Good morning!
This weekend is our Canadian Thanksgiving, which seems strange to me after the weekend madness, but I am just happy that I am not the one preparing the entire meal this time. ;)
I have been thinking of something that I could bring for my in-laws that would make a fun Thanksgiving hostess gift. I didn’t feel like bringing cookies, pie, or something of that nature, so I put my thinking cap on and surfed the web for ideas.
And then it hit me like a ton of bricks pumpkins.
Happy Thanksgiving Homemade Pumpkin Butter
This was super easy to make and quite delicious. I doubled the batch below so I could have some to enjoy myself. This will be fantastic spread onto pancakes, toast, or even layered with Vegan Overnight Oats! The possibilities are endless, and I plan to find them all. ;) Note that I reduced the sugar by 1/3 of a cup as I didn’t want it super sweet. You can adjust the sugar and seasonings to your own taste of course.
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree, approx. 3 1/2 cups or fresh
- 3/4 cup apple juice
- 1/2-1.5 teaspoons ground ginger (optional, sometimes I omit)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil, covered with lid ajar (I prop it with a wooden spoon). Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer, covered with lid ajar, for 35-45 minutes, stirring frequently. Be careful as the mixture bubbles and pops!
2. Remove from heat and let it sit for a few minutes before removing lid. Adjust spices to taste. Stir in lemon juice. Once cool, pumpkin butter can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Makes enough to fill one large mason jar or about 3.5 cups.
Note: Canning is not recommended.
Get your super cute Mason jar and set aside…
Dump everything into the pot except the fresh lemon juice. Once the mixture is cooked it will be thick and creamy!
Allow your pumpkin butter to cool before putting it into your Mason jar.
Wheeeeeeeee.
Now decorate your jar with curly ribbon and a tag…
Disgustingly cute, I would say.
Hmm, what is that white circle on top of the jar?
The recipe!
And there you have it.
A simple and quick hostess gift that can be enjoyed all season long. Just don’t forget to make a batch for yourself! ;)
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{ 156 comments… read them below or add one }
If I was small enough to live in a jar, I’d live in that one. That looks SO delicious! What a lovely gift :)
what a perfect gift! i think i know what i’m making today :) thanks for the great recipe!
Such a gorgeous presentation! This is one of my favorite parts of Fall!
so excited to go grocery shopping today so i can buy a ton of mini pumpkins and spread them about my apartment :)
Ohh – this would make such a lovely gift!
LOVE this. Wow, I didn’t know pumpkin butter was SO easy to make because I know apple butter is quite intensive. Definitely going to make this! :) Love the color too!
I just love this! Such a great idea!
I am so excited for Thanksgiving this weekend! :)
I am so stoked for thanksgiving. This recipe looks pretty awesome! I would love to try it!
What a cute gift! I love how you put the recipe on the top as well. Once I find more pumpkin, I’ll be making this for sure!
I’m adding pumpkin to everything these days and this seems delicious! One more pumpkin recipe to make ;).
I JUST asked on my blog if anyone had a good recipe for homemade pumpkin butter!
Thank You! Thank You!!!
I was totally thinking of you when I read this. Now I want to make this pumpkin butter and your sandwich. Yum!
What a great idea!! I’ve been searching for cute, simple, (yummy!), & meaningful gift ideas… this is perfect! :)
mmmm i love pumpkin buttaaaa! had no idea it was so easy to make! i would probably drink that jar lol
Oh wow I didn’t know how easy it was to make pumpkin butter! Will be making this.
A simple hostess gift, yes. A way to not have to buy store bought pumpkin butter, also yes. Thank you! :-)
what a great idea!
I’ve been wanting to make pumpkin butter for ooooh about 2 years now. Maybe this will be THE year :) Thanks for reminding me about it!
What an adorable idea!
OHMIGOSH ANGE… I CAN COMMENT AGAIN!!! Yay!
