Skip the can this year and make your own pumpkin puree. You’ll have to carve out some time for it, but you can bake the freshest of the fresh pumpkin pie. Look at you, you awesome pie baker.
It’s easy to forget that fresh pumpkins are good for something other than jack-o’-lanterns and festive mantel decorations. But don’t forget that a pumpkin is first and foremost food, and a damn good one at that. You can, and should, eat the heck out of pumpkin! Especially if you’re putting that pumpkin into the best pie of the season.
Well. Maybe. I did the taste test between canned and fresh pumpkin puree in a pie. Whether you believe me or not though, if you make your own pumpkin puree you totally get all kinds of bragging rights.
Draining the excess liquid from the roasted pumpkin is the key to success here. The goal is to get it as thick (or thicker than) the stuff from the store.
I’ve outlined how to make your own pumpkin puree below so you can kick the can to the curb. You’ll need a food processor (like this one) and a little (okay, a lot) of patience, but in a few hours you’ll be ready to make your crazy fresh pumpkin pie. Mmm, tastes like triumph.
Here we go!
How To Make Fresh Pumpkin Puree
Step #1: Pick out your pumpkin
Choose a pumpkin that feels heavy for its size. Also, you want one that’s labeled “sugar” or “pie” pumpkin. They’re smaller than their carving cousins and they have more flesh inside. This is what a pie pumpkin looks like:
Step #2: Cut the pumpkin
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Slice the pumpkin in half lengthwise (that’s stem to base). I kept my stem on, but if it’s easier for you, you can chop the very top of the pumpkin off first.
Step #3: Scoop out the seeds
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy “guts” from the inside of the pumpkin and set them aside. You can use those later for roasting pumpkin seeds, so don’t throw them out.
Step #4: Bake the pumpkin
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, a silicone baking mat, or foil. Place your pumpkin halves cut side down on the baking sheet.
Pop the pan into the oven for about 45 minutes. You should be able to pierce through the pumpkin easily with a fork, see the prick marks I did for testing mine below.
Step #5: Cool and scoop
Let the pumpkin cool for about 15 minutes so you don’t burn your hands, then use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin behind. Place the flesh into the bowl of a food processor (a good blender would work, too).
Step #6: Process the pumpkin into a puree
Put your food processor to work. Start by pulsing the pumpkin in the food processor. You may need to scrape down the sides every now and then. Keep pulsing until it is relatively smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and let the food processor run for about a minute more to really smooth things out.
Important tip: Resist the urge to add water; once the pumpkin flesh starts to break down, it will release liquid and be easier to process. Our goal below is to remove water from the puree, so adding any now makes things harder later.
Step #7: Strian the puree to thicken it for pie
Rest a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Line the fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth. Add the pumpkin puree to the lined fine mesh strainer and let it drain for 1-2 hours, until the pumpkin is thick and holds its shape when pressed together in the cheesecloth. When you unwrap it, it’ll look like this:
Step #8: How to use and store your pumpkin
Use your pumpkin puree any way you would use canned pumpkin puree. One 15-ounce can of pumpkin is almost exactly 2 cups worth (it’s short by about two tablespoons). So for most recipes you can use 2 cups when it calls for a 15-ounce can. A 29-ounce can of pumpkin has about 3 and 1/2 cups in it.
Try using your own pumpkin puree in our classic pumpkin pie recipe. This thick puree really is especially good for pies.
Store any puree that you don’t use immediately in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze it for 3 months. It might get more liquidy from freezing and you will probably need to strain it through cheesecloth again.
Prepare Your Own Pumpkin for Pie
The most important tip here is to make sure you don’t add water when processing your pumpkin, and then be sure to strain it really well later. That is how you end up with THE BEST pumpkin puree for pumpkin pie, and other uses too.
Listen to our editor, Christine Pittman, explain briefly how to make this pumpkin, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 medium sugar or pie pumpkin
Instructions
- Pick out your pumpkin. You want one that’s labeled “sugar”or “pie” pumpkin. They’re smaller than their carving cousins (see the picture up above), and they have more flesh inside. Choose a pumpkin that feels heavy for its size.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Slice the pumpkin in half lengthwise (that’s stem to base). I kept my stem on, but if it’s easier for you, you can chop the very top of the pumpkin off first.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy “guts” from the inside of the pumpkin and set them aside. You can use those later for roasting pumpkin seeds, so don’t throw them out!
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, a silicone baking mat or foil. Place your pumpkin halves cut side down on the baking sheet. Pop the pan into the oven for about 45 minutes. You should be able to pierce through the pumpkin easily with a fork.
-
Let the pumpkin cool for about 15 minutes so you don’t burn your hands, then use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin behind. Place the flesh into the bowl of a food processor (a good blender would work, too).
- Put your food processor to work. Start by pulsing the pumpkin in the food processor. You may need to scrape down the sides every now and then. Resist the urge to add water; once the pumpkin flesh starts to break down, it will release liquid and be easier to process. Keep pulsing until it is relatively smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and let the food processor run for about a minute more to really smooth things out.
- Rest a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Line the fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth. Add the pumpkin puree to the lined fine mesh strainer and let it drain for 1-2 hours, until the pumpkin is thick and holds its shape when pressed together in the cheesecloth. It’ll look like this:
- Use your pumpkin puree any way you would use canned pumpkin puree. Store what you don’t use immediately in a covered container in the refrigerator.
This article originally appeared in November 2015 and was revised and republished in October 2021.
