Simple Living ❤️ Country Style — one spoonful of fall sunshine at a time.
October is the time of year, our Idaho pumpkin patch turns into a sea of orange. Some pumpkins go straight to the grandkids for carving (because what’s fall without a little pumpkin gut scooping?). Some end up decorating the porch until Thanksgiving. But I always tuck away a few sugar pie pumpkins just for my kitchen.
One crisp fall morning, I decided to try making pumpkin butter. It seemed perfect — velvety, spiced, spreadable autumn. But then I learned the less cozy truth: plain pumpkin butter isn’t safe to can at home. It’s a low acid food and too dense to process reliably. You can freeze it, sure, but that doesn’t help when you’re dreaming of a pretty pantry shelf lined with orange jars.
So I went looking for a safe workaround — and found it. Add a bright citrus twist, boost the acidity, and suddenly you’ve got a water bath safe preserve. The result? Pumpkin Orange Butter — silky smooth, warm with cinnamon and cloves, kissed with zesty orange. It tastes like fall but with a little sunshine.
Why You’ll Love Pumpkin Orange Butter
- 🍊 Bright citrusy twist — keeps pumpkin butter from feeling heavy.
- 🫙 Water bath safe — yes, the good news is that this one can actually go on the shelf.
- 🎁 Perfect for gifting — tie up a jar with twine and a cinnamon stick.
- 👩🌾 Uses up pumpkin stash — fresh or canned works beautifully.
If you want to understand how all of this fits together — from water bath canning to freezing, pickling, and more — start here: Home Canning & Preserving: The Complete Beginner’s Guide.
🌿 Country Kitchen Fact: Is Pumpkin a Fruit or a Vegetable?
Surprise — pumpkin is actually a fruit!
Botanically, it grows from a flower and contains seeds, just like melons and cucumbers.
But in the kitchen (and especially in our gardens), we treat it like a cozy fall vegetable — roasting, pureeing, and baking it into everything from soup to pie.
Either way, pumpkin is one fruit that feels right at home in savory soups or sweet canning recipes like this one
Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
- 3 cups pumpkin purée (fresh roasted or canned — not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1¼ cups orange juice (fresh is lovely, bottled works too)
- 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice (do not skip — keeps acidity safe for canning)
- 2 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
- 1½ cups granulated sugar — or try it with my DIY Brown Sugar Blend for a deeper, cozier flavor
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- *or use 2 tsp of my Homemade Pumpkin Spice Blend in place of the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves
- Optional: 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
Country Tip: Always use bottled lemon juice when canning — fresh lemons can vary in acidity, and we want this butter safely shelf-stable.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This small batch of pumpkin butter with orange will make 4 half-pint jars.
1. Make the Pumpkin Purée
If you’re starting with a whole pumpkin or pumpkins instead of canned pumpkin puree, roast them cut-side down at 375°F until soft (about 45–60 minutes). Scoop out the pumpkin flesh and purée until smooth.
2. Cook the Butter
In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot, combine pumpkin purée, fresh orange juice, lemon juice, zest, and sugar. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves — or a spoonful of your own Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend if you keep a jar handy. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often so it doesn’t stick. Cook for 15–25 minutes until the mixture thickens, darkens slightly, and mounds on a spoon.
3. Fill the Jars
Ladle hot butter into sterilized half-pint or pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles with a debubbler. Wipe rims clean and screw on lids/rings fingertip-tight.
4. Water Bath Process
Use a jar lifter to place jars into a boiling water bath canner:
- 0–1,000 ft elevation: 10 minutes
- 1,001–6,000 ft (my ~2,440 ft Idaho homestead): 15 minutes
When time’s up, turn off the heat and let jars sit in the water 5 minutes before lifting out. Cool 12–24 hours, then check seals.
If you’re new to canning, be sure to check out my Beginner’s Guide to Water Bath Canning before you start. It walks you through the process step-by-step.
Once you’ve got the basics down, you can try my other step-by-step canning guides like How to Can Salsa Safely or Canning Homemade Tomato Sauce the Easy Way for even more water bath canning confidence.
If you want to understand how all of this fits together — and feel confident using the right method every time — start here: Home Canning & Preserving: The Complete Beginner’s Guide.
