Pumpkin Butter Recipe

A few years ago, a study on aromas raised a few eyebrows when it suggested that the scent of pumpkin may be an aphrodisiac in men. I’m not sure I’d take it that far, but there is something spectacular about the smell of pumpkin in the house on a cool fall day. Maybe it’s an association with the holidays or perhaps just because it is a certain harbinger of delicious food to come. Whatever the reason, coming home to the warm and comforting scent of pumpkin is a wonderful thing, and crock pot pumpkin butter delivers the goods. And that’s before you even taste it.

Low in fat and high in nutritional value, pumpkin butter doesn’t actually contain butter.  Instead, pureed pumpkin, combined with sugar and spices, is cooked for hours until it becomes thick, silky and delightfully spreadable. It makes a great topper for toast, biscuits, crackers or pancakes. It can be stirred into oatmeal, used to add moisture to baked goods and it is surprisingly good on a grilled cheese sandwich. Pumpkin butter is sweet, smooth and versatile, making just about everything taste a little bit better with fall’s favorite flavor.

Pumpkin butter is easy to make using fresh or canned pumpkin.  Like so many great crock pot recipes, the instructions are simple: Dump, stir, walk away. Six hours is an estimate, given the wide disparity between slow cooker settings, but time is on your side. The longer it cooks, the thicker and more flavorful pumpkin butter becomes.

Although it seems like pumpkin butter would be a good candidate for canning, it is too dense to be safely processed for shelf storage. Instead, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks or freeze to store for as long as 6 months.

Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter

• 3 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1  cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Stir all ingredients together in a crock pot and cook on low for at least 6 hours or until desired thickness is reached.