What Kind is Baking Pumpkin?

Baking pumpkin and a zucchini after being baked. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“…I’m so confused, I saw your recipe on Facebook for a Jack O’ Lantern pumpkin pie. Is that the kind of pie they had for the first Thanksgiving? I can’t usually find pumpkins around Thanksgiving….” - Lee

What Kind is Baking Pumpkin?

Hi Lee, it is hard to find pumpkins around Thanksgiving. I asked a grocery store manager friend a few years back why and he said most people buy pumpkins for Halloween decorations, not for cooking.

Baking pumpkin is an excellent way to get a truly delicious pulp for pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins and yes, pumpkin pie. The popular canned variety is a mix of pumpkin and squash, which gives the pie a different flavor than an all pumpkin custard. If I have to choose, I prefer the all pumpkin.

The pumpkins shared at the first Thanksgiving were the green and white striped pumpkins again often found for fall decorating. Cushaws are among a variety of pumpkins that are native to North America. Cushaws are also hard to find although easy to grow in most US gardening conditions.

So back to what pumpkins to use in baking.

The large Jack O Lantern pumpkin is different than the smaller pumpkins. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I have made pies and breads with baked pulp from both. The smaller pumpkins have better flavor and texture; the larger Jack O Lantern pumpkins are more watery.

The good news is that even though you tend to find them only around Thanksgiving, you can save baking pumpkins for later use as outside decor, especially if your weather turns cold.

You will find baking pumpkins in most produce sections.

The baking pumpkins I like best for pies are the smaller baking pumpkins. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once baked, let cool. Remove pulp. Blend. I then store pulp in freezer bags in the amounts needed for the breads and pie recipes. Once ready to use, I let thaw to room temperature and use as I would canned pumpkin.

By the way, a real pumpkin pie color is much lighter than the canned variety but much tastier!

Charlotte