How To Make Homemade Pumpkin Purée

Baking any pumpkin recipes this harvest season? Do yourself a favour! Roast your own pumpkins and make homemade pumpkin purée!

This post first appeared October 18, 2018, and was last updated October 3, 2020.

Though it can do in a pinch, we’re not huge fans of pre-made pumpkin pie filling. Canned pumpkin pie filling can make for a pie that’s overly sweet, and too heavy on the pumpkin spice. Pumpkin pies, and other recipes made with homemade pumpkin purée however, are something special.

We use whole sugar pumpkins, which are also called pie pumpkins. We scoop out the insides, then roast and purée the flesh for a flavour that’s naturally sweet and rich. In recipes, we add just enough spice to warm the mouth and compliment the earthy roasted pumpkin, turning ordinary dishes into something worthy of celebration.

Buy sugar pumpkins at the market or grocery store when you see them. Roast them whole, purée the flesh, and freeze it for use throughout the year. Homemade pumpkin purée is terrific in both sweet recipes like these pumpkin cookies, and savoury dishes like these pumpkin scones with cheddar and sage! We really hope you give it a try.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Method
• Tips & Notes
• Substitutions
• Recipe

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.

Ingredients

• One small sugar pumpkin (also called pie pumpkin)

Method

Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a large, sharp knife, carefully cut the sugar pumpkin in half, from top to bottom. Avoid slicing through the stem as it is tough, and awkward to cut through.

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Using a sturdy spoon, scoop the seeds and stringy flesh out of the pumpkin and into a bowl.

Make sure the cavity of the pumpkin is nice and clean, as if you are carving a jack o’lantern. You can keep the seeds to roast!

Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the pumpkin until it’s tender and the skin can be pierced easily with a fork. If the skin is too tough to pierce, place the pumpkin back in the oven and continue to cook until the skin is soft and the fork goes through.

Remove the roasted pumpkin from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Once cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin flesh away from the skin.

Place the roasted pumpkin flesh in the bowl of a food processor.

Purée the roasted pumpkin until smooth then scoop it into a container with an airtight lid. Store in the fridge for up to five days, or in the freezer for several months.

Tips & Notes

If using the homemade pumpkin purée for savoury recipes, give the cut side of the pumpkin a light rub of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper before roasting.

If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender, potato masher, or potato ricer.

Substitutions

This method works with any pumpkin or squash.

Recipes Using Homemade Pumpkin Purée

Pumpkin Chocolate Marble Loaf With Maple Drizzle

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pasta With Pumpkin Purée, Roasted Mushrooms, And Herbs

Pumpkin & Cranberry Cardamom Muffins (dairy-free)

If you make this recipe, let us know by tagging @baked_theblog + #bakedtheblog on Instagram! We love to feel like we’re in the kitchen with you.