Our seasonal love affair with pumpkin continues with a Pumpkin Butter and Dip that’s refined sugar-free. If you’ve never tried pumpkin butter, it’s a silky-smooth spread that tastes just like pumpkin pie. People like to put it on bread, muffins, hot cereal, and even yogurt. If we’re being honest, it also tastes great on a spoon.

Listen. We call it Pumpkin Butter and Dip because it also makes a great dip for apple slices in place of caramel. This stuff is so rich it borders on decadent. No dairy, fats, or oil. No refined sugar. Welcome, one and all, to pumpkin nirvana.

Pumpkin Butter and Dip

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Pumpkin Butter and Dip

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 2–2 1/4 Cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 can pure pumpkin puree (15 ounces)

5 large Medjool dates, pitted

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

1 1/2 cups boiling water

2 tbsp Lakanto Golden Sweetener

2 tbsp Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground allspice or nutmeg (or combination thereof)

1/8 tsp ground cardamom

Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Halve the dates lengthwise and remove the pits. Add the dates and the ginger piece to a large glass measuring cup and cover with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Let sit 10 minutes.
2. While the dates are soaking, add the pumpkin puree, Lakanto sweetener and syrup, spices, and salt to a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom. Stir with a heat safe rubber/silicone spatula to combine. Don’t worry if the pan looks a little big for the mixture – there will be spatter so better to have deeper pan. 
3. When the dates are done soaking, remove the ginger and add it to the pan with the pumpkin mixture. Pour 3/4 cup water from the dates into another measuring cup, then drain the rest of the water from the dates. Add the dates and 1/4 cup of the reserved water to a blender or small food processor bowl and pulse to break up, add another 1/4 cup reserved water if necessary, and continue blending until smooth. 
4. Scrape the date paste into the pan with the pumpkin mixture, pour the remaining 1/4 cup reserved water to the blender/processor and pulse, the pour into the pan (we don’t want to lose any of that date paste). Stir well, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir every 2-3 minutes to avoid burning. 
5. Once the mixture is simmering, continue cooking on medium-low, uncovered, 15-20 minutes. Be sure to stir with the spatula, scraping the entire bottom of the pan every couple of minutes. 
6. After 20 minutes, the mixture should be darker and have a caramelized flavor. Turn heat to low and cook another 10 minutes to finish off, stirring frequently. This is where the magic happens. The mixture will be silky in texture and glossy looking when done. When it cools and sets up, it’s almost custard like. You’ll know it’s ready when the clouds part and a warm glow fills your kitchen…or the timer goes off. Probably the timer, but you never know. 

Notes

Cool completely then refrigerate in a glass airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Freeze in a reusable silicone zip top bag with excess air removed up to 3 months.

• Author: Fresh. Out.
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 30
• Category: Spreads
• Method: Stove Top

Keywords: PUMPKIN BUTTER, PALEO, SUGAR-FREE, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, MAPLE LAKANTO, PLANTBASED, PLANT-BASED, FALL RECIPES, PSL, PUMPKIN PIE FLAVOR, PUMPKIN SPICE, PUMPKIN, LOW-CARB, LOW-CALORIE, PUMPKIN APPLE DIP, PUMPKIN DIP

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