How to Bake and Puree Fresh Pumpkin

Last year, I sent these delicious mini Pumpkin Muffins for my daughter’s Halloween Class treat. I sent these rather than a bag of candy in hopes that the class would enjoy something half healthy during their Halloween Celebration.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat (if you don’t have this, just double the all purpose flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
½ tsp salt (optional)
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 ½ cups pureed pumpkin (canned or fresh)
¾ raisins (golden works best with this recipe)

Variation: Add 2 apples, peeled and diced

Note: If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 Tbsp vinegar to 1 cup of milk.

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
In another bowl, whisk egg with oil. Stir in buttermilk, pumpkin and raisins/apples.
Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Pour into 12 greased or paper lined muffin cups (or use mini muffin cups).
Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 22-28 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.


How to Bake and Puree Your Own Pumpkin?

1) Put a sugar (or also called a pie) pumpkin in the microwave for approximately 2 minutes to soften it slightly. This makes it easier to cut.
2) Cut off the top (or lid) of the pumpkin.

3) Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and “gunk”.

4) Place pumpkin halves face down in a 9×13 baking pan filled with approximately 1-2 cups of water. I often line the pan with parchment paper first.

5) Bake at 350 degrees for 1-1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the pumpkin. You know it’s done when a knife slides in the entire pumpkin easily and the skin is a dark colour.

6) When the pumpkin is cool enough to touch, scoop out the flesh and place in a blender with a small amount of water (you can always add more if needed).

7) Puree.


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25 Responses to How to Bake and Puree Fresh Pumpkin

  1. Gingermommy says:

    Very cool. I never thought of doing that.

  2. esahm says:

    Yummy! I love making my own pumpkin puree, and the muffins sound great!

  3. Jayda says:

    Love baking, though never made pumpkin muffins…Definitely will need to!

  4. I’m so lazy, that looks like effort, I buy mine in a can! lol sounds like a great recipe though might have to try the muffins

  5. Love that tip to nuke it first to make it softer for cutting. Brilliant stuff!

  6. Great ideas – thanks!!

    Can you come over and do that at my place??? 🙂

  7. I have always wanted to make my own puree. Thanks for the directions.

  8. Annie1 says:

    I have never in my life tried pumpkin 🙁 I’m not sure why lol Your muffin recipe sounds delicious though, especially the spices and the chopped apple variation!

    Thanks for the info

    nancyrobster at gmail dot com

  9. Samorjj says:

    I have used a similar recipe and made mini muffins. Spread a little cream cheese icing on them and the kids think it is a cupcake. 😉 I made them that way for preschool and there wasn’t a muffin left. Little did they know it was good for them. I just called them Halloween muffins and didn’t mention the pumpkin part.

  10. Unknown says:

    Eva U

    Always wanted to make my own fresh pumpkin pie. Glad I stopped in this recipe section. My 8 yr old Evan, loves pumpkin too. Muffins look like the ticket.

    eva urban
    emu839@gmail.com

  11. el03ro says:

    October 15-This is a very simple and effective way to cook and puree a pumpkin. Thank you for telling us about it. I want to cook and freeze some pumpkin puree for pies and this is a wonderful recipe to use. Elva Roberts

  12. Victoria S says:

    Oh, I wish I had read this before Thanksgiving! Oh well, pumpkin pies are good all year round, right?

  13. mamawee says:

    OK – that seems so so simple…I might try that this year…I am sure there will be pie pumpkins on sale for the next few days…hmm….fresh pumpkin loaf – yummy!

  14. Wendy Lange says:

    Okay, that looks easy, so I think I can do this! Thanks 🙂

  15. Cheryl says:

    I didn’t know how to do this. Now I do! 🙂

  16. Elva Roberts says:

    Thank you for telling us how to bake and puree our own pumpkins. There should be plenty of them on the market soon and this tip will be very helpful to me and to others.

  17. Cheryl says:

    I can’t wait to try this. My son has been asking for Pumpkin muffins.

  18. Anna Johnson says:

    My boys would love doing this with me! We love pumpkin pie, but this will make it fun to try other pumpkin recipes too!

  19. Robin says:

    I love homemade pumpkin muffins

  20. salexis says:

    Perfect Recipe for this year in BC we have an abundance of pumpkins ripe early

  21. Laurie P says:

    this was most helpful as we just pulled 2 pie pumpkins out of the garden. I was wondering how to prepare them to use for pies next week for the feast!

  22. Pingback: Delicious Homemade Pumpkin Muffins

  23. Pingback: Pumpkin Pasta - rich and delicious - www.MultiTestingMommy.com

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