Here's another easy gift idea. You could make a big batch of pumpkin butter, fill up a bunch of small jars, and hand them out as office gifts or a cute hostess gift at the next party you attend. Who doesn't love pumpkin butter?!
There are all sorts of ways to make pumpkin butter. Maybe you already have a family recipe you prefer? I decided to try making my batch this year starting from whole pumpkins (rather than pumpkin puree in a can). I don't normally find myself scooping out pumpkin guts unless I'm about to carve pumpkins. So, even though this was a little extra work it turned out being kind of fun, since I may not get around to carving a pumpkin this year (gasp!). 
Overnight Pumpkin Butter
2 small pumpkins (pie pumpkins)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
First, using a good knife, cut open each pumpkin and scoop out the guts (seeds and those string-y things). Remove the outer rind and cut into small cubes.
In a crock pot combine the fresh pumpkin cubes, sugar, apple juice, vanilla extract and spices. Give it all a good stir. Then set to cook on low for eight hours. I like to set it overnight, so I wake up to the awesome smell of pumpkin in my kitchen the next morning. Once the mixture is done cooking, the pumpkin pieces should be very soft. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture (you could also do this in a food processor or blender).
You can add pumpkin butter to all kinds of different recipes. My personal favorite use simply to serve it on toast. 🙂 Save unused pumpkin butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Enjoy! xo. Emma
Credits//Author and Photos by: Emma Chapman
61 Comments
what a fantastically gorgeous and delicious gift idea! love the jars too!
xx
Oh, this sounds yummy and is maybe a great alternative to the honey which I normally eat all day long 🙂
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.blogspot.de
A super easy way to cook pumpkin for recipes is to wash the outside, make about 10 or so slits with a sharp knife around the top and center and bake whole in a 350 deg oven until soft, appx 1 to 1-1/2 hrs . Cut it in half, scoop out the center and the outside peels right off. I found this is “The Joy of Cooking.”
But if we’re saving the guts after carving pumpkins, that isn’t very helpful.
i think i have to give in to the pumpkin craze, this sounds so delicious!
xo, cheyenne
I love to add pumpkin or apple butter to the batter for waffles and pancakes, it makes them delicious and you don’t have to use as much syrup. One of my favorite things is to add apple butter to waffle batter then eat the waffles with thin slices of cheese, so yummy and good for on the go!
I just wanted to tell you guys on the Beautiful Mess Team that I read your blog everyday. I look forward to your new posts and if I’ve checked it already that day I’ll probably end up browsing older ones. Thanks for continuing this blog and all the hard work you put into it!!
This looks SO amazing! I really want to try this – nothing is more perfect for fall xo
This look and sounds divine!
http://talisatalksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/its-10.html
If we wanted to use canned pumpkin puree instead, how much would we use?
Thanks! This recipe looks great.
This looks so good! Any idea how many cups of pumpkin you used? I’d love to try this but am too lazy to butcher my own pumpkins. Love your photos!
i made apple butter a couple weekends ago and love it! pumpkin butters sounds even better, i’ll have to give this a try too!
good god, this looks and sounds delicious! I’ve never even heard of pumpkin butter, but this is definitely something I’ll try asap!
That looks interesting! Here in Germany pumpkins are not such a big thing, but we’ll definitly (did I misspell that?) try that one!
Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend:
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Birdy and Bambi
This sounds super easy. Also, I love the mason jar lids. Where can I buy them?
This looks delicious! I have never tried pumpkin butter, maybe I should. 🙂
This looks good! I love it on oatmeal with some nuts sprinkled on top.
Do you know how much canned pumpkin would be needed if I didn’t want to use a fresh pumpkin?
Looks so delicious and i love the jars!
It looks gorgeous ! but it’s need cooking for eight hours?? It’s seems a little bit long?? it’s possible make the recipe in less time? I would try!!
Awesome!….now if only I could figure out how to make this sugar free and still have it taste good. I’m on a yeast free, sugar free, wheat free diet and it is killing me. One month to go and fingers crossed all stupid gut troubles will be better and I will be able to add some of the sweet stuff back into my diet…until then:(
Mm sounds really great, and easy to make as well.
This sounds so yummy! I have a crock pot–even more yummy!!
It look delicious! Lovely..