So to finish my comment… that punkin butter looks delicious, please save me some ;)
Actually, I should probably make my own because I would love to give some out to my hostess/family this thanksgiving! Awesome idea!
xoxo
Kris
Ahhhhhh!!!!
What do you think happened?? That is so weird!! Im so happy to see your comments :)
How long do you think this would this last in the fridge?
Im not certain but Smitten Kitchen offers a way to preserve it on her original post that I linked to. :)
“To preserve: Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into hot jars, filling to within 1/4 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.”
Another way to can them is just put the pumpkin in really hot put the lid on and cover with a towel and they will seal themselves that’s how we do it at home. Sometimes a couple won’t seal but we just take it off and try again or just throw those in the fridge to use first
This method of canning is extremely dangerous! I have been judging canned goods at county fairs for 16 years and I am only telling you this out of concern. Please, please do not use this method to can anything! The chance of making a person sick is much higher! As a side note, pumpkin butter is not considered a safe product to “can”. It is safe in the refrigerator or freezer. As a side note, responding to a previous comment, changing the amount of sugar, spices, or acid (lemon juice for example) in any recipe that you will be “canning” (hot water bath or pressure canner) is not a safe practice. The sugar content as well as the acidity of the product is measured precisely in recipes and changing that could end up making a person sick.
How long can I store in fridge?
Yum! I’ve always wanted to try pumpkin butter. What better time than now when I have a recipe I can make on my own rather than pay an arm and leg for it at Whole Foods :)Thanks!
This idea is beyond adorable and would make really cute table settings if you used smaller mason jars on Thanksgiving Day..so cute and creative!
It really does look phonenomenal too =)
Oh my goodness, this would make SUCH a cute hostess present! Love it!
Lovely gift!! I will have to make pumpkin puree (no canned pumpkin in Germany, no Sir :-( ) and just give it out to people – as we don’t have Thanksgiving here I’ll be celebrating my own little feast! :-)
Oh, and I bet it would also work with the recipe stuck to the bottom – then your lid would be all shiny and beautiful! ;-)
I almost bought some pumpkin butter in Ohio and then I declared “I’ll make it myself!” I’ve been wanting to make this forever but have been to intimidated…so thank you!!! Have a wonderful thanksgiving!
I’m a huge fan of TJ’s Pumpkin Butter, but it is a bit sweet (a little goes a long way) – what a fantastic , homemade alternative! Your photos just gave me the warm fuzzies.
You must be a mind reader! Just this morning I was hoping you had a pumpkin butter recipe in your repertoire. I can’t wait to try this!
Is Sucanat a replacement for sugar? If so, where do you get it in Canada?
This looks tasty! & I love the personal touch of the “Happy Thanksgiving” note on the mason jar.
I love giving gifts in jars — and this pumpkin butter looks delicious!
I hate giving STUFF to people for gifts (unless there is something they asked for) — only because we all have so much stuff that I like to give things people can use up: food, alcohol (!), concert tickets or cash!
This looks AMAZINGLY delicious! I’ve never had pumpkin butter before, believe it or not. I wonder if I could make sweet potato butter…
Ahh…I forgot it is earlier in Canada! I was thinking, what’s with all of the Thanksgiving stuff? lol
Awesome idea. Just what I was looking for..Is there a way to seal the jar so that it can be stored in the cupboard until ready to use? Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe.
Why can’t I can it?
There is a link that states why this product should not be canned.
http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/pumpkin_butter.html
:) Happy Fall!!
Thanks for the recipe. I purchased some pumpkin butter this Sunday, and it was cloyingly sweet (more so than another brand I purchased last year). As is typical for me, I immediately thought, “I could make this better from scratch.” Behold: your perfectly time post. It made me smile. And it made me hungry, too!
Glad the timing was good :) Enjoy making it, its fun!
Love it! I would love to try to make pumpkin butter starting with a pumpkin – however, using canned pumpkin would be much quicker.
