The Best Tips for Baking with Pumpkin in Your Fall Bakes From Tutti Dolci

Use Pure Pumpkin

In recipes that call for pumpkin, bake with pure pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin). Pure pumpkin is simply cooked and mashed squash, with nothing else added to the can - this  allows you to control the amount of sweetener and spice in a recipe. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices, and is much less versatile to use in your fall baking.

Add Sugar and Spice 

Pure pumpkin is not very sweet, so plan to jazz up your baking with sugar and warming spices for plenty of fall flavor. I love pairing the caramel notes of C&H® Light Brown Sugar with pumpkin and making my own pumpkin pie spice with ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir together 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ground cloves for the best pumpkin spice blend.

Don't Underbake

Pumpkin puree adds extra moisture to baked goods, so it can be tricky to know when a pumpkin loaf or pumpkin pie is baked through. Instead of relying on the toothpick test, use a thermometer to test for doneness. The center of a pumpkin pie should reach 180°F when fully baked, pumpkin bread pudding should reach 175°F and pumpkin muffins and quick breads should reach an internal temperature of 200°F.

How to Store and Freeze Leftover Pumpkin 

Store leftover pumpkin puree in a container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze leftover pumpkin in a tightly-sealed container or flat in a freezer bag (press as much air out as possible) for up to 3 months. Thaw pumpkin puree overnight in the refrigerator and drain off any excess liquid before using.

Ready to bake with pumpkin? Head on over to the recipe for Pumpkin Bread Pudding and put these tips to use!