This Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter recipe is a must-make for fall, great on toast or even ice cream. Transform canned pumpkin puree into decadent fruit butter with ease.
Whether you make apple butter or this pumpkin butter, you are in for a treat! We love to give as gifts to friends and neighbors.
Why this recipe works
This slow cooker pumpkin butter recipe tastes like heaven. I can not hold myself back from eating it at all times of the day on buttered toast. It tastes like pumpkin pie, but I think it tastes even better.
I put a few jars in the freezer for use throughout fall and winter. The ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free, which is excellent if you have gluten intolerant loved ones.
Canned vs Fresh Pumpkin
Canned pumpkin – Buying canned pumpkin is a convenient way to make recipes in a snap. Canned pumpkin has vibrant color and a constant flavor from can to can.
Fresh Pumpkin – Will take more time to make but can be gratifying to make! Fresh pumpkin puree can have a lighter color but still tastes great. You will need a food processer to make pumpkin puree from scratch. You can use my guide on how to cook pumpkin in the slow cooker.
Whether you choose canned or fresh pumpkin puree, you will have great results with this recipe. The end game is pumpkin butter, and either pumpkin puree you select, you will get perfect pumpkin butter.
How to make Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter:
Ingredients
- Canned 100% pumpkin – be sure not to buy pumpkin pie mix for it is sweetened and spiced already, we want plain pumpkin.
- Brown sugar – pumpkin puree has no sweetness so plenty of brown sugar is needed in this recipe.
- Apple juice – This is the liquid for the recipe. You can use apple cider, that works great!
- Spices – ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground ginger and salt.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1 – Add the canned pumpkin to the slow cooker, add the brown sugar, apple juice, and spices. Stir—cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
Step 2 – Let cool for an hour before spooning into jars. Leave an inch of room at the top of jars if you will freeze—place in the fridge or freeze.
Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Butter in the Slow Cooker
- Don’t over cook! The recipe needs just 4 hours on LOW or 2 hours on HIGH. Don’t forget about it.
- Measure your ingredients – This pumpkin butter recipe has been tested over and over; stick to the recipe. Don’t add less apple juice than it calls for or it will burn around the edges.
- Share with friends – Be sure to give a jar to a friend or neighbor since there is plenty of it. Make sure to tell them to store it in the fridge or freezer.
Things to do with pumpkin butter:
- Serve warm over ice-cream.
- Chill and serve on buttered toast, crossaints or on our favorite 2 ingredient biscuits.
- Use the pumpkin butter in recipes such as pumpkin bars,
pumpkin butter loaf or a rum pumpkin cocktail.
Recipe FAQs and Variations
If you don’t have a variety of spices, you can use two tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice. I’ve tested it both ways, and it is always great.
Pumpkin butter will last two weeks in the fridge or six months in the freezer. Please do not leave it out on the counter; it needs to be refrigerated or placed in the freezer.
Pumpkin and squash are low in acid and too thick to safely can at home; even adding lemon juice isn’t enough to fix the issue. This recipe is not a canning recipe. We prefer to freeze the extra jars.
Yes! This pumpkin butter recipe is perfect to use a slow cooker liner with. Great for easy clean-up. I even cool my pumpkin butter in the fridge in the liner! After I’ve let the pumpkin butter cool on the counter for an hour, I place the liner full of warm pumpkin butter in a large bowl and slip it into the fridge. When the pumpkin butter is cool, it is much easier to put into jars.
Pumpkin Pecan Pumpkin Butter – Add 1/4 cup ground pecans at the start of the recipe.
Cardamom Spiced Pumpkin Butter – Add one teaspoon of cardamom to the recipe along with the other spices.
I hope you make this homemade pumpkin butter recipe. We make this every year without fail; nothing better!
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Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 45 oz. canned 100% pumpkin puree (three 15-oz. cans OR a 29-oz. can and a 15 oz. can)
- 2 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 cups apple juice (cider works well too)
- 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp. ground ginger
- 1 dash salt
Instructions:
- Add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, apple juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt. Stir until combined. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
- Stir once the pumpkin butter is done cooking. Cool on the counter for an hour before spooning into jars.
- Refrigerate for up to two weeks or place in the freezer for up to 6 months. If freezing, leave an inch of room at the top of the jars.
Stove Top Instructions:
- If you do not have a slow cooker or are low on time you can prepare this pumpkin butter on the stove-top. Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan.
- Set the saucepan on the stove-top over low heat. Slowly simmer the pumpkin butter ingredients for 30 minutes, stirring often.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Pumpkin Pecan Pumpkin Butter – Add 1/4 cup ground pecans at the start of the recipe.
- Cardamom Spiced Pumpkin Butter – Add one teaspoon of cardamom to the recipe along with the other spices.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Just as dreamy as the apple butter recipe. I plan on giving them in pairs as holiday gifts.
Yummmy
Tastes amazing! I followed the recipe and did 2 hours on high covered in the crock pot. Will it thicken as it gets cooler? It doesn’t look like much liquid came out of the batch. Thanks!!
Yes, it will thicken. If you want it to thicken more you can continue to cook with the lid off.
Could you use apple cider instead of apple juice for the recipe?
Yes, I often use that.
I made this today and it is delicious! I can’t wait to put it on French toast and oatmeal and biscuits and so on and so on I followed the recipe exactly.
Can you use brown sugar substitute, like Swerve or Truvia?
Yes, though you’ll want to use a lot less.
I’m wondering if since it’s not anything like a cake or pie recipe if you can get away with using an equal amount of Splenda plus 2 1/2 tablespoons of molasses instead of using brown sugar. 🙂
I don’t see why not.
I made this today for the first time and it was absolutely amazing! Will continue to make.
How long is this good for in the fridge/freezer?
Pumpkin butter will last two weeks in the fridge or six months in the freezer. Please do not leave it out on the counter; it needs to be refrigerated or placed in the freezer.
This looks gorgeous! Does it matter if you use light or dark brown sugar?
You can use either, but I use light.