Pumpkin Butter
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Slather it on toast, swirl it into oatmeal, or spoon it over pancakes—this pumpkin butter instantly makes everything taste like fall.
Pumpkin butter is an autumn fruit spread (yes, pumpkin is a fruit!) made from canned pumpkin and other sweet and spicy ingredients, like apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The mixture is simmered over low heat until the flavor is concentrated—just 25 minutes—and tastes like the richest, most delicious pumpkin pie filling you can imagine.
Similar to apple butter, there’s no actual dairy butter in this pumpkin butter recipe. The term butter refers only to its butter-like consistency and use as a spread. The recipe makes about 2 cups, or one 16-oz jar full, but it can easily be doubled or tripled if you’d like to make extra to give away as presents over the holidays.
“I had friends over for coffee so I cooked up a few biscuits and served them with the pumpkin butter. It was a huge hit. Everyone wanted the recipe. I will be making more to give as gifts for Christmas!”
Ways To Use Pumpkin Butter
- Spread it on salty crackers or toast
- Dollop it on waffles or pancakes with maple syrup
- Spread it on biscuits, English muffins, or scones with cream cheese
- Mix it into Greek yogurt and top with granola
- Use it as a filling for crepes
- Whisk a few spoonfuls into egg/milk custard for French toast
- Spoon some into oatmeal or overnight oats
- Add it to vanilla milkshakes or smoothies
- Stir it into a latte
- Whip a few spoonfuls with softened butter to make whipped compound pumpkin butter and spread it on dinner rolls, buttermilk biscuits, or cornbread
What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Butter
- Pumpkin purée: The base of the recipe—smooth, rich, and full of natural sweetness and earthy flavor.
- Apple cider or apple juice: Adds a touch of fruity sweetness and helps loosen the pumpkin as it cooks down.
- Light brown sugar: Sweetens the pumpkin butter and gives it a warm, caramel-like depth.
- Cinnamon, cloves & ginger: Classic pumpkin pie spices that bring cozy, aromatic warmth to every spoonful.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine the ingredients. In a medium heavy saucepan, mix together the pumpkin, apple cider (or juice), brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt.
Step 2: Cook until thickened. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat (since it’s so thick, it’ll look more like a lively sputter than a rolling boil). Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring now and then so it doesn’t stick. Cook until it’s thickened and glossy, about 20 minutes.
Step 3: Cool and store. Let the pumpkin butter cool completely, then transfer it to a jar. Refrigerate until ready to serve—and enjoy it on toast, pancakes, or straight off the spoon!
More Pumpkin Recipes You May Like
Pumpkin Butter
Sweet, spiced, and perfectly spreadable—this easy pumpkin butter tastes just like fall in a jar.
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can 100% pure pumpkin
- ½ cup apple cider or apple juice
- ⅔ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- Heaping ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine the pumpkin, apple cider (or juice), brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over med-high heat (because the mixture is so thick, it will be more like an active sputter). Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid just slightly ajar, stirring occasionally so the pumpkin butter doesn't stick to the bottom, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then transfer to a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: Pumpkin butter will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Note: If doubling or tripling the recipe, the cook time will be a bit longer, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (32 servings)
- Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 18
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Sodium: 11 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I don’t have apple cider vinegar or juice. Is there another substitute….like maybe regular vinegar?
Hi Ana, I think you could get away with using water in place of the juice or cider. Keep in mind it may not have quite as much flavor without the juice/cider and you may need to add a pinch or two of sugar.
How would I go about processing this in a water bath (in glass canning jars) for preserving like a jam?
Hi Linda, I didn’t develop this recipe for preserving/canning so I can’t say for sure that it would be safe. I’m sorry!
Hi Linda, I didn’t develop this recipe for preserving/canning so I can’t say for sure that it would be safe. I’m sorry!
Once again you’ve hit it out of the park Jen! I brought little jars to share with my Pilates class as a surprise gift and am enjoying the messages I’m receiving….loved it over an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, had it for lunch on crackers, stirred it into my oatmeal. My delight is on a toasted whole wheat English muffin schmeared with cream cheese. This recipe is a keeper!!!
What a nice way to add some pumpkin in a unique way. This is EASY and FAST to make and nice that we can freeze some for another time (when we are missing pumpkin again..) Lovely flavour and I am going to enjoy it in some of the many ways mentioned. Thanks Jen!
This is a fantastic tasting spread and so easy to make! Thanks Jenn!
Delicious!!!
This is so easy and so good. I made it this morning and enjoyed it on an English muffin. A jar would be a perfect hostess gift for the holidays, especially when paired with one of Jen’s cakes, breads, or muffins. It looks so pretty in a mason jar with a decorative lid.
Any thoughts on how long this will keep in the fridge? I know a couple of people that would love this, but would want to advise them on how soon to use it up.
Hi Robby, it will keep nicely in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Hope everyone enjoys!
If someone has fresh pumpkin, can he / she roast and blend to a puree to substitute for the can? If so, how long do you recommend I roast a portion of the fruit?
Hi Leo, definitely! Here is some guidance on roasting pumpkin for pumpkin puree.
Could I use stevia in place of the brown sugar?
Hi Kathryn, I wish I could help but I’ve never worked with sugar substitutes so I can’t say how it would impact the recipe. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it with one!
Any Suggestions for using it?
Hi Barbara, If you scroll down under the intro, you’ll see a list of various ways you can use it. Hope you enjoy if you make it! 🙂
1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp chia seeds
2 tablespoons pumpkin butter
Sprinkle cinnamon
Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice
2 Tablespoons raisins
Mix together in small jar/container & refrigerate overnight. So good!