If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a couple spoonfuls of canned pumpkin wondering what to do with it or how to use it up, you’ve come to the right place!
It turns out that recipes that use the entire 15-ounce can of pumpkin are sometimes few and far between. And that’s actually for good reason. Adding an entire can of pumpkin (a little less than two cups) to a recipe that only calls for 1 cup pumpkin can result in baked goods with a wet, heavy texture – and they may not bake up or set properly.
Never fear! There are many other ways to use up the entire can of pumpkin!
3 Easy Ways to Deal With Leftover Canned Pumpkin
Store leftover canned pumpkin puree in the refrigerator for up to a week. It can be used straight from the refrigerator in any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin (or in any of the ideas listed below).
Freeze leftover canned pumpkin puree for several months. Store it in freezer-safe bags (press out all the air and seal) or in freezer-safe containers. Thaw before using in recipes.
Double the recipe to use the whole can of pumpkin. If a recipe calls for 3/4 to 1 cup canned pumpkin, the easiest way to not be stuck with leftover pumpkin is to double the recipe.
If you have lingering bits of leftover pumpkin hanging out in your fridge, consider using them in one of the many ways below! Canned pumpkin is incredibly versatile and can be used in lots of non-pumpkin recipes with great results. ⬇️⬇️
12 Non-Pumpkin Recipes That Greatly Benefit from a Bit of Leftover Pumpkin
Remember, we’re not going for full-out, pumpkin-flavored recipes here. Instead, using leftover spoonfuls of canned pumpkin can greatly enhance regular, every day recipes – adding depth of flavor, a hint of sweetness, and fluffy texture!
1
Cornbread
Stir leftover canned pumpkin into your favorite cornbread recipe. Ideally, it's best to use 3/4 cup or less without changing any other ingredients in the recipe.
Throw bits of leftover canned pumpkin in any pancake batter! It works great and gives the pancakes a deliciously light pumpkin flavor and also contributes to a soft, fluffy texture.
Same goes for waffles! If you don't have enough pumpkin for a specific pumpkin waffles recipe (like the one below), just add whatever leftover pumpkin you have to your favorite waffle batter.
Whisk leftover pumpkin into French toast batter – either in a specific recipe like this or just for regular, every day French toast (whisk together milk + eggs + leftover canned pumpkin + a touch of cinnamon).
Savory pumpkin drop biscuits. Sign me up! Adding a couple tablespoons of leftover pumpkin to this recipe works great (without any other additions). The dough will be soft and slightly sticky – use a greased measuring cup to portion out. If adding more pumpkin, it's helpful to increase the flour and salt just a bit.
Toss leftover spoonfuls of pumpkin into your fave banana bread recipe. Remember, we aren't going for a full-on pumpkin-flavored bread here. We're just adding a hint of pumpkin with the leftover bits, and trust me, it's so good in a standard banana bread recipe!
Do you have a go-to muffin recipe that's relatively simple and plain, like these sour cream muffins? They work really well with a bit of pumpkin added to them, so bookmark these as a great go-to recipe if you have leftover pumpkin. You can add about 1/2 cup pumpkin without needing to change the other ingredients.
Any sort of hearty breakfast muffin, like these Good Morning Power Muffins works quite well with a little bit of added pumpkin. Bran muffins – same! So save that leftover pumpkin for great muffin recipes like this one.
Did you know pumpkin is DELICIOUS in chili recipes? Any good, hearty, red chili recipe will benefit from a bit of leftover pumpkin. It adds an earthy depth of flavor that is so yummy.
For a savory pumpkin pasta, try adding leftover pumpkin puree to sauces, like this creamy garlic alfredo sauce. A couple spoonfuls added to this recipe makes the yummiest pumpkin pasta! (Will likely need to bump up the salt just a bit, too.)
And for a bit more inspiration, here are some of my favorite recipes that can also come in clutch when you have less than a full can of pumpkin to use. ⬇️⬇️
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We save pumpkin to put in my kids favorite oatmeal. We always make it on a crisp, clear day.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
1 cup milk
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup pumpkin (or sweet potato)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp pumpkin pie or cinnamon
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tsp peanut butter
Dried fruit and nuts
