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    Home » Recipes » Condiments & Dips

    Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter

    Published: Oct 2, 2022 · Modified: Nov 11, 2023 · by Renée B. · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    Slow-cooker Pumpkin Butter, made with either fresh or canned pumpkin puree, is easy to make and packed with warm fall flavors. Enjoy it on toast, waffles, oatmeal; even ice cream! Makes a wonderful holiday hostess gift, too.

    small ramakin of pumpkin butter, with fall decor and jars of pumpkin butter in the background.
    Jump to:
    • What's the Story on Pumpkin Butter?
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Pumpkin Butter in a Slow Cooker
    • Substitutions
    • Storage
    • Equipment
    • More Winter Squash Recipes
    • Ways to Use Pumpkin Butter
    • Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter

    What's the Story on Pumpkin Butter?

    Pumpkin butter is a luxuriously smooth fruit spread made from pumpkin puree, warm spices, and other fall-forward ingredients. The mixture is simmered for an extended time over low heat, concentrating the flavors and resulting in a rich, spreadable, dairy-free butter, much like apple butter.

    Years ago, I started making pumpkin butter when I figured out how easy and inexpensive it is to make, especially in a slow cooker. When cooked on the stovetop, it can be difficult to keep the temperature low enough so as not to scorch fruit butters as they cook, and they require tedious attention throughout the process. A slow cooker on low allows you to go about your day without being tied to the stove.

    This pumpkin butter recipe can be made with either canned or homemade pumpkin puree. There are subtle differences in the texture and flavor of the butter, depending on which varieties of squash you use.

    Fresh or canned, this easy to make recipe yields a thick, rich, silky pumpkin butter that is absolutely decadent. Nearly everyone loves homemade fruit butters, and it makes a wonderful holiday hostess or neighbor gift, too.

    Ingredients

    Pumpkin butter ingredients, labeled: pureed pumpkin, apples, orange juice, brown sugar, zest, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg.
    • Pumpkin puree: Use 2 pounds of canned or homemade pumpkin puree, or a combination of both (about 4-5 cups). Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling!
    • Orange juice & zest: Many fruit butter recipes use apple juice as a liquid; however, we prefer using orange juice and zest in the pumpkin butter. The citrusy addition gives the fruit butter a fresh taste, the flavors blend beautifully, and the orange complements the squash perfectly.
    • Lemon: Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice can be substituted.
    • Apple: Suggest varieties include McIntosh, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Granny Smith, Cortland, or Fuji.
    • Brown sugar
    • Vanilla
    • Spices: Be sure to use fresh spices! Spices have a shelf-life; generally, once ground, their intensity of flavor begins to diminish after about 3-8 months.

    How to Make Pumpkin Butter in a Slow Cooker

    If you would like to make fresh pumpkin puree, be sure visit our Homemade Pumpkin Puree recipe for detailed instructions.

    Pour pureed pumpkin into a slow cooker, and add the remaining ingredients on top.

    Slow cooker filled with pumpkin butter ingredients.

    Use an immersion blender to blend until relatively smooth, adding a little water if necessary to get things moving. The mixture's consistency should be like very thick baby food.

    Set the slow cooker on Low and cook 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

    After 4 hours, remove the slow cooker lid and use the immersion blender again to smooth out any remaining lumps.

    Half-cooked pumpkin butter in a slow cooker, with an immersion blender working out apple chunks.

    Continue to cook uncovered in the slow cooker on Low, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 more hours, or until the puree reaches the desired thickness.

    Use the immersion blender one more time to smooth out the mixture.

    Fully cooked pumpkin butter in slow cooker.

    Note that the flavor of this pumpkin butter may be somewhat citrus-forward immediately after it comes out of the slow cooker, but in a day or two, it will mellow as the pumpkin, citrus, and spice flavors have time to fully meld and marry. 

    Substitutions

    • Pumpkin puree: You can make pumpkin butter using any rich winter squash puree. If you make your own puree, our top squash recommendation is red kuri squash. It results in a fabulously rich and deeply flavored pumpkin butter.
    • Orange juice & zest: You can sub in apple juice or white grape juice for the orange juice, and/or use lemon zest in place of the orange zest.
    • Brown sugar: You can use white granulated sugar. In this case, consider adding 2 tablespoons of molasses to the mixture.
    • Vanilla: Consider using almond or hazelnut flavoring.

    Storage

    Refrigerator: Pour prepared pumpkin butter into canning jars or food-safe plastic containers. Refrigerate for up to a month.

    Freezer: Pour in canning jars or plastic freezer containers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Allow the pumpkin butter to cool completely on the counter.

    Pumpkin butter can be frozen for up to a year. Allow frozen pumpkin to thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before using.

    Canning: USDA now recommends against canning pumpkin butter because, due to the density of the butter, the heat may not properly reach the center of the pumpkin butter in the jar.

    Equipment

    An immersion blender makes the task of smoothing out the pumpkin butter a snap! With it, you can whip the mixture down right in the slow cooker.

    You can also use a stand blender (or even a food processor) but this requires you to transfer hot pumpkin butter between the slow cooker and the blender and back, adding time-consuming, somewhat perilous steps to the process.

    small ramakin of pumpkin butter, with fall decor and jars of pumpkin butter in the background.

