Prepare Your Own Pumpkin for Pie
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.
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’ll show you how, and give you all the help you need to get delicious fresh pumpkin for your pies and baking delights.
Video: How To Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Type of Pumpkin for baking
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:
Cut and Prep the Pumpkin
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.
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. Bake at 375°F 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.
Pureeing the Pumpkin
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. 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.
Strain 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:
Using And Storing Your Pumpkin Puree
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, including our Bourbon Pumpkin Pie recipe. You could also turn it into Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Bars for something different.
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.
Podcast Episode: Making Pumpkin Puree
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:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
Print
Prepare Your Own Pumpkin for Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
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.
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.
Love this recipe? I’d appreciate it if you could scroll down and add a *5 star rating* to help others know they’ll love it as well!
This article originally appeared in November 2015 and was revised and republished in August 2024.
Thank you so much for the recipe. I have followed your recipe and I have made it perfect pumpkin puree. My pumpkin pie came out perfect. My family was very impressed, so thank you again and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. God bless 🙏
You’re welcome, Cidalia! I’m so glad it helped you make a wonderful pumpkin pie.
Is there any other way to strain the puree if you dont have cheese cloth? Anything else you could use?
Thank you!
Honestly, Stephanie, I’ve lined my mesh strainer with a few paper towels before to do this. It’s not my first choice and can end up a little messier, but it’s workable. Good luck!
Worked just as you described. Thank you
You’re welcome, Diane! Happy to hear it.
I used a Pumpkin from our garden. This recipe is very simple, and simple is good when you have thousands of other things to make for Thanks Giving!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everybody! May the good LORD bless you all!
Carol, I’m so happy you liked the recipe. I agree that simplicity is often the key. Thanks for coming back to let us know and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones as well.
So grateful for this. I’m in Australia where Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated. No pie pumpkins so I just took a chance, baked the available pumpkin then hung the pulp in a cheesecloth bag. Then I found out I’d done the right thing when I saw your directions. Phew! No turkey available in time either so two very big chickens will have to do! Thanks for very clear instructions.
You’re welcome, Brenda! I’m so happy it was helpful and hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
WONDERFUL Recipe. -Thank you for or these very good Instructions and tips.
You’re welcome, Rosie! I’m so happy it helped out.
Simple to use my garden grown pumpkins for this recipe.
That’s wonderful, Hary! Enjoy!
Easy to follow steps and the end result was exactly as described. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Lisa! So glad it was helpful for you.
How does the pumpkin turn orange
Very easy
Thank you, Ken, enjoy!
Fresh Pumpkin puree also freezes well. I measure mine out in square containers (stack well in freezer), freeze them, then pop them out and wrap each square in foil and mark the amounts ( # of Cups) for a pie and for pumpkin spice bread. Easy to grab when I need.
I use sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar when making pies. Yummy and not so super sweet.
These are great tips, Karen! Thanks so much for sharing them with us all. I love pumpkin!!!
Finally, I used this same recipe when we had our garden in Utah but, for some reason I could not find the recipe this year! Fresh is so much better than canned any day! Thank you for this recipe.
Dianne
Dianne, I’m happy you like the recipe, and that you found us again! Happy Thanksgiving!
Perfect instructions all the way through. Thanks a lot for the help.
You’re welcome, Sadie! I’m so glad it was helpful for you.
This worked super easy. Thanks for the tips!
I’m so glad. You’re welcome, Deb!
Thank you. Been glad to have found the recipe.
You’re welcome, Michelle! Enjoy!