How To Make Pumpkin For a Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin is the second most popular type of pie, topped only by Apple Pie. Sure, you can buy a premade pumpkin pie in the grocery store for around 5 bucks but it’s just not the same. The filling has almost none of the spices that give pumpkin pie such a unique flavor.

Before we can delve into making the pumpkin filling, let’s talk about the actual pumpkins. You must use pumpkins specifically grown for eating. These are normally called sugar pumpkins but I’ve seen them advertised as pie pumpkins in several stores. Sugar pumpkins are small and are usually darker than carving or decorative pumpkins.

What Makes Sugar Pumpkins Perfect For Baking

• Size and Shape: Sugar pumpkins typically weigh only 2–4 pounds and are 5–8 inches in diameter. They’re round, compact, and darker than decorative pumpkins.
• Flavor and Texture: Sugar pumpkins are sweeter and smoother than carving pumpkins, with dense flesh and less water content.
• Color and Skin: Sugar pumpkins are dark orange with a thick, hard rind that’s easier to cut and peel than larger pumpkins.

Nutritional Benefits of Sugar Pumpkins

• High in vitamins A, Vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants.
• Good source of dietary fiber.
• Low in calories and low glycemic index.

How many sugar pumpkins do you need to make a pie? An average sugar pumpkin weighs 2 – 3 pounds and yields approximately 2 to 3 cups of cooked pumpkin. You can estimate about 1 cup of filling for every 1 pound of whole pumpkin. One medium-sized sugar pumpkin yields about the same amount of filling as a standard 15-ounce can of store-bought pumpkin filling. Two medium-size pumpkins should be enough for a single pumpkin pie.

Sugar pumpkins can be roasted or boiled. To retain maximum flavor and texture, you’ll want to roast them. Don’t be intimidated by the word roasting. You’ll simply be baking them in the oven.

Preparing The Pumpkins.

• Wash the pumpkins and remove the stems.
• Here’s where bakers have different opinions. Some claim you should leave the skin on the pumpkin. I personally remove the skin with a vegetable peeler.
• Cut the pumpkin into halves and remove the seeds with a spoon. Save the seeds for planting or for roasting. Roasted, salted pumpkin seeds are a real treat!
• Cut the halves into quarters or even smaller sections. Smaller sections bake faster than halves.

Roasting Sugar Pumpkins

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place pumpkin sections cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 45–60 minutes or until fork-tender.
• Cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh if you left the skin on. If you removed the skin like I mentioned above, there’s no need to scoop it out.

For pie filling, process the pumpkin in a food processor or blender. For a more rustic texture you can also mash the pumpkin like you would mashed potatoes.

Boiling Sugar Pumpkins

• Place pumpkin pieces in large saucepan and cover with water.
• Cook on medium-high heat until until fork-tender. This usually takes 25 – 30 minutes after the water has come to a full boil.
• Cool slightly, then process as mentioned above.

If you want the filling to be totally ready to make a pie, add the pumpkin pie spice and mix thoroughly. This works best if you add the spices while processing the pumpkin in a food processor or blender. If you’re considering making your own pumpkin pie spice, check out our article – How To Make Pumpkin Pie Spice.