That pumpkin butter looks amazing! I’ve tried pumpkin seen butter before but not butter made from the actually pumpkin flesh. Thank you for the recipe! :)
What a great idea! I love it!
I am a huge fan of pumpkin and will definitely be making this and adding it to my fall recipes, thank you! :-) As usual, you come up with (adapt) the best recipes!
BEAUTIFUL. You are going to make all the other seasons jealous! Your autumn recipes are completely gorgeous and delicious.
I’m a tad jealous this weekend’s your Thanksgiving..you think it’d be alright for me to celebrate over here with you guys? ;)
Why of course!
That is too stinking cute!! I love the ribbon and recipe idea!
I have been making homemade pumpkin butter for years, using a very similar recipe. If you want to go all out, you can make it with real pumpkin, either roasted (which is the best, but takes a lot more time) or boiled. i’ve even used the cheap carving pumpkins. It has such great flavor! I make HUGE batches and freeze them.
Perfect timing. I was going to look for a pumpkin butter recipe today! Been drooling over pumpkin and apple butters for a while now. Can’t wait to give this one a try! :)
Such a thoughtful and easy idea. I love DIY projects :)
Love, love, LOVE this idea — I’ve made rhubarb butter and never even thought of pumpkin butter. I will probably just use an apple (put in my vitamix with some pumpkin) and then transfer to a pan to cook with the spices. Great idea for a hostess gift, or even teacher gifts! Thanks (our Thanksgiving in US isn’t until November, so I still have some time).
I absolutely love that idea! You’re so creative!
What an awesome hostess gift! My boyfriend’s parents are always feeding me, so I was hoping to make them some homemade goodies as a thank-you basket @ Thanksgiving…this will definitely be going in there! What did you serve it on? I’m thinking toast or maybe crackers?
When I was growing up we ate it on plain bread or made peanut butter and pumpkin jam sandwiches – yummy!
Love it! Just might have to do this for co workers and friends.
Is it too heavy to ship reasonably??
You always have the best ideas! =)
That looks delicious! One of my favorite fall treats is apple butter, it goes well on everything. So I am eager to try the pumpkin version!
I have been meaning to make pumpkin butter for over a month, great reminder and inspiration! thanks!
This looks great Angela! I tried pumpkin butter for the first time last year and loved it, but haven’t been able to find a vegan one since then (they all seem to contain honey). I guess I’ll just have to make my own!
Spectacular! what a great idea. ;)
Angela, I LOVE your recipes! I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for another awesome idea!!
This is an amazing hostess gift! I need to try out this recipe. I would put pumpkin butter on EVERYTHING!
What a fabulous idea!!! I need to make this for my parents when I go home for Thanks Giving Break!!
cloves are a LOVE of mine..I mean, I adore the way they smell! I can only imagine how amazing your house smelled after the pumpkin + sugar + cloves mixture was brewing…WOW. Delish!! And you’re so right this would knock the socks off anyone and would make a STELLAR hostess gift.
The only thing I wonder about is the lemon juice? I love things pretty sweet so I think I would take it easy on the lemon juice I think….but I should probably just trust your recipe and do as you say and use half a lemon’s juice, huh :)
Amazing! What a cute idea. I think this is something I can get everyone around my house to enjoy. :)
Hey Ange – when do you add the lemon juice. I have a bunch of frozen home made pumpkin puree in my freezer, hoping to give it a go to see if it comes out with what is in the freezer!
Looks easy and delicious. My two favorite things!
Please be sure your readers know that home canning of pumpkin butter is NOT considered safe. See http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/pumpkin_butter.html Pumpkin is low acid, and therefore can support the growth of botulism. Instead, homemade pumpkin butter should always be refrigerated or frozen.
Wow I didn’t know that. Thanks for the helpful info. I have removed Smitten Ktchen’s instructions on preserving.
Just FYI: it grows Clostridium botulinum, NOT botulism. Botulism is the disease, Clostridium is the bacteria. If you’re going to inform people do so knowledgeably. And just about anything can grow bacteria if left unrefrigerated.
