When growing pumpkins, we usually have an abundance of them on the vines. Yes, they do keep for a while, though having dehydrated pumpkin and pumpkin powder easily accessible, you can add pumpkin flavour to all sorts of baked goods without needing to add a lot of extra moisture. Learning how to dehydrate pumpkin and make pumpkin powder also saves so much room in your pantry.
How to Dehydrate Pumpkin
Pumpkin is not only a delicious vegetable that can easily be grown at home, it is full of lots of vitamins such as A and B, as well a fibre and antioxidants.
Pumpkin is easy to cook and can be enjoyed in both sweet and savoury dishes.
To dehydrate fresh pumpkin, wash and dry the pumpkin. Cut it in half and remove the seeds and string. The seeds can be set aside and roasted later. Remove the stem part as well.
Place the pumpkin, cut side down on a lined baking tray.
Bake at 200˚C (400˚F) for around 45 to 60 minutes. It is ready when a fork easily pierces the flesh of the pumpkin.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Scoop out the pumpkin flesh. This flesh can be mashed up or pureed in a food processor.
Spread on a dehydrator sheet or baking paper at about ¼ inch thick.
Place in the dehydrator at 51˚C (125˚F) for 8 to 10 hours. You can also do this in an oven, set at the lowest possible temperature for about 6 to 8 hours.
After about 3 hours, turn the pumpkin over so that it dries evenly.
The pumpkin will be fully dehydrated with it is stiff. It will crack when you try to bend it.
At this stage, you can break the pumpkin into chunks and store it in an airtight container or make pumpkin powder.
How to Dehydrate Pumpkin in a Can
We can’t purchase pumpkin in a can here in Australia, though many have told me you can in the US. The canned pumpkin can be dehydrated the same way as fresh pumpkin and used to make pumpkin flour as well.
To dehydrate pumpkin from a can, spread the pumpkin purée, at about ¼ in thick, on a dehydrator sheet or baking paper.
Place in the dehydrator at 51˚C (125˚F) for 8 to 10 hours. You can also do this in an oven, set at the lowest possible temperature for about 6 to 8 hours.
After about 3 hours, turn the pumpkin over so that it dries evenly.
The pumpkin will be fully dehydrated with it is stiff. It will crack when you try to bend it.
At this stage, you can break the pumpkin into chunks and store it in an airtight container or make pumpkin powder.
More Pumpkin Resources
- How to Grow and Harvest Pumpkins
- Pumpkin, Feta and Rocket Salad
- Pumpkin Soup
- Pumpkin and Blueberry Bread
- Pumpkin Life Cycle Playdough Mats.
- Pumpkin Slime
- Pumpkin Printable Pack
- Five Little Pumpkins Printables
- Pumpkin Life Cycle Readers
- Pumpkin Seed Counting Mats
- Squash and Pumpkin Notebooking Pages
- Pumpkin Printable Pack
- Pumpkin Lapbook
- Grow a Pumpkin in a Pumpkin
Making Pumpkin Powder
Pumpkin powder or pumpkin flour is nutritious and full of flavour, making a delicious addition to a variety of baked goods.
It is space-saving, storage-friendly, and can last up to 5 years when stored in a cool, dry place.
To make pumpkin powder, place the dried pumpkin in a coffee grinder and grind into a powder. If using a food processor to powder the pumpkin, , you may need to pour the powder through a fine-mesh strainer to sift the coarse bits out and reprocess.
Store the pumpkin powder in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place for up to 5 years.
Conditioning Dried Pumpkin
Once the pumpkin has been full dehydrated, it will need to be conditioned to be kept without going off. Fill a jar about two-thirds full and seal the lid. Over the next week or so, shake the jar a couple of times a day. If you start to see mould, they will need to be thrown out. If you see moisture, they are not dried enough, and need to be placed back into the dehydrator. Once they have been conditioned, the jars can be fulled completely and stored in a cool, dark place. If they do start to have a strong smell or you can see moisture in the jars, it is time to dehydrate another batch of pumpkin.
Rehydrating Pumpkin Powder
To rehydrate pumpkin powder, use a ratio of 4 water to 1 pumpkin powder. Therefore, mix ¼ cup of pumpkin powder with 1 cup of hot water. Allow the mixture to sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then give it a stir. This can be used as pumpkin purée.
Using Pumpkin Powder
Pumpkin powder can be rehydrated and used as pumpkin puree or used in its dry form in baking dishes:
- Add a small amount of pumpkin powder to chocolate chip recipe for a pumpkin flavour
- In smoothies or a coffee
- Pancakes
- As a spice in pies
- Sprinkle over pasta
- Mixed into granola
- Add to dips
Tips
- Butternut squash can be dehydrated using the same method as pumpkin.
- if you find that your roasted pumpkin has a bit of a watery consistency, drain it in a fine mesh colander or gently simmer it in a saucepan to remove some of the moisture.
Dehydrate other Fruits and Vegetables
How To Dehydrate Pumpkin (and make Pumpkin Powder)
Simple Living. Creative LearningIngredients
- 1+ Pumpkin
Instructions
Dehydrate Fresh Pumpkin
- Wash and dry the pumpkin. Cut it in half and remove the seeds and string. The seeds can be set aside and roasted later. Remove the stem part as well.
- Place the pumpkin, cut side down on a lined baking tray.
- Bake at 200˚C (400˚F) for around 45 to 60 minutes. It is ready when a fork easily pierces the flesh of the pumpkin.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Scoop out the pumpkin flesh. This flesh can be mashed up or pureed in a food processor.
- Spread on a dehydrator sheet or baking paper at about ¼ inch thick.
- Place in the dehydrator at 51˚C (125˚F) for 8 to 10 hours. You can also do this in an oven, set at the lowest possible temperature for about 6 to 8 hours.
- After about 3 hours, turn the pumpkin over so that it dries evenly.
- The pumpkin will be fully dehydrated with it is stiff. It will crack when you try to bend it.
- At this stage, you can break the pumpkin into chunks and store it in an airtight container or make pumpkin powder.
Dehydrate Canned Pumpkin
- To dehydrate pumpkin from a can, spread the pumpkin purée, at about ¼ in thick, on a dehydrator sheet or baking paper.
- Place in the dehydrator at 51˚C (125˚F) for 8 to 10 hours. You can also do this in an oven, set at the lowest possible temperature for about 6 to 8 hours.
- After about 3 hours, turn the pumpkin over so that it dries evenly.
- The pumpkin will be fully dehydrated with it is stiff. It will crack when you try to bend it.
- At this stage, you can break the pumpkin into chunks and store it in an airtight container or make pumpkin powder.
Making Pumpkin Powder
- To make pumpkin powder, place the dried pumpkin in a coffee grinder and grind into a powder. If using a food processor to powder the pumpkin, you may need to pour the powder through a fine-mesh strainer to sift the coarse bits out and reprocess.
- Store the pumpkin powder in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place for up to 5 years.
Rehydrate Pumpkin Powder
- To rehydrate pumpkin powder, use a ratio of 4 water to 1 pumpkin powder. Therefore, mix ¼ cup of pumpkin powder with 1 cup of hot water.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then give it a stir.
- This can be used as pumpkin purée.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. The values may vary according to the ingredients and tools that are used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed information.
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