Maple Pumpkin Butter with Brown Sugar and Bourbon

White bowl with pumpkin butter. Two biscuit halves with a generous helping of pumpkin butter spread on each with a ceramic pumpkin prop to the right.

Maple Pumpkin Butter with Brown Sugar and Bourbon

Course: holiday, Sauce

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Keyword: bourbon pumpkin butter, maple pumpkin butter, vegan pumpkin butter

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

cooling time: 2

Total Time: 2 40

Servings:

Calories: 64kcal

Author: Cindy Rainey

Maple Pumpkin Butter, A small batch vegan-friendly seasonal spread brimming with the rich flavors of maple syrup, canned pumpkin puree, and a hint of bourbon whiskey. Sweetened with brown sugar, spiced with cinnamon, and kissed with vanilla extract, it's a warm, aromatic, thick and creamy fruit butter that embodies the essence of autumn. Perfect for spreading on biscuits or stirring into your favorite fall recipes.

Print Recipe

Equipment

large heavy-bottomed non-stick pan

Ingredients

15 ounces pumpkin puree canned is best but not pumpkin pie mix
¼ cup brown sugar packed
⅓ cup apple cider can sub apple juice
3 Tablespoons real maple syrup
2 Tablespoons bourbon whiskey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract see notes
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients in a large heavy-bottomed non-stick saucepan. You will want the edges to be tall to prevent splattering all over your kitchen.
15 ounces pumpkin puree, ¼ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup apple cider, 3 Tablespoons real maple syrup, 2 Tablespoons bourbon whiskey, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Bring the ingredients to a hard boil while stirring. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking uncovered for about 30 minutes. You will need to give it a stir every five minutes or so.
After cooking for about 30 minutes the pumpkin butter will be thick and shiny. The consistency at this point will be like super thick apple sauce. It will thicken somewhat upon cooling. You can always simmer for another 5-10 minutes if you feel it is too runny to spread on toast.
Cool completely before storing in a glass jar or another airtight container in the fridge. You can store it for up to two weeks.

Notes

Canned pumpkin works best because it is less watery than homemade pumpkin puree. If you make your own then you may need to cook the pumpkin butter a little bit longer. Even with canned pumpkin, different brands have a different texture. The 30-minutes simmer time is merely a suggestion.

Please inform anyone you are serving this pumpkin butter to that it contains bourbon. While it probably mostly cooks out and only a small amount is used, it still may trigger someone who is avoiding alcohol. If you'd like to make this without bourbon then replace the bourbon with an equal amount of apple cider (or juice).

The maple syrup gives a very subtle undertone of flavor. For a more maply taste, substitute one of the teaspoons of vanilla extract with one teaspoon of maple flavoring.

This recipe will reduce down to one and one-fourth cups of pumpkin butter. Each serving is two tablespoons. Adjust the nutritional information if your serving size is larger.

Nutrition