This looks amazing! Did you process your jars in a hot water bath? I don’t have one, but this recipe makes me want to go buy one! You can never have too many fall flavors! : )
The jars were sanitized in the dishwasher, however I will be putting it in the fridge.
I’m so glad you just posted this because my sister and I are making some this weekend, now we have a recipe to use!
Super cute! For some reason, I had in my mind that making pumpkin butter would be some huge, drawn out process…you make it look simple enough that even I could give it a decent shot! ;)
Ahhh! LOVE LOVE LOVE that idea! Thanks, as ALWAYS, for the disgustingly cute idea, Angela!!
What a wonderful idea!! Do you have some recommended ways to use the butter? I would love to hear them!
A perfect dip for gingersnaps!
What a cute and delicious idea!
I will have to remember that one this year!
That’s a great gift. I love things in a jar.
Yay now I can finally try pumpkin butter! How long do you think this will last in the fridge? Whenever I open a can of pumpkin it tends to go bad within a week or two.
what an awesome idea for a gift. i can’t see myself giving any of this away though ;)
This looks like an excellent gift to make for myself :-)
I make mine with orange juice (recipe on my blog ‘kabocha jam) but I must try apple juice.
Have you tried making it using kabocha squash? Amazing.
Thanks for the recipe – I just made it, and it’s amazing! I’ll be serving it later with biscuits, but I just want to eat it now with a spoon! It’s so good, and a definite must-make for fall.
Thanks for the recipe! I am going to make this for friends/family as a fall treat! :)
super cute! love this idea, i think i’m going to steal it :)
Perfect!!! I have tons of pumpkin puree that I need to use but have run out of baked goods and oatmeal uses for it! I’m definitely going to make this.
This is so exciting and makes me eager for our Thanksgiving festivities next month. I have already been trying to plan out what special gift I can bring to my family this year, now that I am newly married and this looks like the perfect idea. Thanks so much for sharing! All of your recipes look delicious and make me want to run to my kitchen and bake my way through your blog.
So delicious! I just made a batch and stirred it into my oatmeal. I used half maple sugar, half brown sugar but I don’t think I would do it that way again as there isn’t much of a maple flavour.
This looks amazing!! You have totally inspired me. I was wracking my brains trying to think of something to bring to my inlaws as a hostess present when we visit them in Chicago in a couple of weeks.
Question: Do you think this would be shelf stable?? Like would it survive the plain trip in a carryon/checked bag? Thanks in advance!
I don’t think it would be shelf stable for long…
Hi Angela,
My name is Amanda Factor, and I am the online editor of Bunchland.com. I’d love to include this recipe in today’s newsletter and on our website, as we want to give our audience some pumpkin recipes. Please let me know if I can use this recipe and maybe some of your photos (credited, of course, with a link to your site). Thanks so much.
Just emailed you :)
Umm..I just made this and had to practice SERIOUS SELF CONTROL in order to not eat the entire batch out of the pot….wow…better than pie! I was supposed to make pasta for dinner but that’s been kiboshed…oats and pumpkin butter for dinner whee!!!
making this recipe, right now! can’t wait :) yum, thanks for sharing!
I just made this and it seriously is addicitng! It is so good!
I JUST made a batch … however, it turned brown. Possibly from the dark spices and brown sugar?? Either way, it is DELICIOUS, especially over icecream!! Mmmmm!!
Thank you so much for the awesome recipe!!
Thank you SO much for this recipe! I made this morning and spread it on a gluten free dutch baby with toasted pecans and it was DELICIOUS.
Your blog is a constant inspiration. Thanks to you I’ve stopped weighing myself and am so much happier. (the world hasn’t ended and my clothes still fit!) :)
This looks SO good – can’t wait to try it!
Beautiful pictures. Will definitely make this simple and tasty looking recipe.
