12 Uses For Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter + Homemade Pumpkin Butter Recipe

If you read my Pumpkin Spice Fudge post you'd know that I made an all things pumpkin grocery haul at Trader Joe's recently. Actually since then I've made two trips to TJ's. One of girlfriends saw my bottle of pumpkin butter and was curious about it. I raved, offered her a taste, and of course I told her about the various ways that I enjoy pumpkin butter. Since I shared my love for pumpkin butter with her I figured why not share it with you guys. Here are a few ways I like to enjoy Pumpkin Butter:

1. On crackers with organic peanut butter. Instead of peanut butter, you could also try almond or cashew butter. The combination of nuts and pumpkin compliment each other.
2. Add it to your oatmeal. The combination makes it a hearty dish. Perfect for a fall breakfast.
3. Mix in with plain Greek yogurt. You can crumble in some graham crackers for a pumpkin pie kinda action. If you're up for a bit more pumpkin indulgence try Trader Joe's Pumpkin ice cream. It's so good that I bought 2 cartons. 
4. Add it to some cottage cheese with some walnuts or almonds, and there you have a healthy mid-afternoon snack option.
5. Next time you bake chicken, after some salt & pepper, slather some pumpkin butter on the skin like a rub. The sweet pumpkin adds a nice twist. Serve a nice leafy green on the side.
6. Instead of jelly or jam, dollop on top of toast or bagel with cream cheese.
7. Add it to pancake and waffle syrup.Yum. Also add some pumpkin butter into your pancake/waffle   batter before cooking. I tried it and it's delicious. I used this recipe.
8. Creating a Biscoff and Pumpkin Pie Cookie. Biscoff + Pumpkin butter = Yummy Goodness.
9. Try making a Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Bundt Cake. 
10. Instead of peanut butter and jelly, use pumpkin butter instead of jelly.
11. Another great use for the pumpkin butter is inside pumpkin muffins. A dollop provides a delicious pumpkin surprise. 
12. Add Pumpkin butter to your smoothie. Yesterday I decided to give it a try and it was absolutely delicious. 

Don't have a Trader Joe's close by? No biggie, you have two choices; make your own pumpkin butter or head to your local farmers market. Around this time of year, lots of farmer's markets and other gourmet food stores start selling pumpkin butter. If you like pumpkin pie, then this is a nice quick alternative on a piece of bread. It's not really butter (in case anyone was wondering), but more like a pumpkin spreadable jam. In any case here's a quick recipe for homemade pumpkin butter.

You'll need:

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree (about 3.5 cups)
1 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 pinch ground cloves
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon whiskey (optional)
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Then prep:

Combine all ingredients, except for lemon juice, in a large saucepan.
Bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and let cool.
Pour into airtight jar(s) and store in refrigerator.

TaDa! You've just made homemade pumpkin butter.

So, do you love pumpkin butter as much as I do? What other ways have you used pumpkin butter?

Hope you have a Happy Fall fellow pumpkin lovers.