The essence of fall comes together in this easy to make creamy spread. Slather it on toast, biscuits, waffles or top oatmeal. This Pumpkin Butter recipe is freezer-friendly and makes a generous gift. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan + gluten free.
This recipe was first published in 2015. I updated it Oct. 2019 with new photography and additional notes and tips!
A quick recipe to whip up and so delicious to have on hand for slathering on all the things, homemade pumpkin butter is easy to make and freezer friendly! It has the consistency of apple butter, and tastes like pumpkin pie. Ummmmm… are you with me?
Table of Contents
How to Enjoy Pumpkin Butter
Use it as a condiment like you would jam, sauce or chutney.
- Slather it on biscuits
- Dollop on top of sourdough pancakes
- Spread it on waffles
- Dip fresh sliced apples into it
- Swirl it into oatmeal
- Stir it into your French toast custard
Pumpkin Butter Recipe FAQs
What is it made of?
The simplest ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Pumpkin puree – I like homemade, but you can use canned if you like
- Brown Sugar
- Apple Juice or Apple Cider
- Maple Syrup
- Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, and Ginger or Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Juice
How long does it last?
I’ve stored pumpkin butter up to one week in the fridge with good results, up to a year in the freezer!
Does pumpkin butter need to be refrigerated?
Yes! Because it’s perishable, refrigerate or freeze your pumpkin butter.
How to Make Pumpkin Butter
Stocking the freezer ensures year-long slathering of this Fall treat. Here’s how to make it:
- First, in a large saucepan or sauce pot, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, apple juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla and sea salt. Set heat to medium, and stir frequently.
- Next, the pumpkin mixture will start to sputter and spit. Once this starts, stir, reduce the heat to low, lid the pot and cook stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until thickened. This time will vary depending on type of pumpkin puree used.
- Last, remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and spoon into jars. Refrigerate until ready to use. Pumpkin butter will thicken as it cools.
If you’re passing the fridge and need a quick treat, I won’t judge (wink).
Can You Can This Pumpkin Butter Recipe?
I was curious about canning this sweet Fall treat, so I referenced my great grandmother’s 1935 Ball Blue Book of Canning. It recommended canning pureed pumpkin in a water bath for three hours. However, times have changed and we now know more about food safety. Upon checking further, the USDA does not recommend canning pumpkin puree.
So make room in the freezer; pumpkin butter freezes in individual lidded jars beautifully. And it makes a gift your friends and family will wrangle each other for.
A Few Recipe Notes
- I like using fresh homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe, but canned pumpkin works well too. Use about two cans.
- Note cooking time may need to be adjusted due to variation in moisture content in pumpkin puree. The more moisture, the longer the cook time. I find homemade pumpkin puree to have more moisture than canned.
- Rather use coconut sugar? Use the same recipe subbing coconut sugar for brown sugar. It’s not as sweet as brown sugar, so I suggest increasing the coconut sugar to taste.
- Looking to can this recipe? The National Center for Home Food Preservation does not recommend canning pumpkin butter.
- Freezer friendly? Yes please! Freeze in lidded containers for up to six months!
More Pumpkin Recipes to Love
- Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake with Chocolate Maple Drizzle
- Pumpkin Porridge
- Pumpkin Scones with Maple Drizzle
- Homemade Pumpkin Seeds
RELATED: Learn how to make Roasted Pumpkin Puree, how to store it and how to Roast Pumpkin Seeds!
the recipe
Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 C (565g) Pumpkin Puree * homemade or canned, not pumpkin pie
- 1/4 C (52g) Dark Brown Sugar**
- 1/2 C (130g) Apple Juice unsweetened
- 1/4 C (75g) Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Cinnamon ground***
- 1/4 tsp Cloves ground
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg ground
- 1/4 tsp Ginger ground
- 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pot with lid, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, apple juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla and sea salt. Set heat to medium and stir occasionally.
- When the pumpkin butter begins to sputter and spit, put the lid on the pot, turn the burner to low and cook for about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pumpkin butter will turn a darker color and begin to thicken the longer it cooks. I find canned pumpkin puree to be dryer than homemade pumpkin pure. The more moisture the puree has the longer it will need to cook.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Place in covered container or jars. Refrigerate for up to two weeks or freeze for up to six months. The pumpkin butter will continue to thicken as it cools.
Man what I wouldn’t give to have that stack of biscuits and pumpkin butter in my mouth right now, lol! Such a beautiful way to display pumpkin butter which is so worth it to make. :)
This pumpkin butter looks so incredibly luscious!! I would love this with a slice of coffee cake :)
Oh my… on coffee cake! Now that would be sooooo good Sarah! :D
My kiddos and I simply adore this creamy pumpkin butter! I especially like that it’s vegan and gluten free. Plus, the recipe is really easy to follow. We prefer to spread it on toasts and biscuits or sometimes add this to our oatmeal. Tastes like heaven. I believe even those who hate pumpkin spice wouldn’t resist this butter. Btw, thank you so much for suggesting some other delicious ways to use this recipe. I love your ideas to dollop this on top of pancakes and dip sliced apples into it.
Thank you for such an informative post and all of the useful tips Traci! I’m your big fan!
Hiii Ann! Thank you for your note, rating and review! SO happy to hear y’all are enjoying the pumpkin butter. Isn’t it sooo nice in oatmeal? And of course biscuits! One of my favorite ways too! :D
Love the new photos and tips Traci! I remember this recipe fondly. And since you first posted, I’ve tried it AND yoga too! I enjoyed the pumpkin butter so much more than the yoga! Lol! I’m sure I was doing it all wrong because my back and neck still hurt! Ugh! Can’t wait to try this again this season. Happy weekend! Enjoy fall!
