Emmett's Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Don't toss your fall pie pumpkins! Homemade pumpkin puree is so simple to make, cost effective, and as a bonus, you get to roast and eat the seeds.

My son, Emmett, carefully scans the entire pumpkin patch every year for the perfect pie pumpkin for his fave Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. He looks forward to scooping the seeds out, roasting and pureeing the pumpkin, and then making crunchy roasted seeds with the innards.

Pumpkin is incredibly nutrient dense, helps improve digestion, and comes with a whole slew of immune boosting health benefits. Most people toss these little antioxidant powerhouses once the season is over, but you're missing out if you do that!

There are tons of uses for pumpkin puree besides pie. I love to add pumpkin to chili, breads and muffins, oatmeal, smoothies, pancakes, pastas, and creamy soups for an extra boost of vitamins and minerals. It is delicious and versatile, and it works well in both sweet and savory dishes.

Here is how Emmett makes his perfect one ingredient pumpkin puree:

INGREDIENTS:

• Pie pumpkin (you can do this with as many pumpkins as you want)

DIRECTIONS:

• Wash and dry pumpkin(s)

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Using a sharp knife, lay the pumpkin on it's side and slice the stem off. Stand the pumpkin back up, and slice in half down the middle.

• Scoop out the seeds and set aside to bake later.

• Place both halves of the pumpkin face down on the baking sheet, and put it into the oven for about 45 min to 1 hour. It may need a little more time depending on how big it is. You will know when it is done when the skin bubbles up and it is tender to touch.

• Once it is done baking, take it out of the oven and it let cool for 15 minutes (or until it is cool enough to peel without burning your fingers).

• Peel the skin off the pumpkin.

• Add the peeled pumpkin to a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth, stopping a couple times to scrape the sides.

• There ya have it! You have creamy homemade pumpkin puree.

• Store in a mason jar or airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Use within two weeks.

NOTES:

• While the pumpkin is roasting, rinse the seeds and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. You can season and put them into the oven to roast while your pumpkin is cooling. See my recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Two Ways.