pumpkin butter + pepita granola
We ate it with a spoon, and I don’t mean weeks later; I’m talking about when we arrived back that Tuesday night near midnight. I confess that apple butter is one of these things I hadn’t known about growing up. Amusingly, my first knowledge of us came from watching Oprah shortly after her first or second major weight loss, and she told her audience that one of her secrets had been apple butter instead of regular butter on her morning toast. Needless to say, I was dubious that anything could take the place of real butter and the idea of trying apple butter fell largely to the back of my mind until that Tuesday night.
And oh my god, it was just phenomenal. Thick, gooey and lavishly spiced, it was like fall had exploded in our kitchen, and I vowed between spoonfuls that we would go apple picking and make an enormous batch of our own from Elise’s recipe this fall.
Well, not to be anticlimactic, but we haven’t been apple picking yet, yet when I saw that Shutterbean had gushed about Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter this weekend, I remembered the remainder of the can of pumpkin puree from the bread pudding lingering in my refrigerator, more or less going to waste due to my indecision about what to make with it. Considering how dearly I missed Elise’s apple butter, this was an easy-peasy choice.
Pumpkin butter is ridiculously easy to make, taking hours less than its tree-ripened cousin, mostly because you can start with puree from a can. Now, if you haven’t had apple or pumpkin butter before, you’ll probably find it very sweet, which it is. But I happen to think of it more like a jam, or something you would dollop on pancakes or waffles or vanilla ice cream or your plain morning yogurt.
Which also brings me to my favorite granola recipe. I mentioned it for the first time last year, but due to the discovery a store this weekend that sells nuts and dried fruits galore in bulk and for far less than most gouging stores in NYC, I knew it was a sign it was time to make it again. Below, I have updated the recipe a bit with some adjustments and advice culled from practice, and comments from you.
And then tomorrow for breakfast, I want you to throw a cup of plain Greek yogurt, with or without a drop of vanilla extract swirled in, a few spoonfuls of granola and a dollop of pumpkin butter in your work bag and feast on this in your cubicle tomorrow instead of the routine. Believe me, the view will be much better from there.
One year ago: Pumpkin Muffins
Go Orange: Have you considered donating to The Food Bank’s NYC Goes Orange Campaign? You know, the one that I colored this site orange for? If not, I hope you do. And yes, I promise that this is the last time I will beg.
Pumpkin Butter
Adapted from AllRecipes
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree, approx. 3 1/2 cups
3/4 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Juice of half a lemon
1. Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Adjust spices to taste. Stir in lemon juice, or more to taste.
2. Once cool, pumpkin butter can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
To preserve: Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into hot jars, filling to within 1/4 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Granola
Adapted from Calle Ocho, New York City
In the couple years I have been making my own granola, I have learned a few things that I hope will help you too. The first is that I think most recipes have too much oil, and that gets in the way of clumping. I am updating the recipe to include less of it. The second is that it burns very quickly, so just because I can get away with 30 minutes baking time in my oven doesn’t mean that it won’t over-toast in 20 in yours. I’d suggest you check it every five minutes after the 15 minute mark. Finally, and this is the hardest-learned advice I can give: keep it in the freezer. Granola, even in an airtight container, actually especially in an airtight container, gets soft after a couple days. In the freezer, it stays crisp and crunchy indefinitely, and also extends the shelf life to months.
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sliced almonds (1 oz)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup green (hulled) pumpkin seeds, sometimes called pepitas (1 1/2 oz; not roasted)
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup mild honey
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch salt (flaky sea salt is wonderful in here)
1 cup tart dried cherries
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup dried pears (1/4 inch dice)
1/2 cup diced dried apricots (1/4 inch dice)
1/3 cup golden raisins
– or –
2 3/4 cups mixed dried fruit of your choice (I used pears, figs and tart cherries)
Accompaniment: Sliced bananas; plain yogurt flavored with vanilla extract, pumpkin or apple butter
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Stir together all ingredients except the fruit in a large bowl until combined. Spread mixture evenly on a large (17-by 12-inch) shallow baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes, but checking every five minutes after the 15-minute mark because it burns quickly. Transfer granola, in pan, to rack to cool stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
Stir in dried fruit.
