Best of Fall Pumpkin Roundup

Tips for Baking with Pumpkin

When you try out some new pumpkin recipes, there are a few helpful hints you will want to keep in mind! Read through these before you begin, and you will be well on your way to becoming a pumpkin expert!

• Pumpkin Puree: Not really a baking tip but one that will be well used. Always have a can or two of pumpkin puree on hand! It gets crazy out there at the grocery stores in the fall, and sometimes, I go to pick some up, and it’s all out of stock! Grab a couple when you see them so that you will be all set!
• Substitute: Did you know that you can use pumpkin as a substitute for recipes that call for applesauce? It’s a 1:1 ratio so you don’t even have to do any extra math to figure out how much! This opens a whole new world of recipes that can now taste like fall!
• Pumpkin Pie Filling: Don’t try and use pumpkin pie filling in place of pumpkin puree. It has a different blend of sugar and spices so it will make your recipes calling for puree taste odd!
• Don’t Undercook: If you go by touch or feel when deciding if something with pumpkin puree is done, you may end up with an undercooked treat! Because pumpkin is so moist, the standard “toothpick that comes out clean” trick doesn’t always work. A tried and true method is to use a thermometer to test the thickest part of your bread or pie. Bread loaves and muffins are done at 200 degrees and a pie is complete at 175 degrees!