The 2 Key Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Homemade Pumpkin Butter

Creamy, velvety, sweet, earthy pumpkin accented by warming spices we can put on just about anything? Yes, please — pumpkin butter is like a big hug of fall flavor. You can spread it on toast, swirl it into cakes, spoon it over ice cream, and even use it to make next-level, at-home pumpkin spice lattes or tasty pumpkin butter-infused cocktails. Making pumpkin butter at home is so easy and lends itself to so many mouthwatering uses, it's hard to think of a more worthwhile seasonal project. But, you do have to know just how to both whip it up and store it so you have and maintain the best pumpkin butter possible. 

We caught up with Jessie-Sierra Ross, ballerina turned cooking and home entertaining author of "Seasons Around the Table; Effortless Entertaining with Floral Tablescapes & Seasonal Recipes," about two common mistakes she often sees newer cooks make with pumpkin butter. The good news is that once you learn about these mistakes — and take Jessie-Sierra's advice — you can avoid them going forward and always make your best pumpkin butter. The first mistake is cooking at too high of a temperature. The second pertains to storage, and that's not using clean jars, according to the author.

As the old saying goes, haste makes waste. That holds especially true in this case when heat is involved. Cooking your mix of pumpkin puree, sugar, liquid element (a fat like cream or juice like lemon or apple), and spices at too high of a temperature can burn the sugars present, ruining the smooth consistency and creating an unpleasant bitter taste. It just takes a touch of patience to make sure this doesn't happen, though, Jessie-Sierra says. 

"We want to gently cook the pumpkin puree, spices, sugar, and other ingredients at a steady medium heat to avoid over-caramelizing (burning) the pumpkin butter. Make sure to keep an eye on your cooking temperature, and stir often." A medium heat ensures a steadier cook, and stirring often will help continue to evenly distribute that heat. It will also achieve an even consistency, distributing the puree throughout the mixture for creamy, not clumpy, results.

Once you make your pumpkin butter, you want to make sure you get the most out of it, and that every time you use it, it's at its best and freshest tasting. Homemade pumpkin butter can last up to two to three weeks if stored properly in the refrigerator, and Jessie-Sierra has guidance for said proper storage.

"Even though we aren't technically 'canning' (a food preservation technique where you vacuum-seal glass jars to create an airtight seal), we are using jars for storage," she says. "To make sure our pumpkin butter stays as fresh and safe to eat as long as possible, be sure to sterilize your glass jars before adding the pumpkin butter for storage in the refrigerator. I like to sterilize in the oven. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and reserve a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Wash the jars, and leave them wet, arranging on the cookie sheet with the open tops facing up. Place in the hot oven and let them 'bake' for 10 minutes. ... Let cool, and then fill." To kill bacteria that could be lurking on the lids, Jessie-Sierra uses boiling water.

This sterilization is an added process to be sure, but it's a relatively quick and easy one that's a game-changer. Once you've taken the time to make perfectly cooked, delicious pumpkin butter, it's worth making sure it lasts with all that irresistible flavor and texture.