I’m starting to think you post too much. I check my blog list multiple times a day and yet I somehow missed this post! I came here through a blog that I got to through another blog and I am so glad I did. I was just contemplating making pumpkin butter. By the way, just a little FYI, you rule in the kitchen! Can I come work for you? I’d work for pumpkin butter…
I CANNOT wait to make this receipe this fall!
I’m looking forward to making it again too! One of the best things about fall….yum
how many jars does this recipe make?
Hi Brandy, It makes about 3.5 cups (I think it filled one large mason jar for me)
LooKs very yummy! But how is pumpkin butter served? Is it more or a dip or does It act like a nut butter?? Thanks :)
I love it on toast or in oatmeal…I tend to use it as a breakfast food. I also have a recipe or two that Ive used it in (squares)
I love pumkin butter. I like to heat up mine on the stove to be nice and warm…then i pour it over some vanilla icecream. Very yummy.
I just wanted to let you know how much I love and use this recipe! I love it with yogurt, granola, and a little maple syrup! I bake with it as an oil replacement, I’ve given it as gifts to my gluten-free vegan organic foodie friends (like me! I’d love a gift of something delicious and homemade that I could eat and I didn’t have to make myself!
I’ve made it with fresh ginger (my favorite), apple juice, apple cider, sucanat, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, my brother-in-law’s honey, and local maple syrup. I don’t think I could pick a favorite!
fresh ginger sounds incredible! Thanks for letting me know. I cant wait to make it again soon…maybe this time with a fresh pumpkin pie squash?
A friend directed me to this recipe. It is so good! It is really delicious in oatmeal.
Yum! This sounds so good.
What a great gift idea! I can’t wait to try this recipe out and give it to some of my friends as a gift. Thanks for sharing!
Julia
Found your recipe on pinterest. I just made it and it’s cooling now. It’s delicious!!! I’m afraid there won’t be any left to put in the jar because hubby and I keep tasting it. Thanks for the great recipe!
Enjoy Shannon!
THANK YOU for the “Canning not recommended” disclaimer. I wish more bloggers would be so diligent!
I’m generally a big worry wart so I like to err on the side of caution.
Thank You for the recipe. This is the perfect time of the year for this pumpkin butter. Every year I make pumpkin bread and freeze it to eat all year. And I give alot of it away as presents too for the holidays. So this will be something else I can try. It’s quite comical every year right after Holloween. All the punpkins get throwed out on the curb for the trash man but I always try to beat him to them. Last year one family threw out six lg. pumpkins. I was in pumpkin heaven. I took them all home and baked them done and pureed the meat in my processor and then put them in freezer bags. So when I want to make fresh pumpkin bread I just pull out a freezer bag full of pureed pumpkin and get to baking. So Happy baking and cooking girls.
haha love that!
Quick question..can you put the mixture into a crock pot instead of cooking it stovetop? If so, about how long would you recommend or is it just until the desired consistency? Thanks!
I made this recipe for two of my teachers who wrote me letters of recommendation as a thank you, and they LOVED IT! It is seriously so good. Not to mention, my entire house smelled like fall :)
aw so glad to hear that!!
I just want to thank you for adding the amount of fresh pumpkin that you need if you want to use it instead of canned. So many recipes don’t do that. Also for the warning not to can it as written. Great info, can’t wait to try it.
This may be a stupid question but is there actually no butter in this?
Nope, I know the name is deceiving!
Am gonna try this for sure. Always looking for different thing to do with pumpkins. YUMMY
Just made my first pumpkin butter, thanks for the recipe. Mine turned out quite lumpy cause of the type of pumpkin I used to I attacked it with a hand blender! I’ve never had pumpkin butter so don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like but I may be in love. Mixed some into pancake batter (non-vegan, sorry!) and they turned out great!
Oh my this is a fantastic recipe. I use this on oatmeal, over yogurt, make pumpkin spice lattes with it and even in homemade granola bars and smoothies. I keep it in the smaller mason jars and freeze them. They thaw perfectly in the fridge and I always have a supply on hand!
