Pumpkin Butter

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This simple pumpkin butter combines pumpkin, spices, brown sugar, and maple syrup for a delicious toast spread. Easy to make for the fridge or freezer.

My fridge is absolutely full of jams, jellies, and other spreads, but that doesn’t stop me from making new ones as the seasons change.

Right on the heels of my last batch of pear butter I knew I had to make my pumpkin butter recipe. As a certified pumpkin lover, I can’t ever seem to get enough of it when October rolls around.

Pumpkin butter takes pumpkin puree and cooks it with sugar and spices until it is thick and lusciously creamy. It’s perfect on English muffins or even spread onto a slice of pumpkin bread for a double dose of seasonal flavor. 

This recipe makes just about 3 cups, so you can halve the recipe if you like, or share with friends. However, it’s important to remember that pumpkin butter is not suitable for canning! Simply store the jars in the fridge or in freezer-safe containers.

Pumpkin butter is a very easy spread to make for fall. If you love pumpkin pie, you’ve got to make this!

Ingredients for pumpkin butter

Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

• Pumpkin purée
• Brown sugar
• Pure maple syrup
• Vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground ginger
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cloves
• Salt

You can also add a bit of lemon juice to brighten it up, if you like. I usually leave it out.

Equipment

I recommend using a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan for this, rather than using a saucepan. The bigger surface area of the skillet will help the pumpkin cook down faster and more evenly.

You can use a slow cooker to make this, but I generally don’t think it’s worth it for a few reasons. One, this recipe only takes 20 minutes on the stove. Two, you will still need to stir the pumpkin in the slow cooker, so it’s not quite hands off. Third, slow cooking it means you’ll have to add extra liquid (usually in the form of apple juice), which you’ll just be cooking off anyway. Finally, you can’t store pumpkin butter in the pantry, so making smaller batches is much more suitable for home use.

For stirring, I recommend a silicone spatula. It won’t scrape up your pans and the flat edges are good for getting everything off the sides and bottom of the pan.

You will also need a few mason jars or freezer-safe containers. 

How to make this recipe

In a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and spices. Stir well to mix.

Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally. Set a timer for 15 minutes.

After about 5-7 minutes, you’ll start to hear the mixture sizzle and steam as the excess liquid is working its way out. At this point you will want to start stirring more often, drawing the spatula around the bottom and sides, folding the pumpkin over so it cooks evenly.

Continue to cook for the full 15 minutes, then take stock of thickness. If you want the butter to be thicker, continue to cook for another 5 minutes. (If you used fresh purée, you may need to cook longer than this.)

When it is visibly thick and no longer quickly plops off a spoon, remove from heat. Transfer to jars or deli containers. Let cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator.

Storage tips

As a reminder, pumpkin butter should not be canned for pantry storage, as it is a low-acid food.

Instead, store pumpkin butter in the refrigerator or freezer. If storing in the freezer, make sure to use a dowel or chopstick to remove excess air bubbles from the jar, and leave space at the top to allow for expansion.

You can also store homemade pumpkin butter in flat freezer bags, which save space and prevents trapped air issues. Or, freeze in ice cube trays and transfer the frozen cubes to a bag or other container.

Thaw in the refrigerator as needed.

Homemade pumpkin butter will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks, or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Uses for pumpkin butter

This spread is great on a slice of honey oatmeal bread, your favorite morning toast, or pancakes.

You can also use it as an ingredient in other recipes, especially for baking. Give it a try as the filling for pumpkin empanadas, dollop on top of the cream cheese in cheese danishes, or swap it with apple butter for a different taste in baking recipes.

You’ll love this easy pumpkin butter!