This easy homemade pumpkin butter recipe is made with pumpkin, warm spices, and maple syrup for a rich, cozy spread perfect for toast, oatmeal, baking, and fall breakfasts.
Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.~Rumi
Velvety-smooth and dreamy-delicious, this homemade Pumpkin Butter recipe is Autumn in a jar. Made with real pumpkin, maple syrup, and warming fall spices, it comes together in just 30 minutes and fills your kitchen with the cozy aromas of pumpkin season. One of our favorite fall recipes!
Fresh ginger adds a bright, gingery bite, while dried ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg bring layers of warmth and depth. This pumpkin butter is lightly sweetened, not overly sugary, with a thick, spreadable texture similar to apple butter. Use it as a spread on sourdough toast, swirl it into overnight oats or oatmeal, spoon it over pancakes, or add it to your favorite fall meals.
Every pumpkin has its own natural sweetness, so taste your pumpkin puree first and adjust the maple syrup and spices to your liking. The beauty of homemade pumpkin butter is that it is made exactly how you love it.
And yes, canned pumpkin totally works here! But if you have the time, making your own pumpkin puree is surprisingly easy and adds an extra layer of rich pumpkin flavor. For even more pumpkin goodness, try it with this Double Spice Pumpkin Bread-it is wonderfully moist and full of fall spice.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Pumpkin Butter
- Fall Flavors: This recipe captures all the cozy and comforting flavors of the fall season, with the perfect combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and maple syrup.
- Easy to Make: Making pumpkin butter is really simple and takes only about 30 minutes. With just a few ingredients and minimal effort, you can create a delicious and homemade spread that will impress your taste buds.
- Vegan-Friendly: A delicious vegan, dairy-free alternative to butter and, unlike vegan nut butter, it is lower in fat while still offering a luxurious creamy texture. This pumpkin butter recipe is suitable for those following a plant-based lifestyle.
Pumpkin Butter Recipe Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree: You can use either fresh pumpkin puree, made from sugar pumpkins or canned pumpkin puree. If using canned pumpkin, add 1/2 cup of apple juice to the recipe for added moisture. You can also use other winter squashes like Butternut or acorn squash!
- Sugar: The recipe calls for regular white sugar, but you can also substitute it with coconut sugar or brown sugar for a different flavor profile.
- Maple syrup: This ingredient adds moisture and a caramelly depth to the pumpkin butter. Feel free to adjust the amount to your preference.
- Fresh & dried ginger: The combination of fresh and dried ginger gives the pumpkin butter a complex and aromatic flavor. Be sure to use both for the best result.
- Nutmeg & cinnamon: These classic fall spices add warmth and depth to the pumpkin butter. Adjust the amount according to your taste. Fee free to us pumpkin spice!
- Salt: A small amount of salt enhances all the flavors in the pumpkin butter. Don’t skip this ingredient!
- Apple cider vinegar: This ingredient balances out the sweetness of the pumpkin butter perfectly. It adds a tangy note that complements the other flavors.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Pumpkin Butter
STEP ONE– In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add pumpkin, sugar, maple syrup, fresh ginger, dried ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
STEP TWO– Bring to a low simmer, over medium or medium low heat uncovered, stirring every five minutes until the color darkens and the pumpkin butter stays firm on a spoon.
STEP THREE– Stir in apple cider vinegar, let cool and store in the fridge for 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Storage
Because of the apple cider vinegar, this pumpkin butter recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, in a clean jar. Or freeze for up to 6 months.
Serving Suggestions
Spread pumpkin butter on toast, muffins or scones, over spread over English muffins. Use how you would jam, for a delicious sweet treat. It’s tasty over oatmeal and even ice cream!
More Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
Oh my! We are finding many creative ways to enjoy this! From mixing a little pumpkin butter with a dollop of cream for a spoonful of bliss to spreading ricotta or cream cheese on toast and topping with pumpkin butter sprinkled with toasted pecans, like cheesecake for breakfast, mix a little in with vanilla ice cream…so much potential.😉 Hope you give this a try! Let us know what you think.
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
Print
Homemade Pumpkin Butter Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: fall recipes, Spreads
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy homemade pumpkin butter recipe is made with pumpkin, warm spices, and maple syrup for a rich, cozy spread perfect for toast, oatmeal, baking, and fall breakfasts.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups (29 oz) pumpkin puree (fresh roasted pumpkin recommended) see notes for canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, freshly grated or pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated not packed down
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (more to taste)
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Roast pumpkin according to these instructions (or see notes for canned pumpkin)
- To a heavy bottom sauce pan add pumpkin puree, sugar, maple syrup, fresh ginger, dried ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Bring to a low simmer, uncovered, stir every five minutes until the color darkens and the pumpkin butter stays firm on a spoon.
- Stir in apple cider vinegar and store in the fridge for 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Notes
This recipe is fully spiced. If you prefer less of a spiced flavor, skip the fresh ginger and add half of the spices, taste and adjust adding more to your liking. You can also use pumpkin pie spice.
If using canned pumpkin, add 1/2 cup of apple cider or apple juice in with the simmering ingredients. Adjust sugar taste.
The color of your pumpkin butter will vary depending on what type of pumpkin or squash you use. Canned pumpkin will be darker.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 37
- Sugar: 7.3 g
- Sodium: 50.7 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Pumpkin Butter FaQ’s
Pumpkin puree is just straight blended-up pumpkin. Pumpkin butter is pumpkin puree with sweetener and spices simmered until thick and spreadable.
Pumpkin puree, sugar or maple syrup and spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
Use like jam! Great for toast, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, cornbread, and scones, swirled into oatmeal and yogurt.
Yes. Best used within 6 months.
Usually, pumpkin butter is dense and low in acid, for food safety reasons, it is not recommended for canning at home.
Yes. Typically you can use the same amount though canned pumpkin will be denser and thicker. You may need to add a little more liquid.
Yes you can use squash for this recipe!
I made this and it’s so delicious I haven’t any to share
Ha! Glad you are enjoying Mary.
Recipe says 1/2 nutmeg… is that half a teaspoon or half of a fresh whole nutmeg grated? Sounds yummy and will definitely give it a whirl.
Oh! Should be 1/2 teaspoon. Fixed on the recipe card- thanks!
This is super yummy i went with half the spices. It is delicious on toast with ricotta cheese. Thankyou for the recipe. It will stay in my go to recipes
Great to hear Patricia!
This pumpkin butter is delicious! Like pumpkin pie on a spoon. I made it with canned pumpkin and gave it away as gifts (keeping some for myself, of course). Everyone liked it. By the way, it’s also great stirred into oatmeal.
This is great to hear Mary!
Yum! Used fresh pumpkin and kept everything the same.
Yay! Happy this worked for you.
My pumpkin butter is quite dark compared to the one in your picture. And I would use smaller amounts of all spices. And less sugar, but otherwise it’s good. Thank you.
Hi Tracey, The color is quite variable depending on the type of pumpkin or squash you use. Canned pumpkin will be darker in color. I will note the recipe on spices, we like things pretty full flavored!
I made this as described in the recipe; it was good, but a bit more bland than I expected. Reading back through the write up you mentioned cinnamon, which I didn’t see in the recipe, I think that would help! Could you let us know how much cinnamon you would recommend? Thanks! Looking forward to making another batch!
Oh no, opps! Thanks for letting us know Christian. Yes cinnamon! It is listed in the recipe card now.🫢
Did you know how long this keeps in the refrigerator?
Up to two weeks. 🙂