The Best Fall Compound Butter Starts With This Sweet Pumpkin Variety

We're entering the season when nearly every grocery store sells its bounty of pumpkins and pumpkin-flavored snacks, treats, and confections while families and friends enjoy an eventful day at pumpkin patches. Relishing the variety of pumpkin-flavored goods is one of many reasons why fall is a much-anticipated season every year. One of many pumpkin-flavored condiments that brings the taste of fall to every dish is pumpkin butter, a type of compound butter. It's a close second to popular seasonal staple pumpkin spice when it comes to evoking the autumnal vibes in your cooked meals and beverages alike.

When making pumpkin butter at home, there is an extensive list of pumpkins that you should be cooking with to choose from. The one that's best for delivering a delightful spread of pumpkin butter is the sugar pie variety. While the name alludes to it being the perfect candidate for pie filling, sugar pie pumpkins also shine in a variety of savory preparations, including a Thai-inspired coconut pumpkin soup. Owing to their natural sweetness and fine-grained flesh as opposed to the stringy, fibrous texture of some pumpkin varieties, sugar pie pumpkins are ideal for a sweet, smooth, homemade pumpkin butter once cooked. 

All you need to do is roast them till perfectly golden-brown and blend the pumpkin flesh into a creamy puree once cooled. Combine the pureed pumpkin with the other ingredients for your butter, such as water, maple syrup, and all those aromatic spices that scream "fall," into a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat till it thickens into a smooth, butter-like consistency. Once cooled, you're ready to serve the flavors of fall.

Now for the fun part: Getting creative with ways to use and serve your batch of pumpkin butter. Naturally, the obvious default is using it as a spread for your morning toast. This makes for a tasty way to kickstart your day throughout pumpkin season. But, if you're feeling fancy for a breakfast or brunch spread on a weekend, level up your pancakes and waffles with a generous spoonful of pumpkin butter. Alternatively, you can whisk it into French toast batter for yet another seasonal spin.

Use pumpkin butter to whip up pumpkin butter cookies, where you can play around with more flavor combinations with ingredients such as chocolate chips, oatmeal, dried fruits, and nuts. For avid bakers who particularly look forward to baking autumnal treats, use pumpkin butter to make pumpkin bread, both by using it in the batter directly or adding it as a gooey layer for a fun textural contrast. You can also give your cinnamon rolls a fall-inspired twist by using pumpkin butter in the cinnamon sugar filling. For those who love sweet and savory in a single bite, consider using pumpkin butter in an autumnal grilled cheese.

Moving on to the beverage department, it shouldn't come as news that fall equals pumpkin spice lattes. The drink has become synonymous with the season, with every mainstream coffee chain and local cafes alike proudly boasting signs announcing its much-awaited offering. But, with your homemade pumpkin butter, you can do your wallet a solid favor by making a creamy, decadent, cozy latte that tantalizes your taste buds throughout pumpkin season.