Crock pot pumpkin butter is an easy slow cooker pumpkin butter recipe that’s the first thing I make every fall. Slather it generously on muffins, croissants, toast, or biscuits (it’s heavenly on scones.) It’s super quick to throw together, and the kitchen smells amazing!
Fruit butter (yes, pumpkin is technically a fruit) is the luxurious cousin of jam and curd
And crock pot pumpkin butter is 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.
crock pot pumpkin butter is especially easy!
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 could start with fresh pumpkin puree for this spread, I have the instructions for 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 considered nutritionally superior to fresh, as well.
- 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, but I just love the extra silky texture that results from straining.
more fruit butter recipes to try
- Maple Cranberry Butter in 15 minutes!
- Easy Peach Butter
- How to make apple butter from apple sauce!
- Easy Crock Pot Cranberry Butter
Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 30 oz canned pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup brown 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.
Can this recipe be doubled?
The 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.
Oh my goodness you know how to cook! These are wonderful recipes! Thank you. Wow.
So 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?
Use a teaspoon, or more to taste.
Hi 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 🙂
I think 1/2 – 1 cup, either would work. Remember pumpkin puree is not sweet at all, so the extra syrup might be needed.
I’m new at canning… can you preserve this pumpkin butter by water bath canning?
It’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.
Can you pressure can the pumpkin butter?
No, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, among others, says that it’s not safe to can pumpkin at home. It has something to do with its acidity and viscosity.
Can you use this recipe for safe canning? This would make a wonderful gift if it was shelf stable ….
It’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.
Was wondering if a small amount of lemon juice would change it much. That way it would have a longer shelf life if canned.
Lemon 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.
I’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
The jars are Weck jars, a German canning company, you can find them here (this is an affiliate link) https://amzn.to/2KKiIbR
I 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
Maple syrup sounds like a great choice!