Crockpot Pumpkin Butter - Freezer only!

Many of you have asked about making and canning pumpkin butter. You see it in the grocery store, gourmet food shops, and you ask yourself why can't I make that at home. Some time in the near past they tested the pumpkin butter recipes and found that because of the viscosity and lack of acidity in the recipes that they were no longer safe for both water bath and pressure can processing. I'm going to have to agree that this stuff is thick but smooth and so spreadable... just like butter! 

There are a few recipes on the internet and because you are going to have to freeze or refrigerate this recipe you have a lot of latitude about the spices and amount of sugar you add to make that perfect butter. I started with a base recipe but did some adaptations by cutting the amount of sugar and increasing the amount of spices. I suggest that after you add the sugar and spices that you taste the batch after a couple of hours and see if you want to add a bit more of something. The results are a spoon eating, creamy, better than I expected jar of yummy! 

You can store this recipe in glass jars or in the plastic freezer jars that Ball has available. (See link at the bottom of this post)

Here is my recipe which I lovingly share with my followers.  Remember this is only to be put into the freezer or refrigerate. It will last about two month in the fridge once open, about 4 tucked away in the back. 

Pumpkin Butter - Huge batch (10 half pints)

9 cups of pumpkin puree (fresh will take about 2 medium pumpkins, peeled and roasted)
2 cups sugar 
2 cups brown sugar
2 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. nutmeg
1 T. ground ginger

Preparation: Prepare 10 half pints lids, and rings. Sterilize the jars. Because you are putting them into the freezer/fridge you can leave them on the counter until you are ready to fill them.  

Cooking: In a large, at least 6 qt crockpot, add all the ingredients. Stir every hour until you go to sleep and just let the crockpot do the work. If you are awake during your cooking process, continue to stir every hour. I let mine cook for 8 hours. 

Filling the jars:  On a dishtowel place your jars and using your funnel in each jar fill leaving  1/2”  headspace.  Taking a clean papertowel wet it with warm water and wipe the rims of the jars removing any food particles.  Add your lids/rings to the tops of each of the jars and turn to seal just "finger tight".

There is no processing for this recipe. Now just label the jars with the name of the recipe and the date made. Store them in the freezer or fridge. Make sure if you are giving them to friends and neighbors that you tell them to return them to the refrigerator. 

Some in the Freezer!

Some in the Fridge!