• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Dehydrating
    • Dehydrating FAQ
    • Best Dehydrators
  • Canning
  • Shop

The Purposeful Pantry

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Dehydrating
  • Canning
  • Subscribe
  • You Tube
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Dehydrating
    • Canning
    • Subscribe
    • You Tube
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Dehydrating

    Author: Darcy Baldwin • This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Dehydrate Pumpkin and Make Pumpkin Powder

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Dehydrate pumpkin and make pumpkin powder to use in baked goods, pies, smoothies, dog treats. Enjoy fall all year long with this easy way to preserve pumpkins.

    Fresh pumpkin and a jar of dehydrated pumpkin powder on a pumpkin leaf
    Dehydrate pumpkin and make pumpkin powder

    Pumpkin is my favorite fall flavor when altered with a little spice and creams in soups, or in every form of baked good.

    It's even my favorite fall drink in pumpkin juice!

    Yes, Harry Potter fans, you can make pumpkin juice at home if you can't be in the Wizarding World enjoying it!

    But let's get back to dehydrating pumpkin, shall we?!

    This easy process takes a little time, but it's worth it when you can grab so many of those orange orbs of autumnal goodness and save them for the whole year.

    And you'll never have to worry about those pesky, fake canned pumpkin shortages, either! This way, you can have pumpkin powder stored on the shelf and make your own pumpkin puree anytime you feel the need for fall and pumpkin spice!

    Learn more: How to Dehydrate Pumpkin Leaves

    How to Dehydrate Pumpkin

    There are numerous ways to dehydrate pumpkin. We're going to focus on drying a puree to make pumpkin powder to store.

    How to Roast Pumpkin

    Instructions:

    1. Wash pumpkins. It's important. You're cutting into the skin and flesh and pumpkins can be very dirty.
    2. Cut the pumpkin into segments of your choice, and clean out the 'guts'.
    3. A great tip for cleaning is to use an old canning jar lid to scrape your pumpkin clean - it works wonders!!! It's in the video at the 2:14 mark
    4. (Set aside the seeds to roast later.)
    5. Place pumpkin segments on oven-safe lined baking sheets and bake at 350°F / 175°C for 45-50 minutes until just fork tender
    6. Remove skins and allow puree to cool

    At this point, if you decide that you don't want to save this for pumpkin puree, you can go to a pumpkin pie fruit leather instead.

    Dehydrate Pumpkin Puree

    1. Spread pumpkin puree onto fruit leather sheet line dehydrator trays and dry at 135°F / 57°C for 10-12 hours until brittle.
    2. Condition
    3. Store in an airtight container for up to a year

    I happen to use an Excalibur Dehydrator, but any dehydrator will work!

    How to Powder Dehydrated Pumpkin

    1. Place pumpkin puree shards into the bullet blender, blender or coffee grinder of your choice. I have some suggestions in my essential dehydrating tools list if you need one.
    2. Blend until smooth
    3. Place on cookie sheet in an oven that has been warmed, but not on, and allow to dry for 15-20 minutes.
    4. Store in an airtight container with a desiccant pack for six to twelve months.

    How to Rehydrate Pumpkin Powder

    Pumpkin puree is a mainstay in our home. From breads to smoothies to soups to pie, it's something I keep stocked all year long.

    However, I don't have space to keep as many jars as I might use in a year, so I dehydrate my pumpkin (I even dehydrate canned pumpkin!) to save space in my pantry.

    Whenever I want to make something, I can either use the powder to flavor, or I can reconstitute the dehydrated pumpkin powder back into puree!

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups of hot water
    • ½ cup pumpkin powder

    Directions:

    1. Mix 2 cups of hot water with ½ Cup Pumpkin Powder
    2. Allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes!
    3. Use in any recipe that calls for pumpkin puree.
    ½ cup pumpkin powder + 2 cups hot water equals 2 ¼ cups of pumpkin puree

    Pumpkin Spice Coffee Mix

    • 6 tablespoons pumpkin powder (adjust to your taste)
    • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
    • 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
    • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
    • Shake a little into your coffee for a pumpkin spice flavor!
    • (reminder, this will not dissolve the way drink mixes do, so expect a little fiber left at the bottom of your coffee cup)

    Dehydrate Pumpkin Cubes

    Instead of using a puree, winter squash can be diced and used in soups, stews, and other dishes throughout year!

    Instructions:

    1. Cut and remove seeds and strings
    2. Dice into ½" or smaller cubes
    3. Blanch cubes for 4 minutes
    4. Dehydrate at 125F/35C for 8-15+ hours
    5. Condition
    6. Store in an airtight container for up to two years

    Dryness test: When cubes are slightly translucent, plink when dropped, leathery and hard. Don't assume a slight color change and hardness on the outside to be fully dry, the insides should be dry as well.

    Commonly Asked Questions

    Can I dehydrate the whole pumpkin?

    Yes - roast the pumpkin (I do recommend cutting it in half for a faster roast and easier managing - or even in large slices). Then simply puree the entire pumpkin. The skin and strings are edible.

    Is this also how to dehydrate butternut squash?

