How to Dehydrate Pumpkins

How to dehydrate pumpkins at home is easy and very beneficial. There are a plethora of recipes using dehydrated pumpkins on the internet. Having dried pumpkin will ensure you can make pumpkin recipes all year round!

I will provide quite a few recipes using dehydrated pumpkins. Please feel free to adjust and tweak those to your liking. Let’s get started dehydrating pumpkins!

Can Pumpkins Be Canned at Home?

Canning pumpkins at home is not recommended and the recipe for canning pumpkins cannot be found in the Ball Canning book. Pumpkins are low-acid vegetables and cannot be safely canned in the boiling water bath process.

However, there are articles on the internet that have actually canned cubed pumpkins using a pressure canner and swear by it. I have never canned pumpkins and only dehydrated them. Again, it’s such a grey area, I’d prefer to dehydrate anything as much as possible to save on time and space.

If you are new to dehydrating, you can read a whole blog post I have on it Dehydrate food naturally using a dehydrator.

Best Pumpkins for Dehydrating for Baking

Did you know that two cups of pumpkin puree come from a half cup of dehydrated pumpkin powder that has been reconstituted?

For dehydrating pumpkins for baking look for pumpkins that have a smooth texture flesh like Sugar or Pie pumpkin versus a stringy one that is found in “jack-o-lanterns”. These pumpkins are considered the “pepo series” which means their flesh is very watery and the taste is too mild (in my opinion).

What Type of Pumpkin to Use for Dehydrating

• Butternut pumpkin
• Sugar or pie
• Cucurbita-maxima or moschata
• New England
• Lumina
• Cinderella

They may be named differently depending on where they are grown and who is “naming” them. Carving pumpkins may be used but is not recommended but the seeds are excellent for drying, toasting, and roasting though.

How to Use a Pressure Cooker for Pumpkins

It’s so easy to steam a pumpkin in no time to prepare it for dehydration. Steaming foods retain a lot more vitamins than boiling them in water.

I like to use a cup or two of filtered water when I steam the pumpkin in the pressure cooker. Saving and freezing the water once the pumpkin is cooked allows the pumpkin to be reconstituted with pumpkin water. Saving and freezing the pumpkin water for soup stock is an alternative to using plain water in your soup. Note for this recipe I will be using “pie pumpkins”.

Note: I only save the water if the pumpkin was cubed. Steaming it whole, does not make “pumpkin water”.

How to Pressure Cook a Pie Pumpkin

• Remove the stem and save for later (reveal at end of the post)-snickering 🙂
• Wash the pumpkin with warm to hot water with a natural soap see our link below
• Pat Dry
• Gut the pumpkin if cubing
• Leave the skins on
• Quarter or cube into pieces OR leave whole (takes more space though-great if you don’t like using a knife)
• Save the seeds to dehydrate too
• Fill the pressure canner with the recommended water (I gauge this by eye) minimum of 1 cup of water
• Pressure until soft (this will depend on the size chunks-usually 5 minutes-whole 10-15 minutes) I find using the “rice” setting is perfect for a whole pumpkin
• Let the pressure release naturally
• If steamed in pieces, remove the skin from the flesh
• Whole cooked pumpkin: cut in half, scoop out seeds (save) and remove skin

Prepping the Pumpkins for Dehydrating

One versatile tool I use for peeling and scooping cooked pumpkin is a hand-cheese slicer. You may choose to blend, pulse or liquefy the pulp before spreading it on the silicone sheet.

Spread the Pureed Pumpkin on a Silicone Dehydrator Sheet

Can you Dehydrate Pumpkin Seeds?

Yes and please do! You may first season them well with your choice of seasonings, salt, and spices to taste. Each dehydrator works differently. Check your recommended temperature and time according to the manufacturer.

Pumpkin Seed Recipes

Really anything goes, salt, sugar, hot pepper even cinnamon! Here is one of my favorite dried pumpkin seeds snacks. I wash and rinse the slime off the seeds. The water helps the spices to stick better. Each time I make dried pumpkin seeds, I make them differently. You may choose to use oil to coat them as well. This recipe will be so easy:

• Use either liquid dried smoke or Worcestershire sauce to wet the seeds
• Sprinkle with Garam Masala-the ingredients can be found in How to Make and Use Garam Masala in my post

Spread on a silicone or dehydrator sheet and dry at 95 for 2 hours, turning once or twice. Depending on the humidity. Store in an air-tight container. We prefer canning jars and removing the air with a food saver.

How to Dehydrate Canned Pumpkin

By the end of the fall, canned pumpkin usually goes on sale, big time! I am not a fan of tin cans except when making Primitive Crafts with them. Check out my YouTube Craft playlist using tin cans and pumpkin stems for crafts.

So,  as soon as I get home, I spread out the pumpkin puree on a silicone sheet and dehydrate it and store it in individual canning jars so it will be easy to measure when making one pie.

I do not do this often as I always grow or buy fresh pie pumpkins each year and dehydrate them. But… I cannot pass up a 50-cent can of Libby’s pure pumpkin pie puree at the end of the year on sale!

How to Make A Pumpkin Face Mask for Oily Skin

Who has fresh pumpkins lying around when you want to make a pumpkin face mask? I know I don’t! To remedy this, use 2 tablespoons or more of dehydrated pumpkin. Here are a few of my favorite pumpkin face masks-tweak to your own liking if you so choose:

• 2 tablespoons dehydrated pumpkin
• 1 egg (room temp and organic)
• 2 teaspoons organic natural honey
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients well, and ensure the pumpkin has reconstituted. Start with a clean washed face, and pat dry. Spread the facial mixture evenly over the face, stay away from the eyes! Leave on the face for at least 15 minutes, no longer than 20 minutes. Rinse well and pat dry. Follow up with witch hazel that helps with oily skin. You can read all about witch hazel Amazing Benefits of using Witch Hazel in my post.

