How To Make Pumpkin Puree

ByLaRee Colburn

Sharing is caring!

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Learning how to make pumpkin puree from a whole pumpkin is not only easy but also much less expensive than buying store-bought pumpkin puree. This rich and velvety pumpkin puree is the perfect base for making all of your favorite pumpkin recipes. Whether you’re baking a homemade pumpkin pie with a sourdough pie crust, whipping up some sourdough pumpkin pancakes, my delicious pumpkin muffins, or pumpkin spice sourdough focaccia bread, this smooth pumpkin puree will infuse your recipe with delightful fall flavors you know and love.

jar of pumpkin puree

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Puree Recipe

  • Easy to make – this hands-off way of making pumpkin puree is very simple. 
  • Great way to use pumpkins – I grow a lot of sugar pie pumpkins in my garden every year.  I store them in my homestead pantry and use the puree to make yummy pumpkin goodies all winter long.
  • Healthy – there are no added ingredients when you make your own purée.  It’s just pure pumpkin, and will be healthiest if made from organic pumpkins, which you can easily grow yourself or purchase from a farmers market.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here

Ingredients

  • Whole Pumpkin – I prefer to make pumpkin puree out of sugar pie pumpkins because they are fairly small.  They also have thick, dark orange flesh, which makes the best puree for baking.  You can bake up any type of pumpkin for making puree, but some of the bigger pumpkins will have a higher water content, so they will make more of a runny puree unless you strain it to make a thicker puree (which is just an extra step).  

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here

Tools

Favorite Sourdough Recipes:

How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Wash your pumpkins.

Place 1 to 2 sugar pumpkins on a baking sheet (parchment paper is optional, but does make it easier to clean up the pans).

Want to save this post?

Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes and homesteading tips from us every week!

baking a pumpkin for maple pumpkin pie

Bake at 400 degrees until soft, usually about 45 minutes, but the exact time will depend on the size of your pumpkins.  If you are baking larger pumpkins, you’ll need to bake them longer.  You’ll be able to tell they are done when you can gently press in on the side of the pumpkin (it will feel soft).

Allow the pumpkin to cool.

Then separate the meat of the pumpkin from the seeds and the pumpkin skin.

peeling a baked pumpkin for puree
peeling and sorting seeds out of a baked pumpkin for puree-

Puree the meat of the pumpkin with an immersion blender, a food processor, or a regular blender until it has a smooth texture.  This will give you the smooth and velvety pumpkin puree you will need for baking.

pumpkin puree for pumpkin sourdough bread

Enjoy this fresh pumpkin puree in your favorite pumpkin desserts or even in savory recipes like pumpkin pasta. 

Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week, or in zip-top bags in the freezer for up to three months.

homemade pumpkin puree

Tips

  • You can save the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds if you wish.  Just wash them well and then roast on a baking sheet with some butter and spices (my favorite is garlic salt).  
  • Try making a delicious pumpkin spice latte with some of this delicious pumpkin puree. 
  • One of my favorite ways to use this homemade puree is in my pumpkin sourdough bread.
  • If you are baking larger varieties of pumpkins, you can cut them in half and remove the seeds before baking.  Then bake the pumpkin halves face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the pumpkin flesh is nice and soft.
  • Homemade pumpkin puree can be stored in one-cup portions in the freezer for use in pumpkin dishes all winter long.

FAQ

Pumpkin puree can quickly be made by roasting a pumpkin in the oven and then pureeing the flesh of the pumpkin.

Yes, you can use a regular pumpkin to make pumpkin puree, but you may have to strain the pumpkin puree to get a thicker consistency for use in baking.  Certain types of pumpkins like large carving pumpkins have a higher water content in them and therefore make more watery puree unless it is strained out.

Yes, canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing.  Homemade pumpkin puree is pure because it’s only made with one ingredient, while the canned stuff from the grocery store can sometimes have added preservatives.

More Recipes Like This

jar of pumpkin puree next to a small pumpkin

How To Make Pumpkin Puree

Learning how to make pumpkin puree from a whole pumpkin is not only easy, but also much less expensive than buying store-bought pumpkin puree.   This rich and velvety pumpkin puree is the perfect base for making all of your favorite pumpkin recipes.   Whether you're baking a homemade pumpkin pie with a sourdough pie crust, whipping up some sourdough pumpkin pancakes, my delicious pumpkin muffins, or pumpkin spice sourdough foccacia bread, this smooth pumpkin puree will infuse your recipe with delightful fall flavors you know and love. 
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
cooling time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Serving Size 4 cups

Want to save this post?

Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes and homesteading tips from us every week!

Equipment

  • 1 Baking sheet
  • 1 Immersion blender or food processor – for blending the puree
  • 1 Airtight container – for storing pumpkin puree
  • 1 Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer – optional, for straining runny puree

Ingredients

  • 1 Sugar pie pumpkin

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  • Wash your pumpkins.
  • Place 1 to 2 sugar pumpkins on a baking sheet (parchment paper is optional, but does make it easier to clean up the pans).
  • Bake at 400 degrees until soft, usually about 45 minutes, but the exact time will depend on the size of your pumpkins.  If you are baking larger pumpkins, you'll need to bake them longer.  You'll be able to tell they are done when you can gently press in on the side of the pumpkin (it will feel soft).
  • Allow the pumpkin to cool.
  • Then separate the meat of the pumpkin from the seeds and the pumpkin skin.
  • Puree the meat of the pumpkin with an immersion blender, a food processor, or a regular blender until it has a smooth texture.  This will give you the smooth and velvety pumpkin puree you will need for baking.
  • Enjoy this fresh pumpkin puree in your favorite pumpkin desserts or even in savory recipes like pumpkin pasta. 
  • Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week, or in zip-top bags in the freezer for up to three months.

Notes

You can save the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds if you wish.  Just wash them well and then roast on a baking sheet with some butter and spices (my favorite is garlic salt).  
Try making a delicious pumpkin spice latte with some of this delicious pumpkin puree. 
One of my favorite ways to use this homemade puree is in my pumpkin sourdough bread.
If you are baking larger varieties of pumpkins, you can cut them in half and remove the seeds before baking.  Then bake the pumpkin halves face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the pumpkin flesh is nice and soft.
Homemade pumpkin puree can be stored in one-cup portions in the freezer for use in pumpkin dishes all winter long.

I'm a homeschool Mom of 5, living out my dreams of growing a simple, sustainable life on our Nebraska homestead. I'm passionate about gardening, preserving, cooking from scratch and baking with sourdough. I enjoy milking Jersey cows and making our own dairy products. Come along with me as I share with you the skills you'll need to be successful at homesteading and frugal living.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating