Here are two recipes to use up the last of that canned pumpkin puree – pumpkin smoothie and herbal pumpkin spice hot chocolate. We also help out with suggestions for substitutes for store bought pumpkin puree. Did you know you can easily make your own? There are instructions for that, too! 
What is the Substitute for Pumpkin Puree?
The best substitute for pumpkin puree (as in canned pumpkin from the store), especially in a pumpkin smoothie, is fresh pie pumpkin, or butternut squash. If you have access to banana squash or Long Island Cheese pumpkin those will also be great substitutions for regular pie pumpkin.
All these options are smooth, sweet and creamy.
You can learn to bake any winter squash to use as a substitute for canned pumpkin puree from the store.
To do that:
- Wash winter squash and slice in half, removing seeds.
- Place face down in a baking dish with 1/2 inch of water in the bottom.
- Bake at 350F/177C for 45-60 minutes.
- Remove carefully and rest until cool to the touch.
- Scrap squash flesh into a bowl and mix smooth with an immersion blender. You may also use your food processor.
The next best substitute for pumpkin puree is probably a mashed sweet potato. It is the same color, sweet, creamy and smooth. Be sure to mash it well to remove chunks.
Is Canned Pumpkin the Same as Pumpkin Puree?
Canned pumpkin purchased from the store will be the same as pumpkin puree in any recipe. Although, a lot canned “pumpkin” in the US is actually butternut squash and not pumpkin.
To learn more about that, please visit this article from Learning and Yearning – Your Canned Pumpkin Probably Isn’t
It doesn’t matter though, both are delicious.
Home-canned pumpkin will NOT be the same as pumpkin puree. There are no approved guidelines for home-canning pumpkin puree, only chunks.
Therefore, if you use home-canned pumpkin chunks in this recipe, you will need to:
- Drain the canned pumpkin well to remove as much water as possible
- Mash the pumpkin chunks with a potato masher (they will be very soft).
- Or, puree them in your blender for a smoother finished puree.
Can you Can Homemade Pumpkin Puree?
There are no approved methods of canning pumpkin puree at this time. The puree can be so dense that there are concerns that it doesn’t heat evenly to the center of the jar during canning. For approved methods of canning pumpkin, please visit this link from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
If you’ve seen older canning recipes for pumpkin butter (pumpkin puree with spice and sugar), you’re not crazy. The rules of canning safely change all the time! For a longer explanation of that, please visit this post at Food in Jars.
Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe
Pumpkin smoothie for breakfast is like drinking a pumpkin pie that’s healthy for you and your kids! Start the day off right with this delicious drink for autumn.
Pumpkin Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut milk - may also use dairy or nut milk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup pineapple with juice
- 1 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 cup apple or pear sauce optional
- Handful of ice cubes
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in blender and mix at high speed until smooth.
Notes
Herbal Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
Use the rest of the can of pureed pumpkin in this delicious herb pumpkin spice hot chocolate – healthy and warm and spicy! Or, you can use leftover pumpkin smoothie in place of the puree.
Herbal Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup chamomile tea
- 2 cup canned full fat coconut milk or fresh coconut milk; or whole, fresh milk
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp coconut butter optional
- 4 Tsp fair trade cocoa
- 1 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- Raw honey to sweeten to taste
- Dash of sea salt
- Dash of vanilla
Instructions
- To make tea, steep two chamomile tea bags in 1 1/2 cups boiling water for about an hour. Strain out tea bags.
- Combine all the ingredients into a medium sized sauce pan and whisk together well. Be sure to break up all the cocoa powder.
- Heat to desired temperature, at least until the coconut oil and cream melt.
- Serve right away topped with whipped cream.
Notes
Is Pumpkin Puree Healthy?
Absolutely! Brim with Vitamin A, E, K and even C in only one cup of pumpkin puree. There’s also calcium and potassium, plus more! For a nutritional breakdown, please visit this article from soupersage.
Of course, there are plenty of things you can do to make both your pumpkin smoothie and pumpkin hot chocolate a little less healthy. For example, you could add homemade marshmallows to top them off! Or, how about pumpkin whipped cream! Please see our resources list below for those recipes.
To keep your home deliciously happy and cozy this season, download the FREE Hygge Homestead Workbook and wrap your home and family in the comforting embrace of this time of year.
Pumpkin Resources and Recipes
These are some of our favorite pumpkin-y things! Just in case you have puree leftover from making pumpkin smoothies this morning.
Pumpkin Resources
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake
Pumpkin Scones with Dried Cranberries (and Baking Tips)
For more kitchen tips, be sure to check out The Homestead Kitchen section of our book, The Do It Yourself Homestead. There are a lot of other kitchen DIYs, plus information on a myriad of other homesteading topics. From tips to goal setting to down-to-earth information, there’s bound to be something that will interest you in its 400 pages and four different levels of homesteading experience! If you’d like to preview the kitchen chapter, just shoot me an email and I’ll get you set up. Or you can learn more about the book below:
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I haven’t made my breakfast smoothie yet. I may just make it pumpkin….
You won’t be sorry, Lisa!!
Now I HAVE to learn to make homemade marshmallows! 😉
Right? You’re man enough, Patrick, no worries. 🙂
Great post, and love the link up, I have nothing to contribute, instead I’m looking for real food recipes to add to my Real Food Fridays post for Thanksgiving, and your post will be added to the list, and pinned. Followed you here from the Living Natural Link Up.
Thank you for adding me to the list – I’m so glad that you’re making such a list and know it will benefit many families this Thanksgiving season!
Hello Homestead Lady!
I found you on Fat Tuesday. I love this smoothie recipe! And may I say that the mug you used for the photo is gorgeous? I love collecting pretty, handmade mugs when I travel myself. 🙂
I linked up a couple Thanksgiving recipes – Tart & Sweet Cranberry Bread (GF) and Moist Pumpkin Bread (GF & DF) to your linky. Thank you!
Have a great weekend!
Gabriela
Love that mug! We got it at Horseshoe Mountain Pottery in Spring City, Utah – he ships!!
Have a great holiday!
All I see are pictures of glass mugs…no pottery. Where is the “gorgeous” mug that some are talking about?
GREAT recipes! I just got finished with my homemade pumpkin puree, now I need recipes to use. These are great ones! Thank you
That was from an old picture that used to be in the post. Per Google and social media requirements, I have to always be updating graphics in posts.
The mug was indeed lovely, handmade by a potter in Utah from the studio Horseshoe Mountain Pottery.
Have fun with your pumpkin!
Thank you for linking up at Natural Family Friday!
This all sounds delicious and decadent! I’ve never heard of pumpkin smoothies before, but I’m sure tempted to try one!
Decadent is a great word, Kathi; no need to tell the kiddos that it’s uber healthy!
I love pumpkin and have had great success growing them but I’ve never tried them in a smoothie! Thanks for sharing on the Thankful HomeAcre Hop, hope to see you again on Thursday!
Nancy The Thankful Home Acre Hop
Wow, that looks delicious. Thanks for sharing.
It tastes like woodsmoke in the air and number two pencils on your desk, Heidi. 🙂
I love all of the above! I bumped into you over at Homestead Blog Hop and would love for you to share it with us over at Country Fair Blog Party! Blessings, Jan
https://www.thetipgarden.com/2014/11/country-fair-blog-hop-november-14.html
Thanks for the invite – I’ll check it out!
Mmm! Yum. Thanks for sharing this at the Homestead Blog Hop, hope we’ll see you there again this week.