Pumpkin Spice Butter, Using Canned or Fresh-Cooked Pumpkin

Many years ago our family went to a pumpkin and corn farm in the fall. In addition to fields of pumpkins and corn, they had this cute little store at the front of the farm. The store's shelves were lined with jars of relishes, jams, and butters. Being a crisp October day, one of the butters in particular caught my eye, the pumpkin spice butter. It was about $5 a jar back then. I didn't buy any, but decided to try making it myself. I played around with a few recipes and came up with something of my own that we enjoy at our house. And it's a fraction of the cost of the pumpkin butter from the farm store, specialty market, or any place else you might find it. 

I thought I'd share this recipe in case anyone wanted to try making a small batch of pumpkin butter for themselves. And since you can use canned pumpkin, your pumpkin butter can be made with ease.

Pumpkin Spice Butter

one 15-oz can or 2 cups strained (to remove excess liquid) home-cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon or a bit more ground cloves, depending on preference
5/8 teaspoon ground ginger
3/8 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, depending on preference
3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup apple juice or apple cider
3/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon lemon juice

(tiny dash salt, optional, see notes below)

Stir all ingredients except the lemon juice together a medium saucepan and cook over the lowest setting on stove until dark brown and thick. Stir in lemon juice. When done, you can draw a spoon across the bottom of the pan and no liquid will seep into the scraped space, and it should hold its shape on a spoon like stiff mashed potatoes. 

Cook this low and slow. I left mine to cook for a little over an hour on the lowest setting on my stove, stirring periodically to prevent scorching. I was busy with other kitchen and laundry chores that day, so it's not like I was standing at the stove for all of this time. I began with half home-cooked pumpkin, which is more watery, and half canned. So if you're making yours with all canned pumpkin, your cooking time will be a little shorter.

Yields about 12 to 14 ounces

note: I'll also add that one of my daughters likes this pumpkin butter with a dash of salt. So some years I add just that, a very tiny dash of salt to the cooked butter.

Keep refrigerated for up to 4 weeks or frozen up to several months. Do not can this pumpkin butter. However, you'll be pleased to know that it freezes beautifully. 

With this last batch, I refrigerated half to use this month and froze half to enjoy later.

If what you prefer is butternut squash over pumpkin, this also makes a delicious butternut squash butter.

Ways to use pumpkin butter:

• as a spread on toast, scones, biscuits, or plain muffins
• filling for cinnamon swirl-type breads or rolls
• to add a generous dollop to French toast, waffles, or pancakes
• blended with softened cream cheese as a spread on bagels
• to fill small, baked tart shells
• as the filling for a spice or vanilla cake between the layers
• use a dollop on curried lentils or meat in place of chutney
• as a condiment to roast pork or poultry
• as a dip or spread for apple or pear wedges
• layered in an autumn parfait of pudding: pumpkin butter, whipped cream and a nut sprinkle
• blend with caramel sauce for topping ice cream
• blended into plain eggnog 

Have you tried pumpkin butter? What did you think?