This is a simple no-fuss preserve. It takes a long time to cook but very little time to prepare. Unlike traditional butters, you do not have to stand over it and stir all day. This is a wonderful way to use up the leftover Halloween jack-o-lantern.

Crock Pot Pumpkin Butter

Ingredients

5 lb pumpkin gutted and quartered
2 c. sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. all spice
1/2 tsp mace or nutmeg

Directions

Quarter pumpkin. Remove 'guts', seeds, and stem (leave skin on). Place pumpkin and 2 cups water in your crock pot. Cook 4 hours on low.

Scoop pulp out of pumpkin skin. Mash with potato masher. Add sugar and spices to mashed pumpkin. Cook down 6-8 hours on low setting. Spoon into jars.

This recipe is made as a refrigerator butter. If you wish to preserve pumpkin butter for shelf storage, use a standard hot water bath canning method. Great on home made breads, or stirred into plain yougurt.

Add sugar and spices to taste. I prefer mace to nutmeg because it has a little more citrus aroma to it.

Prep time: 5 minutes to prepare; 8-10 hours to cook.

Recipe submitted by: Karen Collins