Spiced Pumpkin Butter

Happy Halloween everyone! October is in its last day, but the weather here in Texas has just now decided to start behaving like fall. No joke, kids spent the weekend SWIMMING at the neighborhood pool! But no matter what the weather app on my phone reads, fall is in fact here which means mainly one thing to many people: Pumpkin. Everything. Take one step into any grocery and you will be immediately thrown into an ocean of pumpkin baked goods, chips, drinks, pastas and more.  What accompanies all these pumpkin products? Astronomical prices, preservatives and oftentimes bland or over- spiced flavors that hardly ever taste like pumpkin. That’s why I started making my pumpkin butter. This spread is easy, fast and also as healthy as it is delicious. But, best of all it actually tastes like pumpkin! The secret to this butter is using the freshest spices possible and adding a little apple sauce which, thanks to my son I make at least twice a week and always have on hand. The apples lend complexity and the pectin acts as a thickener, which gives the butter a better texture.  So, with minimal effort and minimal ingredients you can have the best tastes and aromas of fall in your home in minimal time! Pumpkin butter isn’t just for your toast either! I stir it into my oatmeal,  mix it into smoothies, spread it on pancakes and will even reheat it with yogurt to create a delicious fall soup. 

Spiced Pumpkin Butter

Tools needed:

• 1 aluminum pot
• Can opener
• Measuring spoons
• Large spoon
•  Grater and plastic wrap (if using fresh ginger)

Ingredients:

• 1 (29 ounce) can of pumpkin puree (or 4 cups of pureed, roasted pumpkin)
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 3 teaspoons fresh grated ginger (or two teaspoons ground ginger)
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions:

1.       Grate the ginger (if using fresh) While it is totally acceptable to simply grate ginger straight into your pot, I have never been a fan of the fibrous texture. That’s why I was so happy to learn this simple trick in culinary school. Just cover the smallest side of a box grater, microplane or whatever you use to grate with plastic wrap. Then, run your peeled ginger up and down, grating like you usually would. (don't grate too much in one spot or else the plastic may rip) The fibers collect on the plastic wrap and you can then squeeze the juice into your pot. You get an excellent, concentrated ginger flavor without the not always desired texture.

2.       Mix in all of your ingredients into the pot, stir and bring up to a boil

3.       Once the butter is boiling, lower the heat and leave everything simmering until it reduces down and thickens (about 15-20 minutes)

And that is all it takes to make this healthy, versatile and most importantly tasty scratch-made pumpkin butter. Nine simple ingredients, three easy steps and 20 fast minutes? What are you waiting for?! Go make something delicious!