it yourself in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
Can you believe it’s pumpkin season and I’ve only eaten ONE thing pumpkin-flavored?! I haven’t made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins or Pumpkin Bread … not even my favorite Pumpkin Swirl Black Bean Brownies!
The only thing pumpkin I’ve had is a pumpkin spiced latte from a nearby coffee shop, and I don’t think it truly counts since the flavor came from an artificially flavored syrup and not from the pumpkin itself.
So today I’m whipping up a big batch of homemade pumpkin pureee so I can get started on all my favorite homemade pumpkin treats!
If you’ve ever wondered how to cook pumpkin for pumpkin pie or other fall flavored goodies, I promise it’s really easy to make your own!
WHY MAKE HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PUREE
Before I mix up a bunch of pumpkin goodies, I start by making pumpkin puree. Here’s why I learned how to make pumpkin puree from pumpkin myself.
- It’s frugal. Homemade pumpkin puree is cheaper than the canned pumpkin puree from the store. We save about 5¢ per ounce, which isn’t a ton, but every little bit adds up!
- SUPER easy. You can make it in your Instant Pot, oven, or even the slow cooker!
- Versatile. This homemade pumpkin puree isn’t just for baking delicious batches of Pumpkin French Toast Casserole either. You can use it in mac and cheese, Pumpkin Chili, or even for baby food!
- Anytime you can add more vegetables to a meal, I’m all in. Pumpkin is filled with amazing nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin A (to name a few), making it a great addition to any recipe.
I teach my students in Grocery Budget Bootcamp that the more you save NOW, the more you save LATER. And when pumpkin season hits, I’m usually making EVERYTHING pumpkin, which means needing a lot of pumpkin puree. Making it myself saves me money! For even more tips on lowering your grocery bill, check out the FREE Fight Inflation Workshop. These three video sessions focus on saving money on groceries NOW – despite the rising cost of food. Find out more here.
PUMPKINS FOR PUMPKIN PUREEE
For pumpkin pureee, you really only need pumpkins.
- One baking pumpkin
- Coconut oil (optional)
So which type of pumpkin is best for homemade pumpkin puree?
- The best pumpkins for baking are not the kind you use for carving. Pumpkins are a type of squash, and the bigger they get, the tougher and less pleasant tasting the pumpkin flesh is. Stick with smaller pumpkins for a sweeter, silky finish.
- Aim for the smaller baking pumpkins that are roughly the size of a personal watermelon. Sometimes they are called sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins, and in most stores, they’re labeled “baking pumpkins.”
- You want to choose a pupmkin that’s heavy for its size, without blemishes, and that has a nice orange color. If it’ll be a couple of weeks before you use the fresh pumpkin, choose one with a longer stem to prolong its shelf life.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PUREE FROM PUMPKINS
You have a few options when deciding how to make pumpkin puree from pumpkins.
TRADITIONAL ROASTING PUPMKIN IN THE OVEN
Step 1. Thoroughly wash the pumpkin and dry it with a towel. Preheat oven to 400F.
Step 2. Rub the outside of the pumpkin with 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil. Place the pumpkin on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
You can cut the pumpkin first, although it is easier to cut after roasting!
Step 3. Bake the pumpkin in the oven for 45 minutes to 60 minutes. It is finished when the skin is fork-tender and the flesh inside is soft. Allow the pumpkin to cool on the sheet pan.
Step 4. Cut the roasted pumpkin in half and scoop the seeds out, setting them aside.
Step 5. Continue with the “Making Homemade Pumpkin Puree” instructions below.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN FOR PUMPKIN PIE IN THE SLOW COOKER
Step 1. Thoroughly wash the pumpkin and dry it with a towel. Carefully cut the pumpkin in half with a sharp knife from stem to base, then cut off the stem.
Step 2. Remove the seeds from the center of the pumpkin with a large spoon or ice cream scoop and set aside. The extra pulp can be cooked with the pumpkin, so place that in the slow cooker.
Step 3. Cut each pumpkin half into quarters so that you have a total of eight pieces of pumpkin. Place all pieces of pumpkin into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Allow cooling before handling.
