Homemade Pumpkin Butter

This 5-ingredient Homemade Pumpkin Butter is a rich, thick, perfectly spiced spread that's easy to make (only 5 minutes of prep time!) and tastes even Better Than Store-Bought. We use it as the filling for our copycat Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts, and it's also delicious spread on toast, waffles, or pancakes, in a hand pie, atop yogurt or oatmeal, or swirled into baked goods.

Why We're Not Waiting in Line at Trader Joe's

Good news! This year, you can skip the long check-out lines (and chaotic parking lots) at Trader Joe's, because our homemade pumpkin butter is even better than the store-bought version.

Plus, you don't have to wait until September or hoard jars for next year. Just whip up a batch whenever the craving strikes!

We originally developed this recipe as part of our Pumpkin Pie Pop Tart recipe, but it's so delicious that we all agreed it deserved its own standalone post.

There are SO many ways to use pumpkin butter. You can use it in baking, as a spread or topping, in a latte or even a cocktail, on baked brie or a fall cheese/charcuterie board. Or, if you're like me, you might just eat it by the spoonful. No judgment.

The best part, though, is how easy it is to make. There's virtually zero prep aside from opening a can of pumpkin purée, and you just have to give it a stir every few minutes. It's pretty hard to mess up, so I'd say this recipe is low risk, high reward for any skill level!

If you love making your own fruit butters from scratch, add our Peach Butter and Apple Butter to your list next.

Pumpkin Butter vs. Pumpkin Jam: What's the Difference?

If you've been a Crowded Kitchen reader for a few years, you might remember the Pumpkin Jam recipe we published a few years ago. It looks almost exactly like this pumpkin butter, but they're actually two pretty distinct recipes.

A fruit butter is all about concentration: you cook the fruit down low and slow until the water evaporates and you're left with a thick, smooth, deeply flavorful reduction. It uses less sugar because the flavor comes from the reduction.

A jam, on the other hand, leans on sugar and a bit of acid to do the heavy lifting when it comes to flavor. It's sweeter, brighter and more of a classic preserve.

When it comes to our two recipes specifically, this pumpkin butter uses just ½ cup of sugar per can of pumpkin, versus 2 cups of sugar in our jam. This butter also has more pumpkin spice and it cooks down until it's reduced by about 25%.

Our pumpkin jam also has orange and lemon juice, so it's noticeably sweeter and brighter.

They're both delicious and versatile. But if you're looking for a spread that's super concentrated in pumpkin flavor and less sweet, this pumpkin butter is the option for you! That said, it's also worth noting that because pumpkin jam contains more sugar (a preservative), it will last 1-2 weeks longer in the fridge than pumpkin butter.

Key Ingredients Needed for Pumpkin Butter

• Canned pumpkin: We choose canned for ease of use, but if you have fresh pumpkins sitting around, you can steam or roast them, then purée it. The quantity of purée in a standard 15oz can is just shy of 2 cups. Also, make sure to buy 100% pure pumpkin purée, NOT pumpkin pie mix, which typically contains added sugar and spices.
• Pumpkin pie spice blend: We always have a bottle on hand, but if you don't, you can make your own with individual spices. To replace the 2 teaspoons needed in this recipe, combine: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves and (optional) ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice. You can also multiply these quantities and make a big batch to keep on hand for fall baking!
• Granulated and brown sugar: You can use all one or the other, but we like a mix of both. We have not tested this recipe with a sugar substitute, but would suggest coconut sugar if you want to try.

How to Make Pumpkin Butter

1. Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and whisk or stir with a spatula until everything is well incorporated. 

2. Bring the pumpkin butter to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. 
3. Let the mixture cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 or so minutes, until the pumpkin butter reduces by about 25%. It should be thick, darker in color than when you started, smooth, and more like a paste than a purée. You should end up with almost exactly 2 cups of pumpkin butter. 

Top Tips from the CK Test Kitchen!

• Safety tip: you can not water bath can this! Unfortunately, there are no at-home shelf-stable storage options for this pumpkin butter. It's too dense and too low-acid for water bath canning, so it will spoil. The freezer is your best bet for longer storage.
• Pot size matters: Not too big, not too small – medium is just right. If it's too small, it will take longer to cook down, and if it's too big, it might burn. Also, pot with fairly deep sides will save your stovetop from messy splatter. Seriously, this stuff is like lava. For extra splatter protection, use a splatter screen or partially cover the pot with a lid.
• Add an extra boost of flavor: Swap the water with apple cider. We wanted to keep this recipe as simple and as few ingredients as possible, but cider will add even more sweetness and depth of flavor!
• If it's too thick, stir in a little extra water. If it's too thin, just keep cooking down. When it's done, it should look darker in color, it should be thicker (almost jammy/paste-like in consistency), and it should hold a trail when you drag a spoon/spatula through it.

More Pumpkin Recipes You'll Love

We can't wait for you to make this pumpkin butter in your own home! If you do, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram. We can't wait to see what you're cooking!

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