We love Fall desserts! If you made our Instant Pot Pumpkin Butter last year we have pumpkin jam without pectin made on the stove top for you this time. Thick and sweet spread on toast with the nutmeg cinnamon flavors you love, it’s a Thanksgiving treat we love.
If you are new to cooking fresh pumpkin we will walk you thru it. Yes you can use puree but it is easier than you think to start from scratch with this vegetable, slice and dice so it cooks down to a smooth consistency. Let’s do it friends. ๐ (affiliate links present)
Homemade Pumpkin Jam Recipe
Seriously, once you get the hang of how to cut the rind off the flesh can be cooked in so many ways, and it’s delicious. Beyond this we have made Roasted Air Fryer Pumpkin as a side dish and OMG you’ve gotta’ try that one too. And do NOT ever ever throw away the seeds, they are little specks of gold.
There are several ways to make the insides the perfect nutritious crunchy snack but Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds are where it’s at in our house. The best and fastest way to transform them into slimy bits into the favoritest thing ever to enjoy at Halloween time.
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Select a fresh gourd that is firm, heavy for its size, and free from bruises or blemishes. Sugar pumpkins, also known as pie pumpkins, are often preferred for their sweeter and smoother flesh. Rinse the outside thoroughly under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris from the surface.
How Do You Cut a Whole Pumpkin
- Place a clean cutting board on a stable surface. Make sure your work area is well-lit and uncluttered.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut off the top and bottom of the pumpkin. This will create flat surfaces that make it easier to work with.
- Stand it upright on one of the flat ends. Starting from the top, carefully slice it in half vertically, from top to bottom. This will create two halves
- Use a large spoon or an ice cream scoop to scoop out the seeds and any stringy pulp from the center of each half. This is How to Clean Pumpkin Seeds.
- You can save or this is How Long to Bake Pumpkin Seeds at 350 to delicious.
- Depending on your recipe and personal preference, you typically will want to peel the outside rind before dicing it.
- To peel it, use a vegetable peeler or a knife to remove the skin.
- Slice into strips and then dice those into cubes. The size can vary based on your recipe; typically, 1/2-inch to 1-inch cubes work well.
- Follow the same dicing process for the other pumpkin half.
Now that you have diced fresh pumpkin, you’re ready to incorporate it into your favorite recipes, whether it’s for a hearty soup, a flavorful stew, or a delicious roasted side dish. Enjoy your pumpkin culinary adventures!
Now when this is done we never finish the whole batch. I mean I guess if you were hosting Christmas brunch you may not have any left but if not you’ll need 1-2 mason jars with lids. This makes about 3 cups or so if you didn’t eat any right away to keep that in mind as far as what size you’ll want. I like 2 of the smaller ones.
Pumpkin Spread Ingredients
- 2 c pumpkin freshly diced, canned pumpkin pie filling or puree could be used
- Water or apple cider, less if you want it thicker
- Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Pumpkin pie spice – a pinch is optional
How to cook pumpkin to puree
Below was made on stovetop but you could cook pumpkin in Instant Pot and scoop the flesh too. In the event you wanted to cook a whole one cut in half throughout the day follow our pumpkin in slow cooker directions, scoop out and mash to start from scratch too.
Like our Huckleberry Jam I give you a range of liquid above and in the printable recipe card below because some like their creations really thick and others more like jelly. Just adjust as you mix with your blender or with your immersion blender right in the pot itself to smooth.
Now if you wanted to make this as Instant Pot Jam you could. It would only take 1-2 minutes under high pressure to break down and then you blend right in that pot too.
Using a pot on the stove you will follow these directions though. I have used apple cider instead of water since that has a lot of Fall flavors already and that was a fun surprise. Apple juice would work too. Or just go for agua to thin it out, or half and half…..
How to Make Pumpkin Butter with Fresh Pumpkin
- Combine all the ingredients (start with 1/2 cup liquid) in a pan over medium high heat.
- Allow to come to a boil and then reduce to medium stirring frequently to soften the fresh pumpkin.
- If using canned pumpkin puree this won’t take as long but you do want to heat long enough for sugar to dissolve.
- Heat about 10-15 minutes until pumpkin is very tender and sugars dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Use an immersion blender to make as smooth as you’d like it to be.
- Slowly add a bit of the additional 1/4 cup liquid if you want to thin it out.
- Enjoy warm on Honey Biscuits or allow to cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes before adding it into jars with lids
How long can homemade pumpkin puree last in the fridge?
7 days if sealed well with an airtight lid in a jar. You always want to make sure that your creation has cooled completely. Then transfer to your container and keep in the fridge. Every time you use it, reseal very tight so it is free from air. Mark the date you made it on the outside
Jump to recipe and try this and then move on to our other delicious pumpkin recipes listed in this post.
No, pumpkin butter and pumpkin jam are not the same, though they share similarities in that they both use the same main ingredient and are sweetened spreads. Butter usually will use canned puree as the base while jam will traditionally scoop the flesh out of the gourd and blend to smooth.
Yes, you could use a sugar alternative like Splenda which comes in brown sugar or white varieties. Use the ratio explained on the package but typically it is a 1:1 ratio. Add, test, and see if would like it sweeter.
Pumpkin Jam
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 2 mason jars
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 c pumpkin, freshly diced pumpkin used, puree could be used
- 1/2-3/4 c water, or apple cider, less if you want it thicker
- 1/4 c brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch cloves, ground
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients (start with 1/2 cup liquid) in a pan over medium heat. Allow to come to a boil stirring intermittently to soften the fresh pumpkin. If using canned pumpkin puree this won't take as long but you do want to heat long enough for sugar to dissolve.
- Heat about 10-15 minutes until pumpkin is very tender and sugars have dissolved. Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to make as smooth as you'd like it to be. Slowly add a bit of the additional 1/4 cup liquid if you want to thin it out and mix to combine.
- Enjoy warm immediately and/or allow to cool completely before adding it into jars, seal with lids and store in fridge for up to 7 days.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.