American Pumpkin Spice Butter

Ingredients

Roasted pumpkin

• 1 sugar pie pumpkin

Pumpkin spice butter

• about 2 cups (17 oz/490 g) pumpkin puree, from the roasted pumpkin
• 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/120 ml) water
• 1 cup (7 oz/200 g) sugar
• 1 cup (7.5 oz/213 g) brown sugar, packed
• 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Makes about 3 cups · Total Time: about 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling

Steps

Roasted pumpkin

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Wash the pumpkin. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a baking mat.
3. Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Discard them, or roast them separately for a snack.
4. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on the sheet pan. Bake for about 50-70 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Let the pumpkin cool enough to handle, then scoop the flesh away from the skin into a food processor and blend until smooth. You should have roughly 2 cups of puree.

Pumpkin spice butter

1. In a pot, combine the pumpkin puree with the water, both sugars and the spices.
2. Stir together over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Keep cooking over low to medium heat for another 5-6 minutes, stirring. Don't let it boil.
4. Once everything is thoroughly combined and the fall aroma is irresistible, take the pot off the heat and let the butter cool before jarring.

Spread it on toast, swirl it into yogurt or oatmeal, or spoon it over a slice of cake. Unused pumpkin spice butter keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or longer in the freezer.