Homemade Pumpkin Purée

Making your own homemade pumpkin purée is really easy and can be done in just a few steps. The taste alone is worth the extra time it takes to make your own versus buying canned pumpkin at the grocery store. Trust me, you can tell a difference. You can make pumpkin purée, freeze it and have homemade pumpkin purée on hand throughout the year, for whenever those pumpkin cravings hit.

The first time I made homemade pumpkin purée (for pumpkin pie of course) I was blown away at how much better and fresher it tasted than the canned pumpkin you get from the grocery store. That pumpkin pie was the best pumpkin pie I had ever eaten. Since then, I try to make enough pumpkin purée to store in the freezer for all of the pumpkin recipes that I like to make throughout the year.

I like to grow Sugar Pie Pumpkins in my garden for making homemade pumpkin purée. Sugar Pie Pumpkins make an excellent pumpkin purée to use in pumpkin pie and other recipes. You can typically find these at your local grocery store or even farmer's markets. A few types of pumpkins that are common in grocery stores that you can use for purée are:

• Jarrahdale
• Cinderella
• Fairytale
• Kabocha
• Sugar Pie
• Musque de Provence

Do not use the Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins for making a purée, they are stringier and have a higher water content. Because of their stringier pulp and water content, they do not make a good pumpkin purée. However, they are still edible.

You can use homemade pumpkin purée in any of your favorite pumpkin recipes. Just measure it out on a digital scale or in a measuring cup. Try it in one of these delicious treats, Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal or even this Pumpkin Pie recipe.

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Purée

Wash and dry your pumpkin and place it on a large cutting board. It helps to place a damp towel underneath the cutting board to prevent the board from sliding around while you are cutting the pumpkin.

Cut the top off of the pumpkin and then carefully cut the pumpkin in half from top to bottom.

Scoop out all of the pumpkin seeds and pulp from the center.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil. Place face down and roast in a 375° F oven for 50 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and can easily be pierced with a fork. The larger the pumpkin the longer it will take to fully cook.

Cool until you are able to safely handle the pumpkin.

Peel the skin off and place the pumpkin flesh into a food processor or high-powered blender. When using a blender, you may need to add a bit of water to help the blending process.

Pulse until smooth. If it appears to be watery strain the pumpkin through a fine mesh strainer. If it is too thick add a little water.

Now that was easy huh? The pumpkin purée can be used immediately or kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing Homemade Pumpkin Purée

When freezing pumpkin purée, I like to portion the purée out with specific recipes in mind. This makes thawing the right amount for a recipe easier. Freeze in a food storage container, freezer bag or vacuum sealer bag.

Allow the purée to cool completely before freezing. Whenever you thaw the purée, you may need to strain off some of the liquid before using in a recipe.

Here are a few products that I like to use in my kitchen.