From Pumpkin to Puree

Nothing says fall quite like the warm and spicy flavor of pumpkin treats–pies, cookies, coffee, tea, cheesecake, lattes. I love them all! One of my favorite fall activities is throwing on a warm flannel and an apron to make some pumpkin goodies. So you can imagine my disappointment this season, running to the grocery store, excited about baking something pumpkin-y and delicious, only to discover there’s no pumpkin puree on hand. Fortunately, we have locally grown pie pumpkins at our farm stand, so I decided to make my own pumpkin puree.

Here are some tips to help you on your homemade puree adventure:

• Pumpkin puree will keep in the fridge for a few days, but the best way to store it long-term is to freeze or can it.
• Store your pumpkin puree in 15 oz amounts, the same as what comes in a can from the store. Then you can pull it out pre-measured whenever your recipe calls for it.
• Want to know how much puree you’ll get from your pumpkin? Weigh your uncooked pie pumpkin, then divide that weight in half and you’ll get a rough idea of the amount of puree you’ll have by the time you’re finished with the cooking process. For example, my pumpkin weighed 45 oz and I ended up with about 23 oz of puree. 
• Finally, don’t be surprised it your puree turns out bright orange. As you can see from the image below, mine looks that way too. By the time you bake it into your recipe, it will darken to a warm pumpkin-spice brown. Enjoy, and happy baking!

-Casey Perkins

How to Make Pumpkin Puree:

All you’ll need is a cookie sheet, an oven, and a pie pumpkin like the ones in our farm stand from Zandstra Farms! 

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Step 2: Cut your pumpkin in half, remove seeds, and place both halves face down on a cookie sheet.

Step 3: Roast for 30-45 min or until you can easily slip a fork into the flesh of the pumpkin. Let the pumpkin cool until room temp or you can touch it without burning your hands. 

Step 4: Scrape out cooked pumpkin flesh with a fork, then puree in food processor or blender until smooth. Voila! Homemade pumpkin puree! 

8 oz of adorably packaged pumpkin puree

Note: You want the puree to hold its shape slightly when spooned onto a plate. If it’s too runny, let it drain into a colander for an hour or so. If it’s too thick, add a little water.