Pumpkin Curd is a delicious, sweet fall filling or topping made with pumpkin puree and warm spices.
Reader Review:
Oh my goodness this curd is incredible! It tastes just like pumpkin pie and was the easiest curd I've made yet. I'm going to pair it with pumpkin cupcakes and will need to use all my self-control to not eat it all before then 😛
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Ashley
I first invented this delicious pumpkin curd recipe when I was developing a recipe for Pumpkin Pavlova. I wanted a topping that would be sweet and warm and would really celebrate the pumpkin flavor. Now I use this pumpkin spice curd regularly during the holiday season. It's fantastic as a filling for Pumpkin Cupcakes and as an extra layer of deliciousness in my Pumpkin Cake.
Pour it on pancakes, pipe it into donuts, or put it in a glass jar as a holiday gift - however you use it, I'm confident you will want to make this pumpkin curd recipe time and time again. It's quick and easy to make and the perfect addition to fall desserts.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy recipe that only takes 15 minutes to make.
- Versatile - can be used for all kinds of desserts.
- Make ahead - cook up a batch to store in your fridge to use in a myriad of ways.
Ingredients
There are no artificial ingredients in this delicious pumpkin curd recipe, it's all-natural pumpkin flavor!
- Pumpkin Puree - Make sure you use 100% real pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Sugar - White sugar is best for this curd
- Eggs - Large eggs, free range if possible.
- Egg Yolks - For extra richness and a more creamy pumpkin curd.
- Butter - Use salted or unsalted butter, whichever you prefer.
- Orange Juice - For a touch of acidity, you could also use lemon juice or any kind of citrus.
- Spices - I like to use a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. You can use a pumpkin pie spice or any combination of warm autumnal spices you like.
See the recipe card for quantities and instructions.
How to Make Pumpkin Curd
This pumpkin spice curd is one of the easiest curds you will ever make.
Whisk
Add all the ingredients (except the butter) into a medium saucepan and whisk together.
Heat
Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved (check by rubbing the pumpkin curd in between your fingers, if it's grainy it needs longer).
Add Butter
Add the butter to the pumpkin mixture, a few chunks at a time, letting it melt in between. Whisk constantly to avoid burning.
Cook
Continue to cook the pumpkin curd, whisking all the time, until it has thickened slightly, like pastry cream. This should take 5-10 minutes.
Test
Once the pumpkin curd is ready, you should be able to easily draw a clear line in it on the back of a spoon.
Cool
Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it come down to room temperature. Then transfer to the fridge to cool completely before using.
How to Use Pumpkin Curd
There are so many ways to use this pumpkin curd recipe. Really you can use it any way you would use any other fruit curds, but the flavors of this special curd make it a wonderful option for the cooler weather.
- Pumpkin Curd Filling - Use this as a filling for desserts and pastries like donuts or cream puffs. It is also fantastic for filling the middle of cupcakes, like my Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.
- Spread on Cake - Spread a layer of pumpkin curd on your layer cakes for extra flavor, like I do in my Pumpkin Cake recipe.
- Cookie Filling - Pipe a small amount of pumpkin curd to fill sandwich cookies or macarons
- Breakfast Topping - Drizzle some warm curd over your pancakes or waffles for a tasty breakfast in the fall or winter months. You could even just spread it on a piece of toast.
- Pumpkin Sauce - Pour the pumpkin curd like a sauce to top meringues, ice cream or cheesecakes. I use it as a topping for my Pumpkin Pavlova, it can turn something simple into a lovely rich dessert.
- Tarts and Pies - Put the curd as a filling for mini tarts for a bite-size Thanksgiving treat.
- As a Holiday Gift - For the perfect fall gift, why not fill up a jar of curd and tie it with a ribbon for the perfect edible present?
- Tasty Snack - Honestly, sometimes I like to just keep this pumpkin curd in the fridge and enjoy a spoonful of it as a little treat when I pass the fridge!
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
Storage
Store your tasty pumpkin curd in a glass jar or airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
More Pumpkin Desserts
If you have a hankering for all the pumpkin flavors, check out some of these pumpkin dessert recipes.
Recipe
Pumpkin Curd
Ingredients
- 1 can Pumpkin Puree 15oz / 425g
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar 200g
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Large Egg Yolks
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter 113g
- 1 tablespoon Orange Juice
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
Equipment
- Medium sauce pan
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the butter to the saucepan and whisk to combine1 can (425 g) Pumpkin Puree, 1 cup (200 g) Granulated Sugar, 2 Large (2) Eggs, 2 Large (2) Egg Yolks, 1 tablespoon Orange Juice, 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger, ½ teaspoon (½ tsp) Ground Nutmeg
- Heat over a medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. You can test this by rubbing a little bit of the mixture between your fingers, if the sugar hasn't dissolved yet it will feel gritty
- Add the butter in small chunks, stirring and letting it melt into the curd before adding the next few chunks1 stick (113 g) Unsalted Butter
- Continue to heat until the curd thickens slightly. When it's ready, it should coat the back of a spoon. Once you can draw a line on the back of the spoon with your finger without it running back together, it's ready. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
- Let cool completely and then put in the fridge to chill until you're ready to use it
Nicole
Thanks for the recipe, I plan to use it as filling in my olive oil pumpkin cake. One thing that is a little unclear: You say cooking it should take 5-10 minutes. Is this 5-10 minutes from the time you start adding the butter? Or after the butter is melted? I assumed after the butter is melted but my curd thickened withing about 1-2 minutes after that. So I ended up taking it off the heat. I'm now thinking it's 5-10 minutes total? It's cooling now so I'm hoping I did it right! Thanks again!
