The Crucial Step You Can't Ignore When Baking With Canned Pumpkin

Baking pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, or other harvest-flavored goodies? You don't need to start from scratch. In fact, canned puree is one of the foods we think you're always better off buying from the store, partly because it's so much easier than chopping up and cooking your own. But among all of our special tips and mistakes to avoid when using canned pumpkin, there is one step you don't want to skip.

When you open canned pumpkin, you may notice a little extra liquid in the container. The amount can vary from brand to brand and even depend on how juicy that particular harvest happened to be. However, baking is an exact science, and too much liquid in this ingredient can throw off your recipe. The answer is simple. Instead of dropping the puree directly into your mixing bowl, drain the excess liquid through a sieve, or spoon it onto a few layers of paper towels and allow them to soak it up first.  

If you have a little more time, you can simmer the excess moisture away in a pan on the stovetop, or try chef Anna Gordon's tip for preparing your puree. She advises spreading it on a pan and roasting it for a few minutes to bring out a richer, nuttier flavor. The heat will evaporate excess moisture, so you can accomplish two things at once. To prevent a mess, use a rimmed baking sheet so that the liquid won't run off into the bottom of your oven.

While pumpkin pie may be the first recipe that comes to mind when you see this ingredient, it really deserves a bigger place in your cooking repertoire. Try it in pumpkin and pecan pancakes, pumpkin bread, or filled pumpkin pie doughnuts. Or if you happen to open an especially watery can, choose a recipe where extra liquid won't matter. Canned pumpkin can make for hearty smoothies or can even be added to chili for a richer flavor.