Is it possible to cook a Halloween pumpkin (aka jack-o-lantern). The short answer is yes. However pumpkins that we purchase for carving (in America) are not grown to be cooked and don’t taste great in traditional pumpkin recipes like pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pancakes, etc.
“Jack-o-latern” pumpkins are typically large, flat bottomed, filled with less flesh. Their seeds, however, are plentiful and great for roasting.
If you want to use fresh pumpkin in a recipe purchase a “pie pumpkin” from the grocery store. Pie pumpkins are specifically for baking. They are darker in color and are very dense which makes them perfect for baking.
Do not cook a pumpkin that has already been carved and left outside for an evening or two. Leave the large pumpkins for carving and use the smaller pie pumpkins in your baking.
If you love pumpkin I highly recommend cooking a pie pumpkin. Canned pumpkin isn’t pure pumpkin. Did you know it is a mixture of squash and pumpkin. The squashes causes it to be not as sweet as pure pumpkin. Your friends and family will rave about your pumpkin baked goods when you use fresh, super sweet pie pumpkin in the recipe.
Store uncooked pie pumpkins in a cool dry place for several weeks.
Find step by step instructions on how to cook a pie pumpkin and several delicious recipes here.
LeaAnne says
This year I decided I was going to taste for myself the difference between pumpkin from a can and the fresh pumpkin. A week or so ago I bought a pie pumpkin, roasted it up, pureed the flesh and made my first pumpkin pie …ever. Two things I learned from this experience. First, the pumpkin flesh is much lighter in color than the canned pumpkin. Second, the pie was VERY tasty. I am looking forward to trying pumpkin bread and pancakes with the fresh pumpkin. I will be going out soon to buy another pie pumpkin (or 2) so I can freeze the roasted flesh and have all things pumpkin in January. Happy Baking everyone!
Marie says
I have never purchased the pie pumpkins because I’ve always used the pumpkins we get for Halloween. We don’t get gigantic ones, nor do we usually carve them. They are lighter in color than canned pumpkin. I’ve never had a issue with flavor. I don’t want to waste a perfectly good pumpkin that was not so cheap. Just my opinion. 🙂
Jesse says
I agree with Marie. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins, I have always liked the flavor of them after cooking them. I also don’t carve them but instead paint them so it will taste nice and fresh after baking. They are still edible though even if you choose to carve it, just refrigerate it to preserve it if you need to extend the time. Generally it takes an hour in the oven at 370F or so.
doug says
i use regular size pumpkins for pies just add more sugar and spices i process it and drain it then freeze it and it works fine
Cletus Hunnicutt says
A couple of years ago, I tried cooking a Jack-o-lantern a couple of different ways. The first try was breaded and fried chunks. Not terrible, but the flesh was a little “gelatinous” in a way. Strange but edible. My second, and now exclusive way of cooking it…I fill a large saute pan with chunks of the Jack-o-lantern and cook them down in a little olive oil and salt and pepper over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. After 20 to 30 minutes I crank it up and saute it for about 10 or more minutes until it gets soft, to the point of turning to mush and starts to get lightly browned. Then I check to make sure there’s enough salt and pepper and sometimes melt a tablespoon or two of butter into it, not necessary though. Sometimes I add a chopped onion while I’m cooking it. Talk about a savory comfort food! It’s delicious! I can make up a plate of it for myself as a meal on its own or use it as a side dish. I don’t even bother to remove the skin anymore because it becomes tender as it cooks and it adds a little more nutty flavor as it browns and extra texture. Now I buy two or three Jack-o-lanterns every year just for cooking. To store it I simply cut it into 1 to 2 inch+ chunks and fill up gallon sized freezer bags and freeze it. It’s kept just fine for up to a year this way in the deep freeze. I dump some frozen chunks into the pan and get started. Of course I roast or saute the seeds, but when I first carve a pumpkin, those “guts” are all mine, my special treat. I saute that up on its own and it’s even more flavorful than the rest.
Amy says
Honestly, I’ve been cooking pumpkin pie from Jack O’ Lantern pumpkins for years, and they turn out delicious!
Doug barrey says
i dont carve my pumpkins but even when i did and i cooked them all went well for using it in pies
A. Wilson says
After all the reading about Jack O Lantern pumpkins not being so tasty, I almost didn’t bother. And that would have been a waste of a perfectly sound 16 lb squash. I cut the lid off it. Sliced in half, then quartered with a big knife (it wasn’t difficult, and my knife isn’t sharp). Scooped the minimal pulp and seeds off each section with an indestructible ice cream scoop. Put the pieces skin side up on 3 baking sheets lined with parchment and baked at 400 deg. 50 minutes later I pulled them out of the oven, peeled the skin off while still warm, and was delighted with the results and how easy it was. We ate chunks of the pumpkin while it was still warm with a little butter and healthy sprinkle of cinnamon. The remaining chunks I let cool in a large bowl, then stuffed into zippered sandwich bags (roughly 1.5 cups to a bag) for cooking with later. The last hunks at the botom of the bowl were standing in juice so I poured off the liquid and mashed the remainder as a side dish. Delicious! Maybe the pie pumpkins are sweeter, but this one suited us just fine. (Full disclosure—not a pumpkin pie fan.)
Doug barrey says
i use the bigger ones i dont carve them but they work fine just add more sugar and spices and there you go
Doug Barrey says
i use the big ones a lot not too big but average jack o lantern size and they are fine i dont carve them though i can get them at millers farm in olean new York for a very reasonable price in the markdown bin
Joanne Hinsperger-Scott says
Sooo glad I came here and read all these posts about using regular jack-o-lantern pumpkins for cooking / baking. I had no idea there were such things as ‘pie pumpkins’. My husband planted two pumpkin plants and harvested 5 or 6 large carving pumpkins. I planted spaghetti squash in the same garden. The pumpkins were pollinated by hand using the male and female blooms. We suspect one of the spaghetti squash blooms got pollinated by mistake as we have one that has some features of both a pumpkin on 3/4 of it’s skin and the remaining fourth looks more like the spaghetti squash. The ‘pumpkin’ side of this one stayed green and has not turned orange like the rest. We are very curious to cut into it to see what it looks like inside.