A Taste of Autumn in Every Spoonful

Oh, friends! As the leaves start to turn those gorgeous shades of red and gold, and the air gets that crisp, cool bite, I can’t help but get excited about all things pumpkin. And let me tell you, there’s something truly magical about homemade pumpkin butter. It’s like bottling up the very essence of fall and having it ready to spread on your morning toast, swirl into yogurt, or even bake into your favorite goodies. This recipe is so wonderfully simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made it a fall tradition sooner!

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Butter Recipe

Fast to whip up: Even with the simmering time, the actual hands-on work is minimal!
Incredibly Easy: Seriously, if you can stir, you can make this pumpkin butter.
Perfect for Gifting: Jar it up beautifully, tie a ribbon, and you’ve got a thoughtful homemade gift that screams “I love you!”
A Crowd-Pleaser: From kids to grown-ups, everyone adores the sweet, spiced flavor of this pumpkin butter.

The Simple Ingredients You’ll Need

Gathering your ingredients is the easiest part! Here’s what you’ll need to create this little jar of autumn heaven:

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée, or homemade pumpkin purée: Make sure it’s pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling! If you’ve roasted your own pumpkin, that’s even better!
⅓ cup apple cider: This adds a lovely depth of flavor and a touch of tartness that balances the sweetness.
½ cup packed brown sugar: For that classic caramel-y sweetness.
¼ cup granulated sugar: Just a little extra sweetness to round it out.
¼ cup maple syrup: Pure maple syrup is the best here for that cozy, rich flavor.
1 tablespoon lemon juice: A little bit of acidity brightens everything up.
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: The quintessential fall spice!
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or ground nutmeg: Freshly grated is always best if you have it, but good ol’ ground works too!
½ teaspoon salt: Don’t skip the salt – it makes all the flavors pop!
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves: Just a pinch for that classic warm spice blend.

How to Make This Cozy Pumpkin Butter

Ready to get cozy? Let’s do this!

Combine Everything: Grab a medium saucepan. Pour in your pumpkin purée, apple cider, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Give it all a good stir to combine.
Bring to a Boil: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally as it starts to bubble and come to a boil.
Simmer and Stir: Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer uncovered. This is where the magic happens! You’ll need to stir it frequently – I’d say every 5-10 minutes – to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom and burns. This slow simmering allows the flavors to deepen and the butter to thicken beautifully. You’ll want to simmer for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it reaches your desired spreadable consistency.
Check for Thickness: How do you know it’s ready? It will thicken up to a lovely, spoonable consistency. You can test it by spooning a little onto a cold plate; it should set up nicely.
Cool Down: Once it’s reached that perfect consistency, remove the saucepan from the heat. Let it cool completely before you serve it or store it away.

Swaps and Creative Upgrades

This recipe is wonderfully forgiving, so feel free to play around!

Spice it Up: Add a pinch of ground ginger or allspice to the spice mix for an extra layer of warmth.
Sweetener Swaps: If you prefer, you can adjust the sugar and maple syrup amounts. You could also try using honey instead of maple syrup, though the flavor will be slightly different.
Boozy Twist: For an adult treat, add a splash of bourbon or rum during the simmering process.
Citrus Zest: A little orange or lemon zest stirred in during the last 30 minutes of simmering adds a delightful brightness.

Tips for Pumpkin Butter Success

A few little tricks to make your pumpkin butter absolutely perfect:

Don’t Rush the Simmer: The low and slow simmering is key to developing that rich flavor and thick texture. Resist the urge to crank up the heat!
Stir, Stir, Stir: Seriously, this is the most important part to prevent burning. Set a timer if you need to!
Homemade Pumpkin Purée: If you’re making your own, make sure to roast your sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin until fork-tender and then purée it until very smooth. You might need to drain off a little excess liquid if it seems too watery.
Prep Ahead: You can totally make this a day or two ahead of when you plan to use it. It actually tastes even better after the flavors have had a chance to meld.

How to Store Your Delicious Pumpkin Butter

Once your pumpkin butter has cooled completely, you can store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator. It should keep well for about 2-3 weeks. For longer storage, you can freeze it in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. If you’re planning to give it as gifts, make sure to use clean jars and lids, and consider sealing them for a longer shelf life!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few things you might be wondering:

Is it really “butter”?

Nope! It’s called pumpkin butter because of its smooth, spreadable texture, similar to apple butter, but it doesn’t contain any actual butter.

Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling instead of purée?

I wouldn’t recommend it. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices added, which would alter the flavor and sweetness of your homemade pumpkin butter. Stick to plain pumpkin purée for the best results.

What’s the best way to use pumpkin butter?

Oh, the possibilities are endless! It’s fantastic on toast, bagels, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, and muffins. You can also swirl it into oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream, or even use it as a filling for cookies or cakes. It’s also a wonderful addition to a cheese board!

Easy Homemade Pumpkin Butter

A simple and delicious recipe for homemade pumpkin butter, perfect for autumn.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 1 30

Equipment

Medium saucepan
Cold plate for testing thickness
Airtight containers for storage
jars and lids for gifting

Ingredients

Main ingredients

15 oz can pumpkin purée or homemade pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling
0.33 cup apple cider
0.5 cup packed brown sugar
0.25 cup granulated sugar
0.25 cup maple syrup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
0.5 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated or ground
0.5 teaspoon salt
0.125 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

Combine pumpkin purée, apple cider, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently (every 5-10 minutes) to prevent sticking and burning, for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until thickened to desired consistency.
Test for thickness by spooning a little onto a cold plate; it should set up nicely.
Remove from heat and let cool completely before serving or storing.

Notes

For an extra layer of warmth, add a pinch of ground ginger or allspice. Adjust sweetener amounts to your preference. For an adult treat, add a splash of bourbon or rum during simmering. A little orange or lemon zest stirred in during the last 30 minutes of simmering adds delightful brightness. The low and slow simmering is key to developing rich flavor and thick texture. Stirring frequently is crucial to prevent burning. Homemade pumpkin purée should be roasted until tender and pureed until very smooth. It tastes even better after the flavors have melded for a day or two.