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Maple Pumpkin Butter

5 from 4 votes

Maple Pumpkin Butter is silky and not too sweet but wonderful slathered on toast, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, waffles or stirred into your morning oatmeal.

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If you love apple butter, you’re going to LOVE our Maple Pumpkin Butter recipe. This incredible spread has a velvety smooth consistency, is well spiced and loaded with flavor. It’s delicious spread on toast, bagels, biscuits, pancakes or my favorite, craggy English Muffins.

A jar of maple flavored pumpkin butter


 

Quick and easy to make

This recipe is practically fail-proof. All you have to do it combine the ingredients in a saucepan, stir, cover and cook for 30 minutes. That’s it!

A collage of ingredients needed to make Pumpkin butter.

Ingredients Overview

This recipe couldn’t be easier to make and you probably already have everything on hand!

  • canned pumpkin puree
  • unsweetened apple juice (I use Mott’s brand)
  • pumpkin pie spice or pumpkin spice
  • granulated sugar or light brown sugar
  • Grade A maple syrup
  • vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
An overhead view of a slice of toast slathered with maple pumpkin butter

How to make Pumpkin Butter

Combine all the ingredients in a deep, heavy-bottomed medium saucepan (affiliate link). Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.

Place the lid over the saucepan leaving it tilted to vent. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Storing Pumpkin Butter

Store the butter in airtight jars (affiliate link) in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Our recipe makes such a small batch you won’t have any trouble using it up in a few weeks. However, you can always freeze a jar or two for up to 3 months.

Canning Pumpkin Butter… not recommended

Traditional canning methods are not recommended for pumpkins or squash. To read more about why you should not can pumpkin see this article; Canning 101: Why Pumpkin Butter Can’t be Canned.

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A jar of pumpkin butter on a cutting board with a spoon and slice of toast

This recipe makes about 3 cups, or 4 small jars

These are the perfect size to gift to your favorite family members, or your pumpkin loving friends. The base liquid is unsweetened apple juice so even non-pumpkin folks should enjoy it too. It has plenty of pumpkin flavor however it’s tempered a little by the maple syrup, spices and apple juice.

I used pumpkin pie spice which is easy to find starting in September. You can also make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice blend using your favorite recipe or this ONE, which I love.

Jars of pumpkin butter with pumpkins and seeded wheat bread

Luscious Maple Pumpkin Butter

Similar to apple butter, this spread is smooth and light, and practically melts in your mouth. I can’t wait to hear how much you love it stirred in your morning oatmeal with a few toasted pecans!

Our Maple Pumpkin Butter is not watery and won’t drip from the spoon. It has a velvety consistency and fantastic taste. What can I say? We love it!

A jar of maple pumpkin butter with a spoonful laid across the top of the jar

Our favorite since 2017

Over the years I’ve made many recipes for pumpkin butter but this is my absolute favorite. The maple flavor is subtle and just enough to enhance the pumpkin.

I can’t think of an easier way to use a can of pumpkin puree. This recipe truly comes together in less than 5 minutes, then simmers for 30. That’s it!

Maple Pumpkin Butter

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 12
Course: Jam
Author: Tricia
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5 from 4 votes
Maple Pumpkin Butter is silky and not too sweet but wonderful slathered on toast, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, waffles or stirred into your morning oatmeal.

Ingredients

  • 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 1 cup unsweetened apple juice (plus extra for thinning if needed for desired consistency)
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (110g) or brown sugar
  • ¼ cup pure Maple syrup Grade A (2oz)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, deep, medium saucepan. Cook on medium-high until it comes to a soft boil. Place a lid over the pan, leaving it tilted to vent. You want it open just enough to prevent a mess on the stove top. The mixture will be very thick and splatters like spaghetti sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional apple juice if the mixture is too thick.
  • Cool and store in airtight jars in the refrigerator up to two weeks. Alternatively, you can freeze the pumpkin butter. Traditional canning methods are not recommended for preserving pumpkin butter.

Recipe Notes

  • Serving suggestions: spread on toast, biscuits, scones, pancakes, waffles or swirl in oatmeal. Also great to use in recipes calling for pumpkin butter.
  • Recipe makes 3 cups of pumpkin butter
  • You can use 1/3 cup of sugar instead of 1/2 cup for a slightly less sweet spread.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 5516IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

More Great Pumpkin Recipes

If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes you’ll find all our favorites neatly stacked together just for you!

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Swirled with pumpkin butter and topped with a pumpkin pie spiced cream cheese icing and a few chopped pecans. The perfect weekend baking project!

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If you make this recipe, please leave a star review. Your feedback is very important to us and greatly appreciated!

Originally published October 2017, updated August 2024

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5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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26 Comments

  2. Pauline Gudas

    5 stars
    I can’t wait to make this. It has pumpkin and maple two of my favorite things. Would apple cider work in place of the apple juice?

    Reply

  4. 2 sisters recipes

    I never had pumpkin butter before or ever made any fruit butters, but yours sounds delicious! I have to put this one on my list of recipes to try- and soon!
    And your garden must by amazing! Happy Sunday!

    Reply

  7. Monica

    You’ve got me feeling all autumnal right now, Tricia. What a great way to celebrate fall. I always think summer when I think about eating “seasonally” and it’s easy to forget that we can really celebrate each season through food. This is such a neat recipe and it looks like a wonderful spread for breakfast. Also, your garden sounds amazing!

    Reply