Step 4. Continue with the “Making Homemade Pumpkin Puree” instructions below.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PUREE IN THE INSTANT POT
Step 1. Thoroughly wash the pumpkin and dry it with a towel. Carefully cut the pumpkin in half from stem to base, then cut off the stem.
Step 2. Cut pumpkin halves into smaller pieces if needed and place them on top of the trivet inside your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of water.
Step 3. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.
Step 4. Once the pressure has been released, carefully remove the pumpkin and let it cool before scooping out the seeds.
Step 5. Continue with the “Making Homemade Pumpkin Puree” instructions below.
SHOULD I PEEL THE SKIN OFF OF MY P U M P K I N S?
If you choose the oven roasting method, peeling the skin off the pumpkin is really, really easy. The coconut oil makes the skin a bit crispy, so just grab a piece and pull.
If you chose the slow cooker method, peeling the skin off is difficult. Here’s the kicker though:
The secret to getting homemade pumpkin puree to taste like canned pumpkin puree is keeping the skin on!
Peeling the skin off makes the puree taste sweeter, but it’s a more muted, subtle taste. Keeping the skin on gives the puree a richer, deeper pumpkin flavor we’ve come to love.
MAKING HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PUREE
- If desired, peel the skin from the pumpkin.
- If you’re using a blender or food processor: Place pumpkin pieces in the blender and puree until smooth, for about 2 minutes. I did two rounds in my Blendtec, just to make sure the pumpkin pureee was extra smooth.
- If you’re using an immersion blender: Place pumpkin pieces in a container deep enough to prevent splattering, and puree until smooth.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PUREE
Now that you’ve learned how to make pumpkin for pumpkin pie and other fall baking, you’ll need somewhere to put it until you’re ready to bake!
- Fridge. Pumpkin puree from scratch can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks.
- Freezer. You can also store pumpkin puree in the freezer for 6-12 months. To freeze extra pumpkin puree, divide your puree into ¼ cup portions in a muffin tin. Freeze for about an hour. Remove each “pumpkin muffin” and place it in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
- Home canning is not recommended for safety concerns.
- Note. After sitting, the naturally occurring excess liquid in the puree will separate from the solids. You can either stir the liquid back into the puree before using it or use a strainer and cheesecloth to strain it out.
One baking pumpkin makes about 24 ounces of homemade pumpkin puree.
You can easily cook more than one pumpkin at a time if you need more puree for your fall baking. Actually, this is a perfect example of batch cooking, which is a great way to save money AND TIME in the kitchen.
Remember to set aside the seeds to make your own Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!
PUMPKIN PUREEE FAQS
Can you use pumpkin puree instead of canned?
Yes, you can! To substitute homemade puree in place of canned puree, allow your homemade batch to strain overnight to remove excess liquid. This will help ensure that your recipe has the same consistency.
Is making your own pumpkin puree worth it?
Absolutely! It’s very easy to make and frugal. You will have simple and natural ingredients in your homemade pumpkin puree rather than unnecessary ingredients that go into store-bought cans.
Is canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree the same thing?
Yes, canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing! Perfect for any pumpkin recipe!
RECIPES USING PUMPKIN PUREE
- Healthy Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Homemade Pumpkin Larabar Bites
- Homemade Pumpkin Fudge
- Easy Pumpkin Donuts
- Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
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Homemade pumpkin pureee is so easy to make yourself and turns out creamy and delicious, perfect for fall baking! Make it yourself in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 24 ounces of puree 1x
- Category: Tutorials
- Method: Roast and Puree
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Instructions
Method: Slow Cooker
- Thoroughly wash the pumpkin and dry with a towel. Cut the pumpkin in half from stem to base. Cut off the stem.
- Remove the seeds from the center of the pumpkin and set aside. Extra pulp can be cooked with the pumpkin, so place that in the slow cooker.
- Cut each pumpkin half into quarters so that you have a total of eight pieces of pumpkin. Place all pieces of pumpkin into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Allow to cool before handling.
- Continue with “Making Puree” instructions below.
Method: Traditional Roasting in the Oven
- Thoroughly wash the pumpkin and dry with a towel. Preheat oven to 400F.
- Rub the outside of the pumpkin with 1-2 tsp of coconut oil. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a fork can pierce through the skin of the pumpkin and the flesh inside is soft. Allow the pumpkin to cool.
- Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop the seeds out, setting them aside.
- Continue with “Making Puree” instructions below.
Method: Instant Pot
- Thoroughly wash the pumpkin and dry with a towel. Cut the pumpkin in half from stem to base. Cut off the stem.
- Cut pumpkin halves into smaller pieces if needed and place on top of trivet inside your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of water.
- Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes and let Natural Release.
- Once pressure has released carefully remove the pumpkin and let cool before scooping out the seeds.
- Continue with “Making Puree” instructions below.
Making Puree
- If desired, peel off the skin from the pumpkin. Place pumpkin pieces into a blender and puree for 2 minutes, OR place pumpkin pieces into a deep container and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, approximately 2 minutes.
Notes
- Remember to set aside the seeds to make your own Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!
Nutrition
- Calories: 186
Hi! Tiffany
This year i made made pumpkin puree and after 4 days in the fridge, the top was kind of whitish. Is it bad? It smelled good, i just removed top and froze it…..i would like to know if this is normal. It never happen before but the only difference is that i put it in a larger container this time.
I’m not sure Michael – was the pumpkin covered? You did what I would have done, but I can’t think of any particular reason why it would be white UNLESS it was condensation that had frozen in the fridge.
I tried this yesterday and worked a treat. It was so easy! I used the them to make pumpkin muffins and oh it was so good! Thank you so much for posting this!
can you boil the pumpkin to make the purée?
I don’t know Liliana – I haven’t tried that method before. If you do, please let us know how it turns out!
I have boiled pumpkin. It turns out more watery. But this time I blended the shell too and it was thick like the canned. Thanks for the tip! Did you really mean 4 weeks to store pumpkin in the fridge? Other places say 1 week.
PS. Too bad I didn’t know about including the skin, but I’ll certainly try that next time!
I’m from the Netherlands too (hi, Monique!) and just last week made use of a great sale (€1,39 each) on pumpkins of which I bought 8 (!).
I had read somewhere that they could also be cooked in the microwave, so I cooked 4 at a time for 30 minutes, then spent about an hour peeling them cause I wanted to lose as little as possible. Pureed the lot in my cheap ole blender (which took ages) and dehydrated all the puree. It came to 12.5 cups, which dehydrated down to abt. 2 cups.
So now I’m set to try out all your US pumpkin recipes that I have been drooling over all this time 😉
I have a pile of seeds left and I’m not sure how to make these eddible. I tried (on an earlier ocasion) to dehydrate them but they just ended up DRY… I had to toss them. Can anyone give me a method of roasting them? I’d sure hate to waste them (again)!
Yes Guinan!! Here’s a no-fail recipe for roasting those seeds. SO GOOD! https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/10/recipe-perfectly-roasted-pumpkin-seeds/
Bummer that you peeled the skin, but now you know for next time. Although it might take work, homemade pumpkin puree is awesome, and so gratifying to make. I’m happy to hear it was a success for you! Enjoy all your pumpkin recipes! 🙂
I tried the crock pot method today and it was SO easy. However, NO amount of blending with my immersion blender or with my regular blender (not a Vitamix or BlendTec) would incorporate the skin and I ended up having to mash the puree through a strainer. Any thoughts on why mine wouldn’t incorporate?
I’m not sure Sarah, I haven’t had any significant issues. Maybe adding a tablespoon or two of water would help? I had to do that with one batch that refused to let go of the sides of the blender, lol. I know it took a round or two in my Blendtec, so it might take awhile in a regular blender too. If you ended up straining, I would take your skin along with some strained puree and go for another round. Maybe those peels just didn’t make it to the blades well enough.
I couldn’t get my blender to do anything with the puree (I left the skin on). I transferred it to my 3-cup food processor. That worked great! Within a minute, I had a smooth puree. A full-size processor would probably be too big for a single pumpkin, but if you have a smaller one, you might try that.
Aha! Thanks for the great tip Kim!
Can I can this to save for a later date? Say I wanted to have some throughout the year, would it still be good or a no go?
Yes Amanda. I recommend freezing the puree in ice cube trays, then moving to a bag once frozen. Then you can pull out just what you need for a recipe all year long!
