From pies to quick breads, there are so many delicious sweet treats that use pumpkin. But before you grab canned pumpkin off the shelf without a closer look, it's important to know the difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling. Using the wrong version may yield disappointing results. Also, when does it make sense to use all that fresh pumpkin you have leftover from carving?
What Is Canned Pumpkin?
Canned pumpkin (labeled as "100% pure pumpkin") is a purée of pumpkin that is sometimes mixed with other kinds of winter squash. It is unsweetened and does not contain any added spices. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing, and you'll often see the terms used interchangeably in recipes and cookbooks.
Unlike pumpkin pie mix, canned pumpkin does not have any spices, sugars, or other additives. In many cases, the only ingredient is pumpkin.
Canned vs. Fresh Pumpkin
There are upsides (and drawbacks) to using canned over fresh pumpkin. Here are a couple of things to consider:
- Canned pumpkin is more convenient, helps save time, and isn't as messy as breaking down and de-seeding a large pumpkin.
- Fresh pumpkin is more fresh-tasting. It can be less expensive (depending on how much pumpkin you're using) and definitely doesn't contain fillers.
Canned Pumpkin Uses
In addition to flavor and bright orange color, canned pumpkin also adds tons of moistness to baked and savory goods. Canned pumpkin can be used as an ingredient in all of the following:
- Homemade pumpkin pie filling
- Pumpkin bread
- Pumpkin milkshakes
- Pumpkin sugar cookies
- Savory pumpkin casserole
- Pumpkin cake
What Is Canned Pumpkin Pie Mix?
Store-bought pumpkin pie mix (sometimes labeled "pumpkin pie filling") is a shortcut for making homemade pumpkin pie. It contains puréed pumpkin plus added spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It also contains sugar and other chemical additives.
While canned pumpkin pie mix is a great substitute for novice bakers or anyone who hasn't made pumpkin pie before, it tastes sweeter than homemade pumpkin pie.
Canned Pumpkin Pie Mix Uses
Pumpkin pie mix can be used as a substitute for pure canned pumpkin in some recipes. However, since it is already sweetened and flavored, you'll need to make some adjustments. In most dessert recipes, leave out the pumpkin pie spice and cut down on the sugar since the pumpkin pie mix includes it. Here are some ideas for how to use it:
- Pumpkin pie
- Pumpkin crumble
- Pumpkin cheesecake
- Pumpkin pie dip
- Pumpkin hand-pies
- Pumpkin fudge
- Pumpkin martinis
Is Pumpkin Pie Mix Healthy?
Pumpkin pie mix generally contains approximately 120 calories and 19 grams of sugar per half cup (one can yields about 2 cups of mix total). Therefore, pumpkin pie made with a pre-made mix will most likely have more sugar than pumpkin pie made completely from scratch using pumpkin purée. For this reason, pumpkin pie mix is not as healthy as 100% pure pumpkin purée.