Which Pumpkin Is Best for Baking?
You won’t want to use the large carving pumpkins for baking; instead look for smaller pie pumpkins (also called sugar pumpkins) which are dense and darker in color. These are the types of pumpkins you want to use when making puree for Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Bars, and Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal.
How Do You Prepare a Pumpkin For Cooking?
First, you’ll scrub the outside of the pumpkin to remove any visible dirt. Then, you have two choices for preparation. The first method is my preference when you want to make homemade pumpkin puree, because the inside doesn’t get dark and caramelized at all. Instead, the inside is steamed, leaving you with a bright orange flesh that’s easy to puree later.
Cooking a pumpkin whole also means you don’t need to struggle to cut through the tough shell while the pumpkin is raw. When you roast pumpkin whole, it’s tender enough to be cut with a butter knife, and the seeds are easily scooped out, once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle.
How to Cook a Whole Pumpkin
Preheat your oven to 400ºF and have a baking sheet ready. Rinse off the pumpkin, then use a knife to stab the hard outer shell a few times, to allow for ventilation.
Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet (or use a square baking dish) and transfer to the oven. For a 2.5 to 3 pound pumpkin, it will need to roast for about 60 minutes at 400ºF. The pumpkin is ready when the flesh is darker, and the skin can be easily pierced with a fork.
Cut the pumpkin in half, and allow to cool until cool enough to handle. Use a large spoon to scrape out the seeds, and reserve them for another use. (Like making crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds!)
How to Cut a Pumpkin
To cut a pumpkin, I like to leave the stem in place, and cut right next to stem, as close to the center of the pumpkin as possible. This leaves you with one half that is slightly larger than the other, but in my experience, both sides will still bake evenly.
Alternatively, you can cut the pumpkin in half cross-wise, just like you do when cooking spaghetti squash, so one half with have the stem, and the other half won’t. The perk of cutting a pumpkin before cooking it, is that it will cook faster, and you won’t have to scoop the seeds out later, when it’s hot from the oven. (The seeds are easier to clean the pulp off, if you scoop them out raw, too.)
How to Cook a Halved Pumpkin
If you’d prefer to cut your pumpkin in half first, it will shave off some of the cooking time later. Plus, the pumpkin seeds are easier to clean from a raw pumpkin, compared to a cooked pumpkin. So, if you’re looking to snack on the seeds later, this method will make that process easier.
After you cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush the inside and edges of the pumpkin lightly with olive oil, then arrange the halves cut-side-down on the pan. (Line the pan with parchment paper, if you want to save yourself some clean-up later!) Roast at 350ºF until tender, about 45 minutes for the average 2.5 to 3-pound sugar pumpkin.
Let the pumpkin cool until you can handle the pieces, then make pumpkin puree as directed below.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Once the pumpkin is cooked, scoop out the tender pumpkin flesh from the outer shell. It might be a little stringy at this point, so I like to transfer it to a food processor.
Briefly process the cooked pumpkin in the food processor, pulsing several times. Stop and scrape down the sides, as needed, until everything is very smooth. You can add a splash of water, if needed, to help everything blend, but that shouldn’t be necessary in most cases.
How to Store It
Store the pumpkin puree in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week, and use it in your favorite pumpkin recipes! You could also freeze it to extend it’s shelf life indefinitely. For a pumpkin that is roughly 2.5 to 3 pounds in weight, you should get about 3 cups of puree from cooking it. (Close to 2 cans worth!) We’ll be using ours in my favorite pumpkin pie.
Update note: This was originally posted in November 2012, and has been updated October 2020 with new photos and more detailed instructions. I used to bake the pumpkin at 350ºF, but I’ve found the hotter oven temperature guarantees more tender results.
Pumpkin Recipes
Need ideas for using up your freshly cooked pumpkin puree? Try one of the delicious recipes below!
Pumpkin Smoothie Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins Paleo Pumpkin Muffins Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal No-Bake Pumpkin Tarts Healthy Pumpkin Donuts Vegan Pumpkin Pie Creamy Pumpkin Tomato Soup Flourless Pumpkin Bars Gluten-free & Vegan Pumpkin Bars
If you try this roasted pumpkin method, please leave a comment below letting me know how it works for you! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from your experience. — Reader Feedback: Have you ever made your own pumpkin puree?
