Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter ~ this easy slow cooker pumpkin butter recipe is the first thing I make every fall. Slather it generously on muffins, croissants, toast, or biscuits (it’s heavenly on scones.) Â It’s super quick to throw together, and the kitchen smells amazing!
Fruit butters (yes, pumpkin is technically a fruit) are the luxurious cousins of jams and jellies, and they’re even easier to make.
For a butter, fruit is first cooked, then pureed, and then cooked down further to a paste consistency, without the use of pectins. You can’t beat their silky texture, or the flavor that is developed as the puree reduces down. Butters are generally lower in sugar than most preserves, and you can customize the type and amount of sweetener to suit your tastes and needs.
Pumpkin butter is probably the easiest of all because when you use canned pumpkin puree the first step is done for you.
On top of that I’ve developed this recipe to be made in the crock pot! All you have to do is add a bit of sweetener, some spices, and let it cook away for a few hours. Oh, and you’ll get some great bonus aromatherapy in the process.
My secret ingredient? The seeds of 1/2 of a vanilla bean…it’s the perfect touch.
I purposely kept the spices light in this recipe, I wanted the pumpkin flavor to shine through. Two cans of pumpkin puree cook down to make just about 2 cups of butter. I spooned my butter into small WECK JARS that hold about 3/4 cup each. I think they’d make great gifts.
Tips for making crock pot pumpkin butter ~
- Go for the canned pumpkin! You can use fresh pumpkin puree for this spread, I have the instructions on how to make that HERE. But in my experience, the canned puree is just as good, and so it is not worth the extra effort to make it from scratch. It’s interesting to note that canned pumpkin is nutritionally superior, as well. If you do use fresh pumpkin puree, your cooking time may be a bit longer.
- Be vigilant during the second half of cooking to prevent scorching, as the butter really begins to thicken.
- There are tons of variations on this. If you’d like to skip the refined sugar, use maple sugar, maple syrup, or any sweetener you’d like. Basically you can taste as you go and adjust it to your liking.
- The straining process is completely optional. I just love the extra silky texture that results from straining.
Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz cans of pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp maybe more freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla paste or the seeds of 1/2 a vanilla bean
Instructions
- Whisk together all the ingredients and put into the crock pot. Turn on LOW and cook for one hour.
- Stir the contents and then cook for another 2 hours, with the lid partially open. Stir the butter every once in a while. It is done when it is reduced by about half, and thick enough to run your spoon across the bottom without the pumpkin running back into the space.
- Crock pots vary a bit, so your butter might take a little more or less time.
- This step is OPTIONAL, but I like to pass the puree through a mesh strainer before I put it in jars. It just makes it a touch silkier. Push the puree through the sieve firmly with the back of a large spoon to get as much through as possible. Scrape the spoon along the outside of the strainer to release the thick puree.
- Spoon the butter into one jar, or several smaller jars and let cool. Then cap tightly and refrigerate. It will keep for about 10 days in the refrigerator and 6 months in the freezer. If you plan to freeze it, leave at least 1/2 inch at the top of each jar for expansion as it freezes.
Try these other fruit spreads, butters, and preserves!
- Crock Pot Cranberry Butter
- How to Make Fruit Butter ~ 13 Recipes
- Bourbon Banana Butter
- Crock Pot Cranberry Apple Butter
31 Comments
Cheryl McAskill
October 4, 2020 at 5:47 amCan this recipe be doubled?
Sue
October 4, 2020 at 6:56 amThe issue is that it will take a very long time, Cheryl. If you want to double the recipe I’d do it on the stove.
Nina Angela McKissock
September 10, 2020 at 2:27 pmOh my goodness you know how to cook! These are wonderful recipes! Thank you. Wow.
Christina
November 20, 2019 at 12:05 pmSo I know you mentioned vanilla Bean being the key but I don’t have that can I just use regular vanilla? If so how much?
Sue
November 20, 2019 at 12:09 pmUse a teaspoon, or more to taste.
Lori
October 3, 2019 at 1:42 pmHi Sue – I was going to make this with maple syrup. How much would you suggest I use? I am thinking 1 cup is likely too much… thanks 🙂
Sue
October 3, 2019 at 3:02 pmI think 1/2 – 1 cup, either would work. Remember pumpkin puree is not sweet at all, so the extra syrup might be needed.
Michelle
September 17, 2019 at 8:09 amI’m new at canning… can you preserve this pumpkin butter by water bath canning?
Sue
September 17, 2019 at 8:12 amIt’s not advisable to can pumpkin butter Michelle, it’s because pumpkin is not acidic enough to can safely. You might try freezing it for longer storage.
Melissa
August 18, 2019 at 7:14 amCan you use this recipe for safe canning? This would make a wonderful gift if it was shelf stable ….
Sue
August 18, 2019 at 7:18 amIt’s interesting, but authorities say that pumpkin butter shouldn’t be canned at home. It can be commercially canned, but home canning isn’t safe because pumpkin and squash are really low in acid, and acid is needed for safe preservation. Even if you add lemon juice or vinegar (which wouldn’t taste very good) you can’t get pumpkin up to a reliably safe ph level. The best way to preserve homemade pumpkin butter is in the freezer, and that would certainly last until the holidays.
Richard
December 1, 2018 at 7:04 pmWas wondering if a small amount of lemon juice would change it much. That way it would have a longer shelf life if canned.
Sue
December 1, 2018 at 7:38 pmLemon and pumpkin don’t sound like such a good match to me, but it is true that you would need to get the ph to 4.6 or lower in order to can it safely.
Angelita
November 30, 2018 at 3:36 pmI’m going to try this tonight, I’m so excited! I love anything Pumpkin 🙂
–Where did you get those adorable jars?? I’ve never seen them around me locally, I must have them! They have character. lol
Sue
November 30, 2018 at 3:57 pmThe jars are Weck jars, a German canning company, you can find them here (this is an affiliate link) https://amzn.to/2KKiIbR
Deana
November 29, 2018 at 8:53 amI made the pumpkin butter and it was fantastic! So easy to make. I bought more pumpkin so this time im goung to try it with the maple syrup instead of sugar. Sounds so good!
Thanks,
Deana
Sue
November 29, 2018 at 9:19 amMaple syrup sounds like a great choice!