Oh yes! Those are my favorite! I’ve got some seeds right now, pumpkin and squash, ready to be roasted. Thanks for sharing!
I know you stopped by my blog to check out my pumpkin puree, but I wanted to say thanks again! Super easy, and peeling the pumpkin was a lot of fun 🙂
You’re most welcome Kacey! 🙂
Hi Tiffany! Love your blog!
Last fall I made oven roasted puree expressly for the purpose of making lattes.
Boy what an epic fail that turned out to be.
My pumpkin lattes had an aweful grainy texture, not smooth at all. We can’t get canned pumpkin in The Netherlands so I would like to try again this year.
Any tips to improve my lattes?
Thanks so much!
Hi Monique! I’m so happy you enjoy Crumbs, but so bummed your pumpkin puree didn’t work out! I can verify that both of the methods in this post produce a smooth puree, but the one without the skin is the smoother of the two. Just be sure to use something powerful to blend. A fellow blogger recommends heating the pumpkin with the milk – perhaps that’s the trick? It’s made awesome latte’s for me, so I hope it works for you!!
Hi Tiffany,
Thanks so much for taking the time to help! I have just bought some more pumpkin and am definitely going to give your tips a try. And thanks too for the recipe! Will try that out asap 🙂
Best wishes from The Netherlands
Monique
When I worked at a local coffee shop, we used frozen pumpkin puree in the pumpkin spice lattes. It was probably canned pumpkin, but it was real pumpkin and not a flavored syrup!
Aha! So not every coffee shop has stooped so low to syrup. That’s good to know! Maybe I should vacation where you used to work! 🙂
If the pumpkin industry has been fooling us with butternut squash this whole time, they’re going to have some angry folks on their hands. 😉 I don’t think I’ve tried buttercup or cinderella pumpkins. The puree w/o the skin was very mild and smooth, but the puree with the skin was richer like what we’re used to in a can. Now I’m wondering about other varieties!!
Thank you! I have pumpkin puree on hand for my animals – it is great for digestive issues – but hate buying it because part of the can goes to waste. Just this last time, I froze some in an ice cube tray, so I can easily thaw out smaller amounts. But making my own sounds even better – especially when I can get a free baking pumpkin from my grandma – and have heirloom seeds to grow more for next year. I might even have to try some of it myself!
One quick question though – I’d prefer to use the crock pot, but I was told to never use the crock pot without some liquid in it. Is it okay to put just the pumpkin into it without any liquid? I don’t want to break it!
Totally ok. I don’t add liquid with the pumpkin or when I cook chicken. 🙂
I was just looking in my crock pot book – and realized it says to never do FROZEN MEAT without a liquid, not never to use it without liquid 🙂
LOL, that’s a good catch Amber!! 🙂
I just made some in the crock pot for the first time and there was so much juice after. I poured it all in the blender. Will it be to runny to use? I did not add water to slow cooker
Candace – If you let the puree cook down with the lid of the slow cooker cracked, the liquid will evaporate.
I’ve heard that before… maybe in relation to dogs? Brilliant idea on the ice cube tray. I was thinking of doing something similar so I could have pumpkin pie smoothies when the season was over. Pumpkins from your grandma + heirloom seeds is a great little sustainable cycle you’ve got going there. Two thumbs up!!
I use both, baking for puree, and the crock pot for pumpkin butter. This year 10 pumpkins out of the garden. I also take some of the puree and put it in the dehydrator on a fruit roll disk, when its done I powder it and add to my pumpkin spice coffee creamer. It makes the creamer so rich with a true pumpkin flavor.
That is a GENIUS idea Deana. I’ve got pumpkin, and I’ve got a dehydrator. Next on my list is that creamer idea. Thank you for sharing!
If people cannot find pie pumpkins, the same methods work with butternut squash. Once roasted, the flavor is very similar. We have made pumpkin pies with butternut squash and no one notices the difference.
Thanks for the tip Heidi!!
LOL, which I did and ate the entire batch! 😉
I have only tried the oven method, with lots of butter and pepper. Then we eat it right away, just mashed. I’ve never tried making pie or anything from the pumpkin on up.
Do you have an easy method for hulling the seeds? I would love one!
Unfortunately, no. But we eat the seeds whole – roasted and salted. YUM!