Slow Cooker Pumpkin Puree

We know canned pumpkin is easy to use and tastes fine, but in our eyes, nothing beats homemade. Pumpkin puree is actually quite easy to make at home, especially in a slow cooker. Use your finished puree in soups, breads and pies all season long. Freeze any leftovers in plastic bags or store it in jars in the fridge. All it takes is a couple pie pumpkins, a slow cooker and a food processor or blender.

Start by prepping the pumpkins with a good rinse. Then, use a knife to cut out the stem of each pumpkin.

Remove the stems and discard. You won’t need them anymore.

Slice each pumpkin in half.

Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and fibrous insides. Reserve the seeds if you want to make toasted pumpkin seeds later. (Highly recommended by us, of course!)

Place the pumpkin pieces and water in the slow cooker crock. The water isn’t absolutely necessary, but it helps the pumpkin steam faster.

Set the timer on your slow cooker and check on the pumpkins when it goes off, about 2 hours. The outer skin should be easily pricked by a fork, and the flesh should be soft.

Use a large spoon to scoop out the pumpkin flesh, then toss the pumpkin skins. Add the pumpkin flesh to a food processor or blender (or large container if using a hand blender).

Process the pumpkin until it becomes a smooth puree. This won’t take long, since the pumpkin is so soft.

Store the puree in jars in the refrigerator or use plastic bags to freeze it. Now you can make tasty soups, delicious pies, smoothies, bread pudding or even pumpkin butter. Check back soon for our favorite recipes using homemade pumpkin puree.

For the cook who is busy all day but wants a home-cooked dinner at night, a slow cooker is the answer. And with the Set & Forget® Programmable Slow Cooker, technology takes a big leap forward from the outdated slow cookers found in yesterday’s kitchens.