Slow Cooker Maple-Pumpkin Butter

How about some homemade Maple Pumpkin Butter to slather on your morning toast or to flavor your oatmeal, pancake or waffles for a seasonal fall breakfast treat? This Maple Pumpkin Butter tastes like pumpkin pie in a jar and is easy to make in your slow cooker. Your house will smell wonderful while it’s simmering away too! It makes a delicious hostess gift for Thanksgiving or to share with pumpkin spice and pumpkin pie enthusiasts! It will keep in the refrigerator up to two weeks or can be stored in the freezer up to 6 months.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• (2) 15 oz. cans of pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• Pure Maple Syrup (Grade A or B, your preference)
• Apple Juice or Apple Cider
• Pumpkin Pie Spice, or spices listed below
• Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
• Sea Salt

1. Whisk together all the ingredients and place in slow cooker. Turn heat on LOW and cook for one hour.
2. Stir and cook for another 2 hours, with the lid partially open for ingredients to reduce and liquid to evaporate; stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Butter is done when it’s thick enough to run your spoon across the bottom of your slow cooker without the pumpkin running back into the space and thickened to a spreadable “butter”. Allow to cool and place into clean jars.

Note: Slow cookers vary, so your butter might take a little more or less time.

 To freeze, leave at least 1/2 inch at the top of each jar for expansion.

Alternatively, you can make this on the stove top instead of using your slow cooker, with a little babysitting and more stirring, until it’s reduced and reaches desired consistency, about 30 minutes.

I found these Kilner jars at HomeGoods. They’re referred to as ‘tomato fruit jars’ but I thought the shape of the jars resembled the ribs on pumpkins! I cut a piece of scrapbook paper for a decorative touch to the lid and added a tag, ‘So Thankful for You’.

It’s wonderful served with  Quick and Easy Four-Ingredient Pumpkin Beer Bread, for a delicious fall treat and is irresistible warm from the oven!

Find 19 praise-worthy pumpkin recipes to satisfy your pumpkin spice cravings, HERE.