Storage
- 🏡 Pantry: Sealed jars keep up to 12 months.
- 🧊 Fridge: Open jars last 3–4 weeks.
- ❄️ Freezer: Freeze in airtight containers up to 6 months if you skip canning.
How to Use Pumpkin Orange Butter
- Spread this tasty topping on toast, biscuits, pancakes, or waffles.
- Swirl a little bit into yogurt or oatmeal for instant fall flavor.
- Use as a cake filling or cupcake center.
- Gift jars with ribbon and a little cinnamon stick — rustic and charming.
This Pumpkin Orange Butter makes one of the sweetest holiday gifts — especially when you tuck it into a basket with a loaf of my Ultimate Banana Bread or Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze. A jar of homemade butter and a loaf of fresh bread… now that’s the kind of simple, thoughtful gift that feels like Christmas morning.
⚠️ Why Pumpkin Butter Alone Isn’t Safe to Can
Quick truth: Plain pumpkin butter isn’t safe for home canning — and here’s why.
While pumpkin butter tastes like pure fall comfort, it’s a low-acid, dense food, which means heat can’t reach the center of the jar evenly during processing.
Even in a pressure canner, the thick texture keeps the heat from penetrating evenly, which can leave just the kind of friendly environment that pesky botulism spores love.
Because of the pH level, the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) and Ball® Home Preserving both recommend not canning plain pumpkin or squash butters.
Instead, they suggest either freezing or using a tested acidified recipe — like this Pumpkin Orange Butter, which includes both orange juice and bottled lemon juice to safely lower the pH.
🧡 Safe Alternatives:
- ✅ Freeze plain pumpkin butter in jars or containers for up to 6 months.
- ✅ Make an acidified version (with citrus or vinegar) for safe water bath canning.
- ✅ Pressure can cubed pumpkin (not pureed) if you want a shelf-stable option.
So if you’ve ever wondered, “Can you can pumpkin butter safely?” — the answer is yes, but only when properly acidified.
This recipe follows tested guidelines so you can enjoy your favorite fall spread without worry.
Canning Safety Notes (Read Before You Tweak!)
- ✔️ Don’t skip the bottled lemon juice. It keeps the acidity safe.
- ✔️ Don’t add more pumpkin or reduce citrus. That changes the pH.
- ✔️ Sugar helps stabilize the butter and texture — don’t reduce too much.
- ✔️ Spice swaps are safe — feel free to adjust cinnamon, ginger, or cloves or use my homemade pumpkin pie spice.
🧺 Can You Can Butternut or Other Winter Squash?
Short answer: Only if it’s acidified — just like this Pumpkin Orange Butter.
All winter squash — including butternut, acorn, Hubbard, and kabocha — fall into the same category as pumpkin: it is very dense and a low-acid vegetable (or actually a fruit)
That means they can’t be safely canned as purees or butters unless a tested, acidified recipe is used.
🫙 Here’s what’s safe:
✅ Pressure canning cubed squash: Works for plain pumpkin or other winter squash in chunks (no puree).
✅ Acidified squash butters: Recipes like Pumpkin Orange Butter or Butternut Orange Butter use added orange and lemon juice to lower the pH, making them safe for water bath canning.
❌ Not safe: Plain pumpkin butter, squash butter, or thick purees — even in a pressure canner — because heat can’t penetrate the dense texture evenly.
💡 Homestead Tip:
If you love butternut butter or sweet squash purees, freeze them instead of canning! The flavor and texture hold beautifully, and you can thaw a jar anytime you need a cozy fall spread.
🧡 Wrapping Up: Fall in a Jar
If you’ve ever wanted to make a pumpkin butter recipe that you can actually can safely, this Pumpkin Orange Butter recipe is your answer. The mix of cozy pumpkin, bright citrus, and warm spices makes this spread pure fall comfort — and the best part? It’s safe for water bath canning, so you can stock your pantry or gift it all season long.
Whether you spoon it over pancakes, spread it on biscuits, or tuck a jar into a holiday basket, this homemade pumpkin orange butter brings that simple, country flavor we all love. Every bite tastes like fall mornings on the homestead — the smell of cinnamon, the hum of the canner, and a kitchen that feels like home.
