Package it as a gift, eat it with a spoon, dollop it on pancakes… there are so many reasons to make this homemade pumpkin butter.

Are You Here for the Food?
Homemade Pumpkin Butter

Reasons to make this homemade pumpkin butter:

1. It will make your whole house smell warm and comforting with all the fall notes and none of the candle-store fakery.
2. Simple ingredients. Sweeten with maple syrup and coconut sugar, which both add a lot more flavor than refined sugar.
3. With homemade pumpkin butter in the fridge, you can instantly turn breakfast into a wholesome pie-like experience. I like to have multigrain toast, or better yet, toasted cranberry-walnut bread, with a smear of cream cheese and homemade pumpkin butter. It tastes like a healthy strudel.
4. You can package it in little jars and turn it into a gift for friends, guests, or hosts. Spread that Thanksgiving cheer.
5. You can add it to cookies for a slight hint of fall in a chocolate-chip bite. Speaking of cookies…

Are You Here for the Food?
Pumpkin Butter Cookies (whole-grain & gluten-free)

I started with this Pumpkin Butter Cookie recipe from Half Baked Harvest, added the nuance of oat flour and the nutty and slightly bitter notes of buckwheat flour for a gluten-free, whole-grain version. Admittedly, my version is not the explosion of pumpkin I craved. It’s more subtle, so if you want that hint of fall flavors and spice, proceed. If you want the pumpkin explosion, continue on this quest with me. I’m still experimenting.

Are You Here to Connect?
The Zen of Pumpkin Butter

When I wrote my cookbook, I had to pay a LOT of attention to the cooking and baking process. My editors were constantly asking for specifics to help the reader. What does the mixture look like at that point? How many minutes? What’s the coloring after 3-5 minutes of cooking? While somewhat laborious, these questions led me to look more closely, to use my senses more. What was the aroma? Could I describe it accurately? Were there any helpful sounds?

In the midst of the very (!!!) stressful book-writing process, I found moments of pause. I found moments of deep inhalations that grounded me. As spices hit my nose, or the butter began to brown, I found a beat. In that moment, I would remind myself that I could stay in the stress, or reframe everything as excitement (because the body reacts the same for both). I could be frantic, or I could remind myself that this was the only time I’d be testing recipes for my very first cookbook. Didn’t I want to enjoy that somehow?

The holidays, like cookbook writing, can be a stressful time, but maybe this homemade pumpkin butter, with all its comforting aromas, can be a reminder, to pause and take it in. We only get one big holiday season a year, so maybe we can choose to be excited instead of stressed.

PS: If you’re curious about my cookbook process, check out this post in which I peel back the curtain. 

Are You Here for the Dogs?

[Always.] I tiptoed into the bedroom and couldn’t find Maple Le, only to discover she was completely covered by the comforter. Our little girl loves to be cozy and snuggled, and she’s not loving my new morning routine. It’s far too early for her liking.

You Might Also Like: Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Pie Bowl

This pumpkin pie breakfast bowl, from my book, The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook, tastes like an indulgent bite of pie with a healthy, nutty streusel topping. The recipe calls for pumpkin puree, but you can one-up my original recipe with homemade pumpkin butter instead.

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Homemade Pumpkin Butter

Homemade Pumpkin Butter is a delicious addition to fall goodies like waffles, pancakes, pumpkin bread, oatmeal, and toast. Enjoy straight from the fridge, or let it warm to room temperature before topping foods like waffles or pancakes.

Course: Side Dish

Yield: 2 cups

Author: Minimalist Baker

Ingredients

• 30 ounces (2 cans) pumpkin purée
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar or muscovado sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple cider
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsps ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 pinch sea salt

Directions

• Add all ingredients to a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat and stir to combine.
• Once the mixture begins bubbling, reduce the heat to low and simmer. You’re looking for a frequent bubble, so if there isn’t much going on at the surface, increase heat to medium-low heat. If bubbling too vigorously, reduce heat to low.
• Cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have more time, leaveit on the stove for another 5-10 minutes to deepen the flavors and thicken the texture. However, 20 minutes is about perfect.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more coconut sugar or maple syrup for sweetness, lemon juice for acidity, cinnamon or spice for warmth, or salt to balance the flavors.
• Once cooled completely, transfer to a large glass container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Pumpkin Butter Cookies (Whole-Grain & Gluten-Free)

These whole-grain cookies are soft and chewy with a slight hint of pumpkin and spice, so even those averse to fall flavors will probably grab a second.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: gluten-free, whole grain

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature, divided
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup pumpkin butter, homemade or store-bought
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 10 oz double dark semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

• Add 1 stick of butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sift the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a mixing bowl.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cooled browned butter, the remaining 1 stick butter, brown sugar, and sugar until combined.
• Beat in the pumpkin butter, egg, and vanilla, beating until creamy. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
• Fold in chocolate chunks, oats, and pecans.
• Roll the dough into 1-tablespoon-sized balls and place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center.
• Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from Half Baked Harvest.

I recommend Chatfield's for a dark chocolate chip.