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Slow Cooker Pumpkin Purée is super easy to make, and it tastes so much better than canned!
I know what you’re thinking. With all of that Fall baking ahead of you in the coming months – it’s just easier to open a can of store-bought pumpkin purée.
But what if I told you that making your own Slow Cooker Pumpkin Purée was just as easy – and your favorite Fall desserts will taste so much better if you make our homemade pumpkin purée? (Even my skeptical husband Jack has said that he will never go back to buying the canned pumpkin purée after making today’s recipe!)
Just one ingredient (sugar pumpkins), plus a slow cooker, a sharp knife, a spoon, a blender, and about six hours of hands-off cooking time is all that it takes to make this easy and delicious Slow Cooker Pumpkin Purée. Here’s how it is done:
The best Slow Cooker Pumpkin Purée comes from using sugar pumpkins – smaller, round pumpkins that are sometimes labeled ‘baking’ pumpkins at the market. They are available at most supermarkets in late September and October.
Thoroughly wash the outside of the pumpkins and remove the stem, any loose soil and blemishes. Then cut the pumpkins in half and scoop out the seeds. (You can discard the seeds or roast them for snacking!)
Then cut the pumpkin halves into half again.
Nestle the pumpkin pieces into a large 6-quart slow cooker. Then cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or until the flesh is soft and tender. (It’s fine if some of the pumpkin pieces on the bottom are darker and slightly caramelized. That means more delicious flavor!)
Allow to cool, then scoop out the cooked pumpkin flesh into large bowl and purée with an immersion blender (or purée in batches in a regular blender or food processor). Note: Some other recipes online suggest blending the pumpkin skins in with the flesh, and you can certainly do that if you’d like. We wanted pumpkin purée that was smooth and uniform in color so we did not purée the pumpkin skins. (And yes – you may notice that ‘real’ pumpkin purée is more yellow in color than the canned variety.)
Use this easy, Slow Cooker Pumpkin Purée as you would in any recipe calling for pumpkin purée. Or portion into zipper seal bags and freeze until ready to use.
You may enjoy these recipes made with pumpkin purée:
- No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Bake
- Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Purée
Ingredients
2 3-pound sugar pumpkins, also called baking pumpkins (total 6 pounds)
Instructions
Thoroughly wash the outside of the pumpkin to remove any loose soil or blemishes.
Remove stem and seeds and cut the pumpkin into six or eight pieces, depending on size. Leave skin on.
Snug into a six-quart slow cooker and set timer to six hours on low.
Once done, cool slightly to make it easy to handle and take each piece out and run a spoon between flesh and skin, discarding skin. Place flesh into a large bowl. (We discarded the skin, but some recipes purée the skin in with the flesh. Your choice.)
Using an immersion blender purée until smooth. You could also use a blender or food processor however may need to purée in batches.
Place in quart zipper seal bags and freeze until needed, or use immediately.
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You may also like:
No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake
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So easy and you can make a lot at once. Thank you for sharing
You’re welcome Vicki!
I’m not sure what a sugar pumpkin is. I just have regular pumkins. They look like the pumkin in your picture x
Hi Belinda – A sugar pumpkin is one that is meant for cooking and eating vs the kind sold for jack-o-lanterns. They are typically smaller and rounder. Our supermarket sells them at this time of the year, or outdoor farmstands would likely have them labeled specifically as sugar pumpkins. Hope that helps!