You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own homemade pumpkin puree from scratch. You only need 1 ingredient, and its bright color and delicious flavor are perfect for all your favorite pumpkin recipes!
Anyone have some pumpkins lying around that you don’t know what to do with this time of year? Making your own pumpkin puree is a GREAT way to use them!
Fresh pumpkin puree has a lighter color and more vibrant, fresh flavor than canned pumpkin puree, since it hasn’t been canned. It’s easy to make, inexpensive, and a fun fall baking project!
You can add this easy homemade pumpkin puree recipe into all kinds of delicious pumpkin recipes, from sweet recipes like Homemade Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins to savory pumpkin recipes, like Pumpkin Chili and Pumpkin Taco Soup.
It’s simple, nourishing and delicious. No special skills or fancy equipment required!
And the best part is, you only need 1 ingredient to get started on this easy recipe…
Start With Simple Ingredients & Tools
- A Fresh Pumpkin. First, you’ll need a whole pumpkin. Aim for one with a VERY hard outer shell, as this means it’s fully mature & ripe. Our favorite kind of pumpkin for pumpkin pure is sugar pumpkins (sometimes called sugar pie pumpkins or pie pumpkins), but check out the section below if you want to try another type of pumpkin!
- A Sheet Pan. For roasting!
- A Blender or Food Processor. To get the puree super smooth.
- Bonus Points: A Sieve. If you have one, a fine mesh sieve is a great last step for the best homemade pumpkin puree. We’ll use it to drain excess liquid so you don’t water down your recipes!
Which Kinds Of Pumpkin Are Edible?
Some gourds are meant for decoration ONLY, but many types of pumpkins are edible! A few varieties to keep an eye out for in grocery store, pumpkin patch, or the farmers market include:
- Sugar Pumpkins (or Sugar Pie Pumpkins) – Our go-to!
- Cheese Pumpkins, including Long Island Cheese, New England Cheddar,
- Doll Pumpkins, including Blue Doll & Porcelain Doll
- Pam Pumpkins (sometimes called Hybrid Pam)
- Lumina White
- Flat White Boer Ford
- Cinderella & Fairytale
- Jarrahdale
- Black Futsu
- Kabocha Pumpkins (different than Kabocha squash!)
How To Make Pumpkin Puree, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (This makes for easy clean-up, prevents sticking, and helps the pumpkin steam.)
- Wash & Cut The Pumpkin. Then, wash the outside of the pumpkin very well, removing any dirt or debris. You want it squeaky-clean! Turn the pumpkin over, starting with the bottom of the pumpkin and use a sharp knife to cut the pumpkin in half, toward the stem. (I find this is easier than starting at the stem end.) Carefully pull the pumpkin apart.
- Remove The Seeds & Pulp. Using a large spoon or your hands, scoop out the pumpkin seeds and most of the stringy pumpkin pulp trapped around the seeds. It’s perfectly fine if there are a few strings left, you just want to remove the loose pulp around the seeds. Discard the seeds & pulp, or rinse the seeds to remove the pulp to dry and roast later!
- Roast The Pumpkin. Place pumpkin halves cut side DOWN onto the prepared baking sheet and roast the pumpkin 45-60 minutes, or until the pumpkin starts to collapse on itself, and the pumpkin gives way very easily when pressed with a fork. The shell of the pumpkin may start to brown on the outside, this is fine!
- Puree. Cool the roasted pumpkin until it’s cool enough to handle, then scoop out the cooked pumpkin flesh from the pumpkin shell. Work in batches to add the roasted pumpkin flesh to a blender or the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth. If using a blender, stop regularly to stir so you don’t overwork your blender motor!
- Strain. For best results, place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and add the pumpkin puree to the sieve. (Do NOT press down on the puree, just add it to the sieve!) Let the excess water drip down through the sieve into the bowl for about 30 minutes to remove excess moisture from the smooth puree. This will give your baked goods & recipes the best texture!
- Enjoy or Store. Use this delicious pumpkin puree in your favorite pumpkin recipes, or store for later. Chill in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days, or freeze in freezer bags up to 3 months. (You can freeze up to 6 months, but I find the flavor is best when used within about 3 months.)
Pumpkin Purée isn’t just for baking! You know I love pumpkin desserts, but pumpkin can be great for savory uses, too! You can use a potato masher instead of a blender for a more rustic texture, then mix in butter, salt, and pepper, or butter & brown sugar to turn it into a fall side dish, or mix it into savory recipes, like pumpkin ravioli, Pumpkin Chili or Pumpkin Taco Soup!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Strain Out The Extra Liquid. For the best result, we recommend straining the extra water out of your pumpkin puree before using or freezing it. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, add the puree to the sieve, carefully not to press on it, and let the water drip out naturally over 30 or so minutes. The puree leftover will have a less watery texture and give you the best flavor!
