The first time I heard of pumpkin butter was Estela’s (from the Weekly Bite) cream cheese and pumpkin butter sammie she made for her daughter. Few days later, my friends and I took the kids to a local farm fall festival and they were selling it in their market. Along with the pumpkin and squashes, I bought pumpkin butter and apple butter.

I haven’t opened the apple butter yet. I figured we’ll eat one at a time since we may not finish both before they go bad. In this post, I will share the different ways I’ve been using pumpkin butter, and would like you to share YOURS in the comment section too.

Nutrition Alert!

Before I start, keep in mind that pumpkin (and apple) butter is not a substitute for nut butters. It doesn’t have protein. The label on the one I have says it contains pumpkins, sugar, apple juice, and spices. No protein sources. This means you need to pair it up with high protein foods to make healthy meals and snacks.

Cheese and Pumpkin Butter Appetizers

Start with slices of bread (Italian, sourdough, French) or crackers–whole grain always better for nutrition. Toast the bread if you like. Spread some goat cheese or lay a slice of brie, and top with some pumpkin butter.

Cold Yogurt Pumpkin Pudding

This is super easy. Impress your friends (or indulge alone) in this light cold pudding:

• 1 c plain regular or Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp pumpkin butter
• 1 tbs chopped walnuts
• dash of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients. Sprinkle walnuts and cinnamon on top for garnish.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Oatmeal should never be boring. Spice it up with some flavors of the season:

• 1/2 c old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp (generous) pumpkin butter
• 1 tbsp crushed walnuts (or pecans)

Mix the oats and milk in a small bowl and microwave for 1.5 minutes. When cooked, stir in the remaining ingredients and enjoy. You can adjust the flavor by adding more pumpkin butter or cinnamon and make a thinner oatmeal by adding some more milk.

I found pumpkin butter at Trader Joe’s and I’m sure it’s sold at other groceries too. And because I know many of my readers are overseas where they may not have pumpkin butter available, I found this recipe so you can make it from scratch. (note: in the variations section, they suggest using agave nectar for sugar-free pumpkin butter. Beware of such claims. Agave has sugar. Read my previous post about it).

I still have some pumpkin butter left and I would love to try YOUR tips. How else do You enjoy pumpkin butter?