Heey Mare! Ohhhh I love hearing that you tried it AND yoga too! But I get it ;) LOL!
Hello! What else should we use instead of maple syrup?
Hey there! You can use more brown sugar to taste or agave nectar. The recipe is pretty flexible. I hope this helps. ☺️
Hiii!
Quick pumpkin butter question ~ I’d love to make this for gifts. Some will be shipped out and take 4-7 days to reach their destination. Too long to be out of the fridge/freezer, you think?? And just how long do you think it could safely last without being in the fridge or freezer (maybe I could expedite shipping ;) )!! Thank you so much for sharing with us all :)
Hi Arvie! What a generous and delicious gift! However, I don’t recommend shipping this pumpkin butter as it is not shelf stable. It needs to stay refrigerated or frozen for food safety purposes. Perishable food should not be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours per FDA. I hope this helps!
Yeah, I was pretty sure I knew that! But was secretly hoping! Haha!!! Thank you tons :)
Wow this sounds fantastic!! I’ve actually never had pumpkin butter before, I need to change that asap!
Oh Kelley! It’s time for Pumpkin Butter! :D
I love pumpkin butter. Thank you for the recipe. I can’t wait to try it. It’s always delicious on toast or english muffins
Your welcome Amy! I love it too… on english muffins?! Oh my!! Yessss!! :D
I was about to swear off from making anymore pumpkin-flavored things this year as I went a little overboard the past few weeks.. but this recipe looks so delicious that I think I’m going to have to accept the fact that pumpkins will be a part of my daily food pyramid all throughout fall (and maybe winter, depending on how long the pumpkin butter lasts!)
I love your comparisons between lessons learned in yoga & eating this pumpkin butter– I can’t wait to practice all of my restraint in not consuming multiple spoonfuls of the butter right after I make it! I’ve been dabbling in yoga for the past few years, but I would love to make it a more consistent part of my life.
Thank you for sharing this with the rest of the world!
Oh I hear ya, Lauren! I feel like I’ve been eating pumpkin in some form every day since it’s come into season this year. I just love it! Hahaa!! Daily food pyramid!! :D Me too! No doubt, it’s a goal of mine too to make sure yoga is a more consistent part of my life. It’s so good for us! You welcome and thank YOU for sharing! :D
Can’t wait to try this!! ???
Beautiful post. Your photography is so inspiring. Thanks for sharing, Traci <3
This pumpkin butter looks amazing! Seems like the perfect thing to add to a slice of toast for dessert! Definitely can relate on the yoga front as well, but you have inspired me to give it another go!
What a great recipe to find in my inbox this morning! My mouth is watering. Beautiful photos – you’ve really captured that lovely, deep pumpkin color – I can almost smell Autumn coming out of my laptop! Thanks Traci, looking forward to trying this over the weekend!
STEF
I have never taken a yoga class Traci. If I did, I would absolutely have to be in the back row. I am sure all the older people in the room would be schooling me on the right way to do all the moves. Coordination issues! I can actually see how it relates to this deliciously yummy looking pumpkin butter. I have never tried to make pumpkin butter either, but from the glorious looks of it in that pot I need to try it soon. And what a wonderful gift to share with friends! Thanks for sharing and have a fabulous weekend!
I wanted to be in the back row, but my lovely new teacher put me square in the front :D . I was definitely taking note from the ladies in the class, especially when the teacher came over to give me pointers! I loved how the women had such great flexibility…. such an inspiration being that several have silver hair! I want to be like that!! I hope you enjoy the pumpkin butter, Mary Ann. It is just lovely!
Traci – I love pumpkin butter, it’s like spreading pumpkin pie on my toast. I was given a yoga mat for Christmas last year and have yet to take it out of the original packaging! I believe it’s time. Life is prompting me because it’s the fourth time this week the subject has come up. I thank you.
Sue Blando
Oh yes! Pumpkin pie on toast! Excellent, Sue! I love how subtle hints from the Universe seem to nudge us.. sounds like it IS time to take that yoga mat out of it’s packaging! :D
I think the discipline part is where I might come unstuck making this pumpkin butter – it just looks insanely good, I can’t imagine being able to stop myself from eating it all at once! That dark golden caramel colour is just gorgeous – it must be the perfect breakfast topping for whatever you are eating. Your yoga class experience sound lovely and peaceful as well – that is what I most like about going running too, like it is a chance to clear my head and just enjoy being outdoors. x
Haaahaaa! I had a tough one with that too, Claudia! Finger lickin goodness! I’ve heard this too, about running. The euphoric feeling. Being outdoors is my medicine too! But usually in the form of hiking or walking or gazing :D Running is such an excellent exercise!
Thank you for this post. The first time I tried yoga (over a year ago now) I remember getting into my car following that first session, melting into my seat, driving home, and literally thinking – if more people did yoga it would likely take care of a lot of road rage. I loved it. I stopped after a handful of times and now I’m wondering why… Thank you for this beautiful recipe and the tips that go with it. Have a lovely day, Traci. :)
:D Melting into your seat! Yessss!! Indeed, road rage would be done for good. New habits are hard to establish and while I’ve only been a few times, it is my intention to make this a new habit. Thank YOU Annie!