How To Freeze Pumpkin Purée. I like to add pumpkin puree to freezer bags and press out any extra air. Then, I lay the bags flat on a cutting board or plate until they freeze so they freeze flat. They’re easier to store and thaw quicker this way! Prefer adding smaller quantities to smoothies, sauces or soups? You can also freeze pumpkin puree in ice cube trays, then transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer bag.
How Much Pumpkin Puree Do You Get From 1 Pumpkin? Pumpkin sizes will vary, but we found that a 4-pound pumpkin gave us about 2-2 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree in our tests. Some pumpkins have thicker shells and less flesh (or more water that drains out), so there will be some variety to how much puree you’ll get! (An average 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree has 1.75 cups of puree.)
How To Pick The Best Pumpkin For Pumpkin Puree
Smaller pumpkins are better for pumpkin puree than large ones. Large pumpkins (like big Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkins) tend to have more water and less flavor than smaller pumpkins, which have better texture and flavor. Look for a pie pumpkin, sugar pumpkin, or one of the other edible varieties listed above! We like pumpkins in the 3-5 pound range.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Homemade Pumpkin Puree recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Ingredients
- 1 3-5 pound pie pumpkin*
- Sheet Pan
- Food Processor or Blender
- Fine Mesh Sieve
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (This makes for easy clean-up, prevents sticking, and helps the pumpkin steam.)
- Wash & Cut The Pumpkin. Then, wash the outside of the pumpkin very well, removing any dirt or debris. You want it squeaky-clean! Turn the pumpkin over, starting with the bottom of the pumpkin and use a sharp knife to cut the pumpkin in half, toward the stem. (I find this is easier than starting at the stem end.) Carefully pull the pumpkin apart.
- Remove The Seeds & Pulp. Using a spoon or your hands, scoop out the pumpkin seeds and most of the stringy pumpkin pulp trapped around the seeds. It’s perfectly fine if there are a few strings left, you just want to remove the loose pulp around the seeds. Discard the seeds & pulp, or rinse the seeds to remove the pulp to dry and roast later!
- Roast The Pumpkin. Place the pumpkin cut side DOWN onto the prepared baking sheet and roast the pumpkin 45-60 minutes, or until the pumpkin starts to collapse on itself, and the pumpkin gives way very easily when pressed with a fork. The shell of the pumpkin may start to brown on the outside, this is fine!
- Puree. Cool the roasted pumpkin until it’s cool enough to handle, then scoop out the roasted pumpkin flesh from the pumpkin shell. Work in batches to add the roasted pumpkin to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. If using a blender, stop regularly to stir so you don’t overwork your blender motor!
- Strain. If possible, place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and add the pumpkin puree to the sieve. (Do NOT press down on the puree, just add it to the sieve!) Let the excess water drip down through the sieve into the bowl to remove excess moisture from the puree. This will give your baked goods & recipes the best texture!
- Enjoy or Store. Use pumpkin puree in your favorite pumpkin recipes, or store for later. Chill in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. (You can freeze up to 6, but I find the flavor is best when used within about 3 months.)
Notes
- How To Pick The Best Pumpkin For Pumpkin Puree. Smaller pumpkins are better for pumpkin puree than large ones. Large pumpkins tend to have more water and less flavor than smaller pumpkins, which have better texture and flavor. Look for pie pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, or one of the other edible varieties listed above in the blog post!
- How Much Pumpkin Puree Do You Get From 1 Pumpkin? Pumpkin sizes will vary, but we found that a 4-pound pumpkin gave us about 2-2 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree in our tests. Some pumpkins have thicker shells and less flesh, or more water to drain out, so there will be some variety to these results!
- How To Freeze Pumpkin Puree. I like to add pumpkin puree to freezer bags and press out any extra air. Then, I lay the bags flat on a cutting board or plate until they freeze so they freeze flat. They’re easier to store and thaw quicker this way!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/homemade-pumpkin-puree/
Thanks for the tips! This gives an extra cozy feel to pumpkin baking
Whoa, cool!! I might have to try this. I also had a really hard time finding pumpkin and couldn’t figure out why! Who knew there was a pumpkin shortage? The fact that the store clerk couldn’t believe you didn’t know that kind of cracks me up.