How to Make a Pumpkin Face Mask for Normal Skin

• 2 tablespoons dehydrated pumpkin
• 1 egg (room temp and organic)
• 2 teaspoons organic natural honey
• 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice is optional but oh so good for a brighter face! Read about Lemon Health Benefits and how they are so good for you.
• If not using lemon juice, substitute fresh raw milk if possible-or milk preferred

Mix all ingredients well, and ensure the pumpkin has reconstituted. Start with a clean washed face, and pat dry. Spread the facial mixture evenly over the face, stay away from the eyes! Leave on the face for at least 15 minutes, no longer than 20 minutes. Rinse well and pat dry. Follow-up with a moisturizer is optional. If vegan is preferred, omit honey and egg.

Starbucks-Inspired Pumpkin Spice Coffee Face Mask

Ok, this one is my all-time favorite! I love Starbucks, anything! Using dehydrated pumpkin ensures you can pretty much make this anytime. You don’t have to use Starbucks instant coffee, but I have it on hand so it’s what I use. I know the instant coffee from the dollar store will work just fine too. If vegan is preferred, omit honey and egg.

• 2 tablespoons dehydrated pumpkin
• 1 egg (room temp and organic)
• 1 tablespoon organic natural honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (use Sugar in the Raw for more of a scrub)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (dollar store is fine)
• 1 tablespoon instant Starbucks coffee

Mix all ingredients well, and ensure the pumpkin has reconstituted. Start with a clean washed face, and pat dry. Spread the facial mixture evenly over the face, stay away from the eyes! Leave on the face for at least 15 minutes, no longer than 20 minutes. Rinse well and pat dry. Follow-up with a moisturizer is optional. If vegan is preferred, omit honey and egg.

How to Make Pumpkin Flour

Pumpkin flour is very easy to make.  Follow the steps above to pressure cooking pumpkins.  Once the pumpkins are completely dried; powder them in a blender.  Ensure that the powder is very fine with no lumps. 

You may use any recipe that calls for flour with 25% of pumpkin flour.  I really love to use pumpkin flour in my pie crust when I’m making pumpkin pie. I usually do not make pumpkin powder until I am ready to bake with it as I do with wheat berries.

Using Pumpkin Flour

Pumpkin flour is great to use as a thickening agent in stews and soups.  If I’m going to be grinding wheat to use in a recipe along with pumpkin flour, I will add the pumpkin with the wheat berries so they all get ground together.

Pumpkin flour lends really well to pumpkin spice bread, pumpkin soup, and other desserts that use pumpkin spice.

Ensure to store the pumpkin flour in a canning jar, preferably a UV canning jar.  Remove the air and store and a cool dry and dark place.

Pumpkin Spice Roll-Ups

My son is an active young man always looking for a quick snack to take camping, biking, and hiking. He loves pumpkin anything like his mother! I make these different every time according to what I have on hand when making them.

• Steamed pumpkin-peeled
• Applesauce (he prefers no sugar added) or apple pulp
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup raw organic honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Grated nutmeg to taste

Use a mixer or immersion blender to incorporate all the above ingredients. Now comes the fun part; adding flavor-ins! The extras can be added after the mixing.

Add-Ins:

• Dehydrated coconut (which I dried, but of course)
• Dehydrated blueberries
• Apple bits-dried
• Dried cranberries

I do not oil my silicone sheets but you may have to if using plastic sheets. Spread the mixed mixture evenly on the mat, and sprinkle in any add-ins now.

Dry at 125 degrees for 8 up to 24 hours or your manufacturer’s recommendations. I use a pizza cutter and cut into slices and roll them into coils. I separate them with wax paper and put them in a tall canning jar and remove the air with a food saver.

Dehydrated Pumpkin Jerky Dog Treats

Easy peasy-slice the raw pumpkin in very thin slices, dry as you would if you were making chicken jerky. I swear, my fur baby does not know the difference. She loves the pumpkin and the chicken snacks equally! Flip these pieces every hour or so until dry.

Another jerky snack uses leftover apple pulp mixed with steamed pumpkin pulp. Mix the two together and dry as for pumpkin paste but make pumpkin leather and cut it into strips for treat giving.

Dried Pumpkin Stems for Crafts

Here is a little FYI if you need a little extra money. Did you know the stems from pumpkins and ornamental pumpkins fetches a pretty penny in the craft world? What? Yes, they do. Especially if they are dried and ready to use. I personally do not sell them but I do use them for crafts, especially primitive dolls I make.

You can always ask the local produce for any tops that have fallen off pumpkins. Also, after Halloween, the produce places usually give the pumpkins away. I take all I can for drying, giving to the chickens, feeding the deer, and putting in the worm bin as well as the compost tumbler. Think of all the free seeds to roast, toast, and dehydrate!

See the picture below that has already sold on eBay, this year! oy vey!! That’s about $2 each plus shipping. SMH!

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In conclusion:

Saving pumpkins from the landfill is a good way to reduce recyclables, save money, build memories and feed the chickens, worms, and compost pile. If you are fortunate enough to grow your own pumpkins then you should have enough to preserve by dehydrating pumpkins until the next fall harvest.

Don’t forget to share with others less fortunate. Add a piece of linen to the top of a canning jar and decorate the lid and ring and drop off with instructions to shut-ins, loved ones who can’t grow their own, or someone who could use a little love in a jar!