If you love this recipe, don’t miss my other safe canning recipes and fall preserving ideas like Zesty Mustard Relish, Apple Pie Jam, and Old-Fashioned Pickled Beets.
Simple Living ❤️ Country Style — one jar at a time.
Want more ways to preserve what’s in season? Browse the full Canning & Preserving collection here.
I’d love to know if you try this Pumpkin Orange Butter! Drop a comment below and tell me how yours turned out — or share your favorite way to enjoy it. I always read every comment (usually with a cup of coffee and a slice of banana bread 😉).
Love cozy canning recipes like this? Join my Simple Living newsletter for more country kitchen inspiration.
More Cozy Fall Preserves You’ll Love
- Plum Jam Recipe – German Freezer Jam & Safe Canning Version
- The Best Maple Apple Butter Recipe (Stovetop, Slow Cooker, Oven + Canning Tip
- Simple Orange Marmalade Recipe, Sweet and Tart – No Pectin Added
Pumpkin Orange Butter – Cozy Fall Sunshine in a Jar (Safe for Water Bath Canning)
Equipment
- Basic water bath canning equipment If canning for shelf stable storage.
Ingredients
- 3 cups pumpkin puree fresh or canned puree not pie filling
- 1 ¼ cups orange juice
- 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- zest of one orange
- ⅛ tsp Caradamon – Optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a wide pot. Simmer 15–25 minutes, stirring often, until thick and glossy.
- Ladle hot butter into sterilized jars, leaving ¼″ headspace. Wipe rims; add lids/rings.
- Water bath process 10 min (0–1,000 ft) or 15 min (1,001–6,000 ft).
- Cool 12–24 hr, check seals. Store sealed jars in pantry up to 12 months.
Notes
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FAQ – Pumpkin Orange Butter
Can I use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled?
No — bottled lemon juice has a standardized acidity level. Fresh lemons vary, and that could make your butter unsafe for canning.
Can I reduce the sugar?
A little, yes (maybe ¼ cup), but sugar helps with texture and shelf stability. Don’t cut it drastically.
Can I use butternut squash instead of pumpkin?
Yes — butternut is naturally sweeter and safe here as long as you don’t change the citrus/acid amounts.
What if I don’t want to can it?
You can refrigerate or freeze the butter instead of water bath canning. Fridge: 3–4 weeks. Freezer: 6 months.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, but cook in a wide pan so it thickens evenly and avoid scorching.
Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh?
Absolutely. Canned 100% pure pumpkin works perfectly and saves time. Just make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes! Cook the mixture on LOW for 2–3 hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally until thick and glossy. Just remember — don’t thicken it too much before canning; it needs to stay spreadable for safe heat penetration.
Why do I need both orange juice and lemon juice?
Orange juice adds bright citrus flavor and sweetness, but it’s not acidic enough on its own for safe canning. Bottled lemon juice provides a consistent, tested acidity level that ensures the proper pH for water bath canning.
If you’re planning to refrigerate or freeze your Pumpkin Orange Butter instead of canning, then you can skip the lemon juice.
Can I pressure can pumpkin butter instead?
No — even a pressure canner can’t make pumpkin butter safe because of its dense texture. It prevents heat from penetrating evenly. The only safe tested method is acidifying and water bath canning this citrus version.
Can I add vanilla extract or other spices?
Yes, absolutely — cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, or a splash of vanilla are fine. Just don’t change the acid or pumpkin ratios. Flavors are flexible; pH balance is not.
Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices?
Yes! Replace the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves with about 2 teaspoons of Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend.
What should the texture be like before canning?
It should be thick but spoonable, similar to applesauce or apple butter — not a dense paste. If you can mound it on a spoon and it slowly slides off, that’s perfect.
How long will it last once opened?
Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 3–4 weeks for best flavor.
Can I freeze pumpkin orange butter instead of canning?
Definitely. Ladle cooled butter into freezer-safe jars or containers, leaving about ½ inch headspace. Freeze up to 6 months.
What do I serve it with?
It’s delicious on toast, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, scones, or swirled into oatmeal or yogurt. I also love using it as a cake filling or layering it in thumbprint cookies during the holidays.
Hi, I’m Yvonne — the voice behind Our Country Life. I share from-scratch recipes, garden know-how, and simple living inspiration rooted in real farmhouse life. Thanks for being here ❤️
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