Can you freeze it after you put in jars? I freeze all my other jellies, so I don’t have to worry about them sealing.
I love this recipe. The only thing I changed is that I substituted coconut sugar for the refined sugar so that recipe would be low glycemic. I put it on pumpkin pancakes and it is off the hook!
Thanks for the recipe. i have made it before and absolutely love it.
Thank you so much for this lovely recipe. I tried it the other day and it was delicious. It was my first time trying pumpkin butter and I love it! Thanks again!
Thank you for posting this!!!! i fell in love with pumpkin butter last year…but refuse to pay the 8.00 i paid for a small jar!
this was so easy to put together..i dont have clove so i just omited the nutmeg and used pumpkin pie spice in place of those two. and added a little extra brown sugar..
it made waaaaay more than i had expected it too!! it was nice and thick too!! will for sure be making this again!
what is shelf life of pumpkin butter once in mason jar?
Ive kept mine in the fridge for over 1 month. enjoy!
lovely hostess gift:) what are nutritional values such as carb count etc?
Can’t wait to try but the lemon juice listed in the recipe is never used so why is it listed?
How do you keep the pumpkin butter pumpkin color instead of brown? It taste great. Love this for holidays.
I just made this, and while it is absolutely delicious, mine looks nothing like yours!! It is VERY dark and not thick and creamy like yours! I know it didn’t burn and I even tried to cook it a little longer with the lid off in hopes it would thicken up but it didn’t. Not sure what I did wrong but even if it’s not as pretty as yours it’s still very yummy!!!
This looks yummy ! I live a couple states away from my family and wanted to contribute to their thanksgiving feast in some cute way and this is perfect ! But I have some questions . . Does it need to be refrigerated or is it safe to over night ship ? What do you put pumpkin butter on ? Bread , crackers ?? Thanks much !
Yes I recommend refrigerating it for sure. You can use it on so many things…graham crackers, pancakes, oatmeal, parfaits, on top of quick bread, toast, etc
Hi! I just made this pumpkin butter. It is so amazing! I could barley get it into the jars without eating it!
I have been reading your blog for about a month now. I found it on accident but it was truly a blessing. I have been suffering from disordered eating. I try to stay in control of my eating but I end up going back to old eating habits. You have given me inspiration and motivation to kick this ED in the butt! I read your story and I’m so proud of you! You are a true, real life role model for lots of people. Thank you so much!
Hey Samantha, Thanks for your kind words! So glad to hear you are getting on a healthier path. I’m glad the pumpkin butter was a hit too!
Just finished making the pumpkin butter. Used only half the brown sugar. I find the sweetness of the apple juice and 1/2 cup of brown sugar is perfect for us. Thank you so much for this recipe. As soon as it cools I will place in smaller jars with your beautiful idea of attaching a pumpkin tab and give it to my daughters for thanksgiving.
I’m excited to try this recipe! I’ve tried others, but I this one looks quite good. :-) For those wondering you absolutely can use a crockpot. Five hours on low, stirring several times. My crockpot runs hot so doesn’t take that long. You want the butter thick enough to stick to a spoon upside down. It freezes nicely, use within six months. So happy to find this blog!!!
Stupid question …. What can I use it for? On toast? Muffins?
I don’t know if someone has all ready asked this but could I use coconut sugar or would you suggest to just use brown sugar. I just happen to have a bag of coconut sugar and thought to ask. Thank you!
A friend & I are going to make this for gifts & I’m curious how long it lasts before going bad? I want to do it in advance of course, but don’t want it to go bad, lol…
Hey Kimberly, I think it usually lasts in my fridge for a few weeks or so (in an air tight container or jar). Hope this helps!
Cloves of what … garlic ?
Can this be frozen and saved for later?
Can this be frozen?
Could I use honey instead of the sugar?
What a great way to use left over pumpkin this holiday season! I would put this on everything!!