    More Winter Squash Recipes

    Here are a few more of our favorite winter squash recipes.

    • Classic Baked Acorn Squash
    • Roasted Butternut Squash with Bacon & Leeks

    These recipes can all be made using either butternut or pumpkin puree:

    • Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie
    • Curried Butternut Squash Soup
    • Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread
    • Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Scones
    • Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Parmesan & Sage

    Visit our collection of recipes for leftover pumpkin puree for more ideas.

    • Single pumpkin scone on a small plate, with a mandarine orange on the side. Large serving plate of scones in the background.
      Spiced Pumpkin Sourdough Scones
    • Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread
      Nana's Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread
    • Whole stuffed pumpkin on glass stand, surrounded by fresh sage.
      Thanksgiving Roast Stuffed Pumpkin
    • Two pumpkin smoothies in old-fashioned soda glasses. Pumpkin seeds sprinkled around the foot of glasses. Fall decor (leaves, pumpkin) in background, and polka dot straw are in the glasses..
      Peachy Pumpkin Smoothie

    Ways to Use Pumpkin Butter

    Pumpkin butter isn't just for spreading on toast! It's delicious with oatmeal, biscuits, toast, waffles, pancakes, smoothies, and elephant ears, just to name a few. One of Mr B's favorite ways is over ice cream!

    Pumpkin butter over vanilla ice cream. Fall decor in background,

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    small ramakin of pumpkin butter, with fall decor and jars of pumpkin butter in the background.
    5 from 4 votes

    Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter

    Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter, made with either fresh or canned pumpkin puree, is easy to make and packed with warm fall flavors. Enjoy it on toast, waffles, oatmeal; even ice cream! Makes a wonderful hostess or neighbor gift, too.
    Makes about 5 cups.
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time:10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time:7 hours hours
    Total Time:7 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 40 servings
    Calories: 55kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Slow Cooker
    • 1 Immersion Blender or blender

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 2 pounds pumpkin puree fresh or canned pumpkin; about 4-5 cups
    • 2 cups light brown sugar firmly packed
    • 1 large apple peeled, cored, and cubed
    • ¼ cup fresh orange juice juice from 1 large orange
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest zest from 1 large orange
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon fresh nutmeg

    Instructions

    • Pour the pureed pumpkin and remaining pumpkin butter ingredients into a slow cooker and use an immersion blender to blend until relatively smooth.
      Add a little water if necessary: the consistency should be like very thick baby food.
    • Set the slow cooker on Low and cook 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
      After 4 hours, remove the slow cooker lid and use the immersion blender again to smooth out any remaining lumps.
    • Continue to cook uncovered in the slow cooker, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 more hours, or until the puree reaches the desired thickness.
      Use the immersion blender one more time to smooth out the mixture.

    Storage

    • Refrigerator: Pour prepared pumpkin butter into canning jars or food-safe plastic containers. Refrigerate for up to a month.
      Freezer: Pour in canning jars or plastic freezer containers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Allow the pumpkin butter to cool completely on the counter. Freeze for up to a year.
      Canning: USDA now recommends against canning pumpkin butter because, due to the density of the butter, the heat may not properly reach the center of the pumpkin butter in the jar.

    Notes

    The flavor of the pumpkin butter may be somewhat citrus-forward immediately after it comes out of the slow cooker, but it will mellow in a day or two as the pumpkin, citrus, and spice flavors have time to fully meld and marry. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.05g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 3536IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Love it? Pin it! If you love this pumpkin butter recipe, make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

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    Originally published November 8, 2012. Post has been updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions to improve reader experience.

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is self-taught home chef with a penchant for creating healthy(ish) comfort food recipes, and adapting vintage recipes for the 21st century cook. In her spare time, she writes unfinished novels and songs about cowboys.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 4 votes

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    1. kushigalu says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      Never tried pumpkin butter before. Sounds interesting. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    2. Mirlene says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:13 am

      5 stars
      I am going to give this a try! I love the idea of having it over ice cream and some wheat toasts too.

      Reply
      • Renée B. says

        October 14, 2022 at 10:53 am

        It's surprising amazing over ice cream!

        Reply
    3. Sara Welch says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:10 am

      5 stars
      Enjoyed this as a topping on ice cream, and it couldn't have been more tasty! Looking forward to trying some of your other varieties; so delicious!

      Reply
    4. Tavo says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:10 am

      5 stars
      I am loving this pumpkin butter! The orange juice and apple addition was terrific! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Renée B. says

        October 14, 2022 at 10:53 am

        The orange really enhances the pumpkin flavors!

        Reply
    5. Tammy says

      August 10, 2020 at 8:36 pm

      Where is the link for canning this? Sounds delicious!!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        August 11, 2020 at 8:01 am

        It is delicious! Unfortunately, this is one of the oldest posts on the blog, and is desperate need of a complete overhaul. (It's on the calendar!)

        The link to the canning method previously highlighted is no longer viewable online; and due to the questionable safety related to canning, I now prefer to freeze pumpkin butter, rather than can it. (In the past, I canned it in pints in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.)

        Reply
    6. Paula@SweetPea says

      October 26, 2013 at 1:50 pm

      This looks fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing with this week's Throwback Thursday party.

      Reply

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