Regards,
Katty
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So easy and tasty! My mom gave me some delicious pumpkin butter she made, and I’ve been devouring it on toast with pear slices. Looks like I’ll have to make this when I run out!
Thanks for this post. As an Australian it is incredibly difficult to source pumpkin purée, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie spice or anything else pumpkin related unless it’s a whole pumpkin! I’ve been reading so many delicious looking pumpkin related recipes from bloggers in America but can’t make them because I’m missing the vital pumpkin ingredient. Now I can! Woo! Thanks! Love you guys 🙂
This looks incredible, and easy enough that I can actually make it!
Mmm sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing and I look forward to trying it out 🙂
Lulu xx
http://luluslittlewonderland.blogspot.com
yum this looks so cool
kw Ladies in Navy
Where is the app for android? I have been waiting all of October for it. Please release it!!!
Yes to fresh pumpkin! Nothing more satisfying than the ones we have coming out of the garden. I prefer them in my belly to rotting on the stoop. Fruit butters are so old school, I love it.
We’re testing builds of it now. With Android having so many devices, there a lot more bugs that could pop up. So we’re trying to be as thorough as possible to ensure it’s best it can be. Once we have a firm release date, we’ll announce, but know it will be soon. Hang tight!
This looks so yummy! I’ve never heard of pumpkin butter before, but it sounds amazing xx
http://www.jessthetics.wordpress.com
LOVE this! So easy! Perfect for the season! Thanks! 🙂
http://sometimesgracefully.com
Yum!
https://fundly.com/cat-for-roommate#themalize
Sounds sooooo divine! Maybe even better than nutella?! 😉
Looks so delicious! I can only imagine how delicious this would taste with a drizzle of caramel on top. Yummy!
I have a bunch of already cooked and puréed pumpkin, do you think I could use that instead? thanks! This sounds so yummy!
Good recipe. I made that years ago, but not with a crockpot. I love your ideas. Great posts. Apple butter is,delicious too! xxoo. JO
Ok. I keep seeing your blog pop up on so many other bloggers posts so of course I had to come and see for myself what all the hype was about! And I totally get it now! What a great story of how this “beautiful mess” got started:) I’ll definitely be following along now too:) This recipe sounds delicious and unique I have never heard of pumpkin butter before!
XO ~ Rachel
Yummy. Great day.
http://www.fashiondenis.com/
oh my gosh these look immense! x
http://www.tigerlillyquinn.com
Sounds like heaven
aforvogue.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you for this! Even though it made me feel like a) I’ve been living under a rock & b) I’m an idiot.
HOW have I never heard/thought of PUMPKIN BUTTER?! Sheesh!
And now I’m a little depressed because so much of my life has been spent without…
LittleBirdBlogs
Oh wow this sounds amazing – I’ve never had anything like this before. I especially like the idea of cooking it overnight and waking up to it the next morning! I’m always on the look out for unusual pumpkin recipes so will definitely give this a try! xx
Wow that looks incredible.
I have to go and make this later!
http://www.yummei.com
Mhhh…What a original idea! If you like this kind of recipe, certainly you also like the Italian Marmalade “Cotognata”, the texture is very similar! Look here for the step by step recipe: http://lalunadeigolosi.com/cotognata-e-tavolette-di-marmellata
Bye!!
Lory
i cant wait to try this! i could bathe in pumpkin butter…yum!
Interesting, I never even heard about pumpkin butter before 😀
This looks delicious! Yum x
Hips Like Cinderella
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Looks amazing and makes my mouth water just looking at this! I have a question though… if I were to take the “lazy way out” and use canned pumpkin puree, about how much of that would I use? Thanks so much… great idea for gifts!
Great thing for the crock pot! How many cups of pumpkin puree from a can would I need to equal two whole pumpkins?
I like your Photos good Work !
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This sounds delicious!
I agree, it makes great gifts! Brought some to work a couple weeks ago (along with pumpkin scones) and the ladies all raved. I didn’t tell them how easy it is to make:)
Wow never tried pumpkin butter, I didn’t even know it was a thing!
yum that look so tasty!!!!
oh my, this looks so yummy!
xxoo,
nikki
http://www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
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I just made it and I highly recommend this! Fabulous!!! I could’ve eaten it by the spoonful
Can you freeze it to make it last longer than 2 weeks?
I also wonder the canned equivalent for the pumpkin. I would love to make this.