Loved it. Thank you
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You’re very welcome, Lisa!
Thanks Maria! Making my very first pumpkin pie and wanted to do it The Right Way! Very helpful. I the 🎃 skin literally slid off the flesh. No scooping necessary! (Don’t worry. I didn’t use a jack-o-lantern. Lol)
Best,
Crista
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That’s great, Crista! I’m sure the pie was delicious. 🙂
This is an awesome recipe.
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Thank you, Melissa!
My mom taught me how to do this when I was a teenager. I was searching to remind myself and found your recipe. It is exactly what she used to do. Thank you for the memories.
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Mary, Thank you for sharing that with us all. I love that we brought back such nice memories for you. I hope you enjoy your puree too!
Hi Christine. I picked up my pie pumpkins early this year (as last year I found they were hard to find) and I’d like your opinion… should make the puree now and freeze it or wait another 2 months. I’m wondering if the puree will get “watery” when thawed. If you think it’s best to wait till closer to Thanksgiving to make the puree how would you keep the pumpkins; refrigerate or not? Thank you.
I think it’s fine to wait closer to Thanksgiving and keep your pumpkins at room temperature. But if it’s more convenient to make your puree now, as long as you drain off some of that excess moisture, you’re fine with the puree in the freezer for months. Enjoy!
Thank you!
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You’re welcome, Mary Ann!
Great way to use Halloween pumpkin. Thanks
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You’re welcome, Carla! Enjoy!
I was taught (grandma) that when you throw out all that liquid, you’re discarding a ton of the sugar content. I pour the liquid and all the pulp into my crockpot and cook for a day to simmer it down and concentrate the natural sugars. I use a stick blender to make it nice and smooth. Ends up almost like apple butter, nice and concentrated.
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Thanks for sharing with us, Louise!
This is my first time making my own pumpkin and I didn’t know I would need a sugar pumpkin so I used a pumpkin and you didn’t say how to fix the seeds?? do I still put all the same ingredients as in the canned pumpkin?
If you’re looking for how to roast the pumpkin seeds for snacking, check out this post – https://thecookful.com/how-to-make-pumpkin-seeds/
And then once you have your fresh pumpkin puree, you can just use that in place of the canned pumpkin in your recipe. Enjoy, Virginia!
Thank you very helpful
You’re welcome, Isabel!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!! It was soooo easy! I was given 3 small sugar pumpkins and what better time to roast them than this time of the year for delicious Thanksgiving pumpkin pie!! I’ve never used sugar pumpkins, so I can’t wait to try the pie!! I’ve usually made crustless pumpkin pie in past years with butternut squash that we grew in our garden. Once you add the spices and ingredients for “traditional” pumpkin pie, no one can tell the difference!
Yummy, Lina! Hope your pies turned out fantastic!
Excellent instructions. I grew three pumpkins (non-pie) in my garden this year. I followed your instructions exactly and now have 6 ziplock bags, containing 2 cups each, in my freezer. I like being able to make my own as the cans of pumpkin up here in Canada are more like 4 cups so that many times I’ve wasted part of the can by forgetting to use it up.
Thank you for the post.
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You’re welcome, Jan! And good job growing your own pumpkins, that’s great. 🙂
After baking the 45 minutes, take out and flip the pumpkin over skin side down and return to oven which you have turned off. As oven cools down the pumpkin dries out and will have a much sweeter flavor. Then either mash with potatoe masher or whatever way you prefer
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Thank you for sharing with us!
Thank you for sharing with us!
I’m wondering there was very little water in my pumpkin after following you directions should I cook my puree down or is it good to go.Dont want runny pumpkin pies
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If there wasn’t much liquid to your pumpkin after pureeing, then you should be fine, Judy. We often strain the pumpkin to get rid of that excess liquid.
Another use of this method involves butternut squash. Same exact steps and make your pie just as you would pumpkin. It’s a little different taste, but generally creamier and just as intense a flavor profile
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Thank you for sharing, Aaron!
I used to make a custard and bake it inside the pumpkin as it baked and then mix it all together in a stand mixer. It used to come out great and was like a pumpkin pie without the crust. Being diabetic, I used splenda (the only kind on the market back then that was any good) so the crustless pie was much healthier.
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Thank you for sharing with us, Karen!
Tried this method for the first time today. I was raised to boil the pumpkin, then mash it, as you would mashed potatoes. This method proved far easier, as the skin comes off very easily once baked, as opposed to having to manually peel it prior to boiling. I will certainly use this process in the future. One modification I did is using a stand mixer instead of food processor or blender. Don’t own a processor and I was doing 6 pumpkins, so the blender idea was going to take forever. As far as freezing, I’ve kept vacuum sealed fresh pumpkin frozen and usable for far longer than 6 months at a time. I ended up with 10 cups, so mine will be in the freezer for a good while. Thanks for this method.
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You’re welcome, Aaron! So happy to hear that you have a new, easier method now.
Delicious and easy way to process pumpkin. I use the strained liquid for soup: chicken noodle, butternut squash or red lentil.
I prefer this to my old method of microwaving the pumpkin. Thank you very much!
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas for the leftover liquid, Allie. Those are great!
I liked this recipe so much that I grew my own pumpkins for it this year 🙂 I would also like to know if anyone has any ideas for that amazing leftover liquid. It’s delicious!
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Growing your own pumpkins is pretty impressive, Janice! See Allie’s comment for some great ideas for the liquid. 🙂