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Nicole,
Sorry for the lack of clarity here. I meant 5-10 minutes after adding the butter, HOWEVER the cooking time varies massively depending on so many factors like the temperature of your stovetop, temperature of the butter, size of pan etc, so it's always better to go by the visual cues that it is ready, rather than relying on a cook time. It sounds like that's exactly what you did! Once it is thick enough that you can draw a line in it on the back of a coated spoon, it's ready.
I hope you loved the pumpkin curd. Olive oil pumpkin cake sounds delicious!
Jules
Cristina Serrano
So far I've used this curd in oatmeal, in my pumpkin GF cupcakes and I love it. They said it tasted like an elevated boutique cupcake.
Jill Diehl
I haven’t made it yet but it sounds delicious if I use pumpkin pie spice instead of the other spice how much do you recommend?
Rachel Super
This looks yummy and this question shows my lack of baking knowledge, but do I have to have the orange juice? I’m highly allergic and wondering if i can omit it? Thanks!
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Rachel,
Yes you can absolutely leave out the orange juice - no need to substitute it for anything, you can just leave it out.
Enjoy!
Jules
Maya
Hello. Would it be possible to make my own pumpkin puree? I'm thinking slowbaking hokkaido myself. I don't think I can find pumpkin puree here.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Maya,
You definitely can make your own pumpkin puree for this! I don't typically recommend using homemade pumpkin puree in baking recipes as it contains a lot more moisture than canned pumpkin puree, however when making the curd you could reduce it for a little longer in the pan to counteract that.
If you do use it in baking, I recommend that you use paper towels to blot the majority of the moisture out first, or it can mess up the consistency of your baked goods. It's a little time consuming but it's worth it!
Hope this helps,
Jules
Amy (Pastry Chef)
I know this was about last year... But I cut a small pumpkin in half, do the cleaning out bit, very lightly salt it, let it sit open side up, for about 2 hours. Scoop the flesh, pureit, line a colander with cheesecloth, and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The liquid will drain out, and the puree should be a little sweeter....
Andrea
I made this today, and it was easy to make and unbelievably delicious! So, so, so good! I’m definitely saving this recipe in a safe place! I’m using it as a filling for macarons, but I can think of a dozen other ways to use this. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Erin
This was delicious and the directions were very easy to follow! Spooned it over Greek yogurt and it was perfect.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Erin,
I'm so glad to hear you liked the recipe! Mmm I definitely need to try it over greek yogurt!
Jules
Benjamin Owen
Question- are you using fresh ginger? And if so, how?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Benjamin, no it's ground ginger - the powdered kind you get in little jars at the grocery store. 🙂
Jules
Benjamin Owen
Ok cool beans, do you think freshe grated ginger would be an issue?
ilana
How long will this stay good? I haven't made it yet, but would like to use it in a tartlett in 4 days.
James
Hello!
Thank you for the recipe. I’m just curious why can’t you use pumpkin pie filling and opt out for cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg?
Jules
Hi James, thank you for your question. Pumpkin pie filling contains a lot of sugar, and the sugar quantity varies from brand to brand, so it's hard to control and know how much sugar to add. You could, in theory, use pumpkin pie filling if you wanted, but you'll need to taste test along the way and decide how much sugar you want to add to get the desired sweetness, as the pie filling is already very sweet. Hope this helps!
Ashley
Oh my goodness this curd is incredible! It tastes just like pumpkin pie and was the easiest curd I've made yet. I'm going to pair it with pumpkin cupcakes and will need to use all my self-control to not eat it all before then 😛
Jules
Thanks Ashley, I'm so glad you like it! That is exactly what I did, I put some of it inside my Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes and it worked like a dream! https://bonnibakery.com/pumpkin-spice-cupcakes/
Debbe’ Baker
I’m very interested in making your grandmother’s Apple Cake recipe. My only problem is with the measurements being listed as European ! I do wish you'd list them in “traditional American measurements,” too! It’s daunting to try and look up all of the measurements, and then have to convert them to traditional American measurements! I hope you consider this for those of us who’d like to make and enjoy your grandmother’s special cake! Thank You , Debbe’Baker
Jules
Hi Debbe,
I think you may have me confused with another blogger? I post all my recipes in both cups and grams to suit bakers all over the world. But also, I don't have an apple cake recipe on the site, I think you may be thinking of someone else.
In any case, I hope you find the recipe you are looking for.
Happy baking!
Jules
Just Stop
You should get a damn scale, Debbe