Granola keeps, frozen (the fruit’s moisture softens granola if not kept frozen) in an airtight container, a few months.
Trader Joe’s pumpkin butter is to die for…. My favorite use is to swirl it in non-fat vanilla yogurt! So rich, so creamy, so healthy! I hadn’t thought about ever making my own so thanks for the shove with that delectable picture of tomorrow’s breakfast. :) I’ll raise my bowl to you!
Ok, they all look delicious, but today, with your suggestion to bring this to work, I am out of my mind with pleasure. Can. Not. Wait. To. Try. One thing: as an avid (read: obsessive) canning enthusiast, I am wondering what the final volume of pumpkin butter was so I know how many jars to collect. I can’t imagine it will last that long, but you never know.
This is where I confess that I only made 2/3 of the recipe, because that’s the amount of pumpkin I had left, but I am pretty sure it yields almost exactly the amount of pumpkin you put in, or 3.5 cups if you use the whole big can. Let me know if this is not the case for you, though, so I don’t misinform further. Thx!
I am dying to try the pumpkin butter recipe, especially since I picked up pumpkin to make a cheesecake tonight and they only had whopping vats of it left. But, uh, what if someone – hypothetically, of course – wanted to avoid the whole-jam-jar-canning-lid-popping experience? Is there no other alternative?
can’t wait to try this recipe. i’ll attempt when i’m done licking the jar of the trader joe’s version ;) btw, they recommend putting cream cheese on your toast & then topping it with the pumpkin butter. oooooh yeah! guess who’s trying that next!!!????
‘thank you’ just doesn’t seem like enough…
oh! i also had half a can of pumpkin puree leftover in my fridge. I added it to my chicken tikka masala and added chopped yams in with the mixture. So good! There’s just something so gratifying about using leftover scraps for another masterpiece.
YUM! I love apple butter.
I have Mango butter at home too! Delicious!
I’ve been enjoying TJ’s pumpkin butter for the last few days that is of course after smuggling it on a plane back to Upstate NY from DC because we are not lucky enough to have a TJ’s anywhere in our vicinity.
And RE: the granola. Thank you for mentioning the freezing thing. Last year I made granola and felt compelled to eat all of it myself for fear that it would go bad. Let’s just say that vast quantities of granola aren’t really good for one’s insides and leave it at that.
Don’t I spy figs in your granola?? Are you holding out on us…omitting 1 ingredient so that we can’t QUITE make it as good as yours? I just discovered Greek yogurt a few months ago. I can’t believe that I went my whole life not eating it.
Mmm! I LOVE Trader Joe’s pumpkin butter. I need to get some more before the season is over. I’ve been enjoying it with peanutbutter on bread, suprisingly.
Good idea for your left over puree. I had some left over after the bread pudding I made (your recipe), and put some in pancakes. Awesome.
First of all, that last picture is my idea of breakfast perfection. It’s like your camera peered into my brain. And the recipes themselves look great, so it’s pretty much guaranteed I’ll be making at least one of them soon. Oh, and I agree that most granola recipes use waaaay too much oil. What’s great about granola are the big, fat clumps!
The photo of the granola on the yogurt makes me weep it’s so beautiful. This is definitely on my to-make list for the weekend. And Greek yogurt…now that’s food of the gods. Thanks for the great ideas!
OMG—these are must make recipes—and that granola/yogurt photo is fantastic!
Mmm. I didn’t understand your comment about the granola getting soft until the very end…I never put dried fruit IN the granola, though sometimes I add some when I’m eating it.
And Bazzini’s on-line? I think heaven has arrived. It’s not a holiday without a 5# bag of pistachios.
