Homemade Pumpkin Butter Recipe

This easy Homemade Pumpkin Butter is the perfect fall spread for breakfast and dessert. Add it to your toast, pastries, yogurt, or sandwiches for a delicious fall flavor.

Pumpkin Butter

There is something about fall that makes me want to make different kinds of fruit butter and sauce. Now the most popular ones we enjoy all year long are homemade apple butter and this strawberry applesauce.  

But when fall hits, I get the urge to turn all the summer fruit into a thick delicious spread. Fruit butters are the perfect thing for toast and sandwiches. 

I used to make peach butter, plum butter, and pear butter every fall, but it has been years since I made one.

This year I wanted pumpkin butter to use in some sweet rolls.  I decided to go the lazy route and buy pumpkin butter.  The only problem is that I couldn't find it in any store.  

Finally, I found a jar at Target, but it wasn't the color I was really looking for.  I bought it anyway, and regretted it as soon as I tasted it.  It was thin, runny, and didn't really have that homemade taste I was looking for.

I should have known that making your own pumpkin butter is always the best way to go. Plus, it's super easy to make on your stovetop or in a crock pot.

What is Pumpkin Butter?

Pumpkin butter is pumpkin puree that is mixed with sugar and spices and cooked down to a creamy thick spread.

Ingredients for Homemade Pumpkin Butter

A few pantry staples, a big pot, and some time to simmer the mixture down to a thick and delicious spread is all you need to make pumpkin butter.

• Canned Pumpkin Puree - Do not buy the pumpkin pie mix as that has sugar and spices added to it already. You want the pure pumpkin for this recipe.
• Apple Juice or Apple Cider - Either one will work in this recipe or you can substitute water instead.
• Spices - I used a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.  You could also use pumpkin pie spice instead.
• Sugar - A mixture of granulated and brown sugar is what we use. You can also just use one or the other.
• Butter - A little bit of butter added to the mixture gives it a smooth and silky texture.
• Vanilla Extract - Adds just a little bit of flavor to the end product.

How to make Pumpkin Butter

1. Combine the pumpkin puree, sugars, juice, spices, and butter in a large pot.  
2. Heat it over medium heat until it is melted together and it begins to bubble.
3. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring often, until it is thick and dark.
4. Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the vanilla. 
5. Let it cool before spooning it into jars or containers and refrigerating.

Pro Tip: Place a lid over the top leaving a little bit of room for steam to escape as it thickens. This will keep the pumpkin butter splatters to a minimum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can pumpkin butter be made in a crock pot?

Place everything but the vanilla in a crock pot and stir until combined. Cook on low heat for 5-6 hours, stirring often, until the pumpkin butter is to your desired thickness.

Stir in the vanilla, cool, and spoon into containers to refrigerate.

How long does homemade pumpkin butter keep?

Pumpkin butter will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks as long as you store it in an air tight container.

Can you freeze pumpkin butter?

Pumpkin butter can be frozen in freezer bags or containers for 6-12 months. Be sure to label your bags with what it is and the date it was made.

Can you can pumpkin butter?

Canning is NOT recommenced for pumpkin butter because of the low acidic content. Bacteria can grow and spread in these kind of conditions making it unsafe to eat canned fruit butters.

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Uses for Pumpkin Butter

• Spread it on toast, biscuits, pancakes, cinnamon sugar waffles, or bagels.
• It is also delicious on pumpkin scones and pumpkin muffins.
• Stir spoonfuls into Greek yogurt or hot oatmeal. It's also great in overnight oats.
• Dip crackers, cookies, pretzels, or fruit into it.
• Swirl it into cheesecakes, coffee cakes, or muffin batters.
• Spread it on sandwiches with your favorite nut butter.

How to use Pumpkin Butter in recipes

This spicy and dense Apple Butter Cake is topped with a sweet vanilla bean glaze. This is a delicious dessert for fall parties.

These soft Cinnabon Muffins have a secret ingredient that makes them light and fluffy. Spread them with pumpkin butter and enjoy a delicious fall breakfast.

This Apple Crumble Cake has layers of cake, apple butter, cinnamon oatmeal crumble, and a sweet glaze to top it off.  It is the perfect cake for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Enjoy a parfait made with Homemade Granola with honey, yogurt, and pumpkin butter for a delicious breakfast or afternoon snack.

A pan of these easy Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls makes a great breakfast or afternoon snack.  It’s like having a warm bite of fall on a plate.

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