Instant Pot Pumpkin Butter is liking eating a pumpkin pie without the crust. It's my favorite biscuit topper for fall and just might be the easiest thing you've ever made in your pressure cooker. Pumpkin Spice forever!
If we're being honest, I didn't even like pumpkin pie until I was in my late 20's. Even then it was 2 bites at Thanksgiving dinner and I was good until the next year.
But PUMPKIN BUTTER!!! THAT I can eat by the spoonfuls, every day, all day.
Have you heard of pumpkin butter? What about apple butter?
Like its cousin apple butter, pumpkin butter is a thick, reduced version of its original self and is most commonly used on toast, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, etc.
Think pumpkin pie filling meets pudding. Awesome, right?!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT HEALTHY PUMPKIN BUTTER
- Many versions of pumpkin butter contain more sugar than actual pumpkin. Not here!!! Real pumpkin puree, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and fresh apple cider celebrate the pumpkin flavor and whole dates are there to sweeten everybody up.
- Quick and easy! If you've ever cooked pumpkin butter on the stovetop you know what a mess it can be. Pumpkin doesn't simmer, it pops and spurts pumpkin puree all over your stovetop instead. This Instant Pot recipe infuses the flavors into the pumpkin without you even needing to be in the same room.
- Warm, homey spices fill the air and whisper, “everything's gonna be okay, rock-a-bye, rock-a-bye.” Anyone else had that song on replay in their head for the past 15+ years?
Comfort food = pumpkin spice. Can we all agree?
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN BUTTER IN A PRESSURE COOKER
- Stir all the ingredients together in a heat-safe dish/pan/bowl
- Let the pressure cooker turn it into orange gold
- If using dates, blend until smooth
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Now of utmost importance, while it's fresh and warm, grab a big spoon and discover heaven on earth.
TIPS FOR MAKING PUMPKIN BUTTER
- Use canned pumpkin puree (not canned pumpkin pie filling) or homemade Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree (the color!)
- Apple juice will work in a pinch, but fresh apple cider takes it to level infinity.
- Vietnamese Cinnamon. It's the best cinnamon in the world and has more natural sweetness than the cinnamon you'll most commonly find at grocery stores. Stock up at Amazon, you'll thank me. I keep both ground and sticks on hand at all times.
- It's good cold, but when possible, warm it up before spreading it on your biscuit.
HOW TO STORE PUMPKIN BUTTER
- Store pumpkin butter in a sealed container in the fridge for a week.
- For longer storage, freeze it in sealed containers for up to 3 months.
WAYS TO EAT PUMPKIN BUTTER
- The most common way to enjoy it is on bread or breakfast dishes of all kinds. Toast, rolls, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, muffins etc.
- Stir it into yogurt and eat as is or use it as a fruit dip.
- Crumble pie crust, granola, or graham cracker crust over top with a dollop of cream for a pumpkin pie like experience.
- On a spoon. I need nothing else.
In a world that goes crazy over pumpkin spice, let this pumpkin butter be the very next thing you make!
If you need me, I'm the giddy girl in the corner with a big bowl of pumpkin butter, a spoon, and a biscuit on the side for dipping.
Won't you join me?
TOOLS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT PUMPKIN BUTTER
- Instant Pot
- Immersion Blender orÂ
- High Speed Blender
Instant Pot Pumpkin Butter
Comforting Instant Pot Pumpkin Butter filled with all the warm spices of fall!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Spread
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 29 ounce canned pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup apple cider or apple juice
- 8 pitted dates or 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- To a heat safe bowl, add pumpkin, vanilla, apple cider, dates or brown sugar, cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice; stir, making sure the dates are immersed in the mixture. Â
- Add 1 cup of water to the pressure cooker pot and place trivet inside. Place bowl on the trivet.
- Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, use a quick release.
- Carefully remove bowl. Â
- Using a fork, remove cinnamon sticks from the hot pumpkin butter. Â
- Pour mixture into a blender and puree until completely smooth. This step can also be done directly in the bowl with an immersion blender. The dates will be moist and soft and will puree easily. If using brown sugar instead of dates, there is no need to puree, just stir until smooth.
- Serve hot or cold on muffins, rolls, pancakes, etc. Â
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Freezes very well
Notes
- The apple cider plays a key part in the flavor of the pumpkin butter. I like to buy it fresh from the farmers market or from the refrigerated section of the produce department (it’s typically only available there a few months out of the year)
- If using brown sugar in place of dates there’s no need to blend the mixture. A vigorous whisk should be sufficient.
- For a delicious fruit dip, stir pumpkin butter into unsweetened or vanilla yogurt and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon to make it pretty. Serve with apples, bananas, pears, etc.
Keywords: Instant pot pumpkin butter, pumpkin butter, biscuit topping

Thank you, going to make a batch this week.
Can you make a large batch and can it?
Cindi, good question! I am not well versed in canning however, but I do freeze it all the time.