Oh, I discovered Bazzini’s a few years ago (killing time before the Tribeca film fest), but I’d completely forgotten about it, thanks for the reminder.
Should you have leftover pepitas (especially those tamari pepitas, so addictive), they make mazing pumpkin seed brittle. There’s a Gourmet recipe that’s delicious.
must make this
must bookmark yr blog
and visit
a lot :)
Good Lord! How could you have never had apple butter growing up on the Eastern Seaboard/ in the NY metro area!? Thank goodness that’s been taken care of. Pear butter is also lovely and easy to make, and I heartily second the yumminess of Trader Joes Pumpkin butter. (I am very grateful that I no longer need to smuggle that into NY what with these new fangled TSA rules etc….)
Making grocery list now….rolled oats – check, gobs of dried fruit – check….will be eating yummy granola by this time tomorrow. Yummy!
Hey, I have pumpkin puree in my fridge right now too! I don’t know why, but I’m too scared to “jar” anything. *sigh* So this Bazzini store, you think the dried fruits and nuts are cheaper than Trader Joe’s?
Hah! LOL. Thanks Deb, that weekend grilling workshop was so much fun. I’m delighted that you enjoyed the apple butter and it inspired you to make pumpkin butter. I love pumpkin butter! Know what’s even better? Prune butter. A certain blogging friend in Paris brought me some. It’s outta dis world. Gotta love food blogging friends who share their canning adventures with their friends!
Incredible coincidence??? – just this morning I bought store bought granola ‘Organic- orange infused wholegrain granola with cranberries’ from Marks and Spencers (a fine Uk upmarket grocers) at a ridiculous £2.99 – thats $6.00 to you guys and I was thinking – I must make my own in future, I will check out Smittens website site when I get into work to see what she recommends and lo and behold its on your website this morning – the recipe has duly been printed off and Im ready for my first granola bakeoff :) Gracias Debs
Just thinking about eating that instead of my everday oatmeal makes the view from my cubicle better. It looks gorgeous. Now, if only I had a bulk place to buy all those yummy dried fruits and such.
Damn, and here I was hoping you’d go into the secrets of making apple butter (in particular, how to easily obliterate big, chunky apples into small pieces–so I can take those pieces and press them for cider)! Still, pumpkin butter and granola are more than adequate substitutes. That stuff looks amazing.
To Jim: You can “obliterate” the apple chunks with a food mill; it’s quite easy, as long as the apples have been cooked long enough. Homemade apple butter (and I imagine pumpkin butter) makes a superb filling for a jelly roll. I like to serve the cake with a spoon of whipped cream and a whiskey spiked caramel sauce.
We HAD apple butter on occasion when Deb was a child. She turned her nose up at it and doesn’t remember.
I love love love apple butter. It’s heaven in a jar. I just said to my hubby that I wanted to try and make it myself, how hard can it be?. He of course doesn’t think I can make it myself (Im somewhat of a dunce in the kitchen sadly) BUT, this I can make…I cannot wait to make pumpkin butter and bring it to Thanksgiving. If it lasts that long! Thanks Deb!
I love the quality of your pictures. I hope you don’t mind if I ask, but which camera do you use?
Oh and thanks a lot for the pumpkin butter recipe!
Was gifted with a jar of TJ Pumpkin Butter last week. Absolutely smashing! Here is a quick recipe:
3/4 c. pumpkin butter
3 slices cooked bacon
3 green onions, chopped
3 T. chopped, roasted pecans
Spread pumpkin butter over 8 oz. cream cheese, which has been softened and spread in a pie plate. Sprinkle bacon, onions, & pecans over all. Serve with crackers or carrots.
For about the past week, I’ve been trying to talk myself into doing granola for breakfast instead of my english muffin, and you make it sound so easy! All I need to do is grab some dried fruits this weekend, and I’m all set. I think I’ll take jennbec’s suggestion and try it with fat free vanilla yogurt. Yum!
I’m really excited about trying pumpkin butter. I too didn’t enjoy apple butter growing up, but I’m a fan of it now. Great pics from your trip too.
Wow! To go your whole life with apple butter? Eeek.
FYI, spicy apple butter on cottage cheese is the BEST warm weather food.
And while it is easy to make stovetop, if you have the space, it’s even easier in a crock pot. Just have that immersion blender on hand for lumps and you are good to go!
I’m looking forward to trying your pumpkin butter recipe, but if you are ever in Atlanta, you have to check out The Flying Biscuit – and their homemade cranberry apple butter. So yummy, I could eat it by the spoonful!
My fav granola flavor-wise is Alton’s Brown’s recipe, but the one from Traveler’s Lunchbox has these amazing clusters. Thanks for the tip on freezing granola. It’s one of my favorite breakfasts and snacks.
As always, another delicious and inspiring recipe to try! Pumpkin butter sounds amazing, and just my luck I bought 2 cans or puree yesterday! I have been making my own granola for years now too but must try your recipe, love the addition of dried figs!
RA — You can totally skip the canning part–I did! Just keep in an airtight container. I updated the recipe to clarify this.
tracy — Dude. Cream cheese PLUS pumpkin butter? I think that if this were on a graham cracker, I’d go into overload, simply be swallowed up by fall bliss, and be suddenly ready for winter. This could be dangerous.
Heather B. — Ha! I, too, have always felt that I was racing against time with granola, and the freezer does the trick. Plus, it doesn’t come out frozen-like, just ready to eat. Even the fruit bits (if you mix them in before you freeze it) aren’t that bad cold.
Sindy — You totally busted me. I updated the recipe to explain what I included. I love the pears/figs/cherries mix. I’d add raisins too but my husband is the biggest baby about raisins, and I don’t want to end up with no granola left, just a container of frozen raisins.
Dana — Yes, they do, but it’s hard to remove it entirely, especially because it will permanently stick to the pan. This is the first time I used parchment paper, and it did the trick so I could use less oil.
maggie — I was *this close* to buying the industrial-sized coffee can of pecans. $35! Do you know how many pecan bars you could make with that? You could store them in the freezer for months! Btw, I have had problems with soggy granola with or without mixing the fruit in and I think it has to do with the oil and remaining moisture softening up the granola, the same way that bread loses it’s firm crust in a bag and nuts stay crisper in the fridge.
Mercedes — Ooh, I was totally thinking about making pepita brittle. I don’t really care for brittle, but I know others do. Then again, what else am I going to two with two more cups of this stuff? I heart Bazzini’s.
CeliacChick — This is where I admit that I haven’t been to Trader Joes, yet. [Yes, I know, it's the greatest place on earth, blah blah--I just don't need to go to Union Square to shop when I have plenty-o-stores in Chelsea. Oh, wait! That's not what you asked. ;)] I don’t know if it is cheaper than Trader Joes but it is definitely better than Whole Foods has been (though the prices seemed slightly improved–some new brand–when I was there a few days ago) and Garden of Eden, by miles. Like half the price.
Elise — Prune butter sounds awesome. You must come up with a recipe! I wonder how it is spiced…
Yakumo — Thank you! I’ve got photo information over here, but in short, it’s Canon Digital Rebel + Macro or 50 mm lens + SpeedLite flash these days.
Jessica “Su Good Sweets” — Wow, her recipe looks great. I definitely want to try to pulse the oats a little next time. I do get some, but not an overwhelming amount of clumpage with this recipe. I bet that will do the trick! I love the way a recipe is never really done, just a work in progress for me. :)
To everyone: Did you see this photo collection? It’s of people with their breakfasts, and it’s fantastic. I looked at it for nearly an hour! Yeah, I need a life…
Thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to make some pumpkin butter! You keep a beautiful and deliciously informative blog, that even a vegetarian can love. keep up the amazing work.