    Yes, you can dehydrate butternut squash in the same fashion as this.

    Pin It Image for Pinning to Pinterest
    Add this image to your favorite Pinterest Dehydrating Board
    Pumpkin on a pumpkin leaf with jar of pumpkin powder, and measuring quantities of fresh, dried, powdered and pureed pumpkin
    Fresh pumpkin and powdered pumpkin by dehydrating
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    PIN THIS!!

    How to Dehydrate Pumpkin and Make Pumpkin Powder

    Preserve pumpkin all year long by dehydrating the puree and making pumpkin powder that stores much more easily.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Drying Time10 hrs
    Total Time11 hrs 5 mins
    Keyword: Dehydrate pumpkin, dried pumpkin, preserve pumpkin, pumpkin leather, pumpkin powder, pumpkin puree
    Author: Darcy Baldwin

    Equipment

    • Dehydrator

    Ingredients

    • Pumpkin Any type of pumpkin

    Instructions

    Preparing Pumpkin Puree

    • Wash pumpkins thoroughly
    • Cut in sections
    • Remove pulp and seeds
    • Place on cookie sheets lined with aluminum foil or silicone baking sheets
    • Bake at 350°F / 175°C for 45-50 minutes until fork tender, do not let them burn.
    • Allow to cook, then remove skin. Set aisde puree to cool

    Dehydrating Instructions

    • Spread puree thinly on dehydrating trays lined with fruit leather sheets or parchment paper
    • Dry at 135°F / 52°C for 10-12 hours
    • Puree should be brittle
    • Condition
    • Store in airtight containers

    To Make Pumpkin Powder

    • Place pumpkin shards in a blender
    • Blend until smooth powder is formed
    • Pour onto baking sheet and place inside oven that has been warmed to 175F, but turned off
    • Remove after 20 minutes, allow to cool, store in airtight container with desiccant packs
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thepurposefulpantry or tag #thepurposefulpantry!
    Print Recipe
    No ratings yet

    Make Pumpkin Puree from Dehydrated Pumpkin Powder

    Use dehydrated pumpkin powder to reconstitute into pumpkin puree to use for baked goods
    Prep Time5 mins
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: DIY pumpkin puree, pumpkin powder, pumpkin puree, reconstitute pumpkin powder
    Author: Darcy Baldwin

    Ingredients

    • 2 Cups Hot water
    • ½ Cups Pumpkin Powder

    Instructions

    • Mix powder into the water
    • Allow powder to absorb water
    • Use as you would in most baking recipes including pie!
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thepurposefulpantry or tag #thepurposefulpantry!
    « DIY Instant Rice with a Dehydrator
    31 Easy Slow Cooker Meals for the Fall »
    • Share
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Donna says

      October 21, 2020 at 4:03 am

      Great info and love the u tube video. Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Darcy says

        October 22, 2020 at 10:47 am

        Thank you! Glad it was helpful!

        Reply
    2. Penny Pritchard says

      October 22, 2020 at 1:17 am

      This sounds interesting.
      I use 500g of cooked pumpkin in a delicious recipe. How would I work out how much powder to rehydrate please?

      Reply
      • Darcy says

        October 22, 2020 at 10:47 am

        Looking it up on google to convert- you'd need about a cup and a quarter of powder.

        Reply
        • Penny Pritchard says

          January 22, 2021 at 5:57 am

          Thanks so much ?

          Reply
    3. Laura says

      November 21, 2020 at 5:47 pm

      I dehydrate my pumpkin raw, You have to make sure your pieces aren't to large!. I use a nutribullet to grind to powder. I always put my powders back in the dehydrator so I'm sure they are completely dry.

      Reply
      • Darcy says

        November 22, 2020 at 9:46 am

        It's definitely a preference - and thanks for sharing yours.

        Reply
    4. Robin says

      November 22, 2020 at 7:51 am

      I found that it takes way longer than 12 hours to dehydrate...more like 3 days

      Reply
      • Darcy says

        November 22, 2020 at 9:48 am

        All times are relative - it depends on humidity, the power of your machine, how you prepped your produce, etc. Always take time windows as a guide. I'm surprised that it takes 3 days for you to dry any leather, though. Are you flipping it? What kind of machine are you using?

        Reply

    Let me know what you think! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Connect with me!

    Howdy! I'm Darcy! I've spent the last twenty years learning how to stretch our budget to meet the needs of our growing family. I want to help you succeed at it, too!

    More about me →

    NEWEST POSTS

    • 25 Ways to Preserve Zucchini
    • How to Dehydrate Basil
    • DIY Zucchini Chips
    • How to Dehydrate Scallions or Green Onions

    Howdy! I'm Darcy! I've spent the last twenty years learning how to stretch our budget to meet the needs of our growing family. I want to help you succeed at it, too!

    More about me →

    NEWEST POSTS

    • How to Dehydrate Pasta
    • How to Dehydrate Cabbage
    • How to Make and Use Citrus Powder
    • How to Dehydrate Carrot Tops

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Who We Support

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Youtube

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Purposeful Pantry by Purposeful Media, LLC