ingredients:
- 4 cups of pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
- 1/2 cup of real maple syrup
- 3 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
instructions:
- Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan with a lid (keep the lid off right now). Stir everything thoroughly and turn the heat to medium-high.
- Once the pumpkin mixture starts to bubble (holes will form and pockets of air will escape), set the lid on the pan at an angle. Make sure the lid is NOT on tight but cracked (or set askew) so steam can filter out, which allows the puree to reduce & thicken up.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Make sure the bubbles are still rising, but not as rapidly. You may need to adjust the heat slightly so that it keeps bubbling slightly.
- Cook, stirring once or twice, for 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkin puree has thickened to your desired consistency. This may take a little bit longer if you’re using fresh pumpkin puree or you decide to add some liquid like apple juice or water.
- Cool completely, transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and store in the fridge. The pumpkin butter should keep for at least one week in the fridge (potentially up to two weeks) and can be frozen up to 3 months.
NOTES:
For this ratio of ingredients, a medium-sized saucepan or lidded pot works fine. However, if you plan on doubling or tripling this recipe, use a large pot or pan so you have plenty of room for the puree to splatter & reduce. Because of its low acid content, it’s not recommended to can pumpkin butter. So if you want to give this as a gift for the holidays, make a fresh batch and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to give it to them in person (ideally within a few days of you making it).