Best,
Paula
that looks simply divine – I am jealous of you and your photos.
oh, Deb — you’re my savior. i just finished making (burnt) another batch of the traveler’s lunchbox granola, and was debating what to do about the whole buying in bulk thing — Thank you! i’ll be trying yours next!
If you’re feeling extravagant, a vanilla bean would put this pumpkin butter over the top.
This sounded amazing. So amazing, in fact, I hopped over to the Bazzininuts online store to order some goodies for myself. And I feel compelled to warn you all – the product may be good, but the customer service is seriously bad. It seems like they’re having real growing pains – customer service doesn’t know what’s going on, etc., etc., my order was supposed to get here two days ago, they can’t provide a shipping number… I’m kinda bummed. Just thought you should know if you’re recommending them. ~ss
These guys, apart from having AMAZING dried fruit have incredible customer service – http://www.nutsonline.com. There are four brothers and cousins that work there and they actually answer the phone and talk nuts and figs and whatever with you. They’re adorable.
Package arrived! I’m feeling a bit better about the order generally now… and the gift wrapping (a bedazzled bunch of grapes) is totally awesome.
Mercedes & Deb, Habeas Brulee (another of the blogs on my Wednesday list) just happens to cover pepita-cocoa nib brittle today. Crumble THAT in your yogurt & die happy.
Both recipes sound terrific. I’m wondering if this pumpkin butter is similar to the pecan pumpkin butter made by Muirhead Foods? (my local source is Williams Sonoma. $10 for a 13.5 ounce jar!) In the granola recipe, does the asterisk after the vegetable oil amount refer to anything?
Hi Rynda — Sounds like it could be–so expensive! Definitely worth it to make your own. The asterisk once meant something; now it will be removed.
i bought the trader joe’s stuff a few weeks ago. it is indeed very delicious but i’ve noticed that if you apply it too liberally, it tastes like eating a holiday candle.
Leslie, I actually have that holiday candle (a gift) thus you have no idea how hard that made me laugh.
Ooo pumpkin butter sounds amazing. I’ve yet to try apple butter so I will be saving Elise’s recipe. :) Thanks.
Hello! I made the pumpkin butter recipe tonight out of some fresh pumpkin puree and it’s incredibly delicious. I followed Carolyn’s suggestion and added the guts of a vanilla bean. Thanks for sharing this recipe (and other ways to use quarts and quarts of pumpkin puree).
I’m going to try freezing some of mine, since the USDA recommends against canning pumpkin butter:
http://www.fcs.uga.edu/pubs/current/FDNS-E-P.html
So my 17-month-old daughter has eaten TJ pumpkin butter in her cottage cheese nearly every morning for, oh, three months straight. But we’re down to our last jar! Until next fall!
Deb, I’m trying your recipe this weekend. You may have averted a toddler-sized crisis. (Which, believe me, is worse than you’d think…)
Love your blog!
Pumpkin butter is one of my favourite foods!
Pumpkin seeds in the granola, now why didn’t I think of that. Great Idea!! And the pumpkin butter recipe – wowoie. Love it.
BTW enjoy your blog – totally!!!
how long does the pumpkin butter last in the fridge?
Hi Lynna — Probably not more than a week or so.
I had some trouble with the pumpkin butter when I tried to make it. I’m not really sure if I got the consistency right b/c even at a gentle simmer the mixture was bubbling and steaming and always on the verge of exploding out of the pot! I had to constantly stir to prevent it from exploding all over my ceiling and walls…what did I do wrong? I also overspiced for my taste, so I will adjust better next time.
You know, I just made sweet potato butter last week because my pantry was just bogged down with the potatoes and not really with any pumpkin. Oh it is so good! A lot like sweet potato pie in a jar, really, and almost better I think. I tell you truly – any starchy fruit or vegetable (read apples, pears, all manner of squashes and potatoes, even carrots) can be made into “butter” and all that really varies is the amount of liquid needed to get it to the right consistency. I mean really, can you go wrong with gloriously colored veggies & fruit puree, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg? I haven’t yet! And if you don’t can, put the results in a few tupperwares, freeze and take out to eat. Yum!! I love fall!!
Thank you for the pumkin butter recipe! I made it today and totally love it!
I love the Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter on pumpernickle bread. Yummy. Because the Trader Joe product is seasonal, your recipe will help my winter withdrawal. Thanks.
Thank you so much for the freezer tip! I am going to start doing that with my granola as soon as this last batch cools down! Nice site as well. :)
Another great recipe – thanks Deb!
Made it this morning. The few mods I made:
- Sunflower Seeds instead of Walnuts (b/c it’s what I had on hand)
- No coconut (didn’t have any on hand – instead was extra generous with the nuts)
- Added about 1/3 cup ground oat bran (taking tip from one of the commenters to make it clumpier)
- Didn’t add the fruit. I just add in the fruit when I’m ready to eat a serving.
- Baked for 14 minutes, and it was a slightly overcooked. Next time, I’ll reduce oven temp to 325 instead of 375.
The course sea salt and freezing are great tips – thanks!
I think I’ve put on 10 lbs this week with your great recipes :-)
p.s. Yours is definitely the best granola recipe I’ve tried so far (out of about 6 or so). I love that this is 1 bowl, no pots and no pre-cooking required.
p.s. Other mod I made – Grapeseed Oil instead of Canola Oil. Just to experiment.
Excellent recipe! The best part is crunching into a pepita that has plumped up during roasting.
This looks amazing! I love granola and pumpkin butter. I was wondering if it would be possible to substitute some or all of the brown sugar in the pumpkin butter with maple syrup? Do you think it would have an effect on the consistency?
Hey there,
I made this granola and the pumpkin butter after I discovered this site from a friend’s referral (re:your iced coffee. yum.). I had the ingredients on hand so I made both!
Thanks for this! This combo is divine, especially with whole milk plain yogurt. Yum. I added golden flax seeds to the granola and fresh-ground ginger to the pumpkin butter and both were delicious.
Thanks,
Amy H.
Just made the granola tonight–MMM! Makes me wish I hadn’t waited this long to try making it at home.
Thanks for the tip on watching after 15 minutes, too–my oven runs hot (and I am notorious for burning things), and it was done right around 20 minutes.
For all the fruit butter fans, an idea to make it even easier: crockpot. For applebutter, I just quarter and core the apples (don’t peel-leaving the skins on lets the pectin help thicken the mixture), and toss them in there with the other ingredients for 8 hours on low. Put it through a food ricer (sorry, not sure if there’s another name for it)l to puree and remove skins, then put back in crockpot on high, no lid, for 2 hours to thicken up. Yummmmm!!!! I imagine this would work with other fruits (and pumpkins) as well.
I finally made granola last night. It’s delicious!! But partially burnt :( my oven also runs hot.. I checked on it around 20 minutes and it still was a little pale.. when I looked again at 25 minutes, it was burning!! Still tastes good in some greek yogurt with a banana and pumpkin butter :)
I’m with #55 Dee. Mine was from homemade pumpkin puree and incredibly too thick. I didnt simmer it, just let heat for 30 mins. Either way, it’s good!
I made the pumpkin butter and it is wonderful. My whole family is really enjoying it. My favorite use is to stir it in my latte–super easy pumpkin spice latte at home! I’m linking to this on my blog: http://make-happy.blogspot.com
Thanks!
Hi. This pumpkin butter looks great, but you really should not can it. Pumpkin is a low-acid food, and there is no guarantee that this would be safe in an air-tight container at room temperature.
From the National Center for Home Food Preservation:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/pumpkin_butter.html
Hey Deb – if you’re still making your own granola, I have a suggestion – to avoid burning, help with clumping and avoid softening – bake it at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. 275 for 2 hours works really well. It won’t feel dry when it comes out of the oven b/c the honey and oil will still be warm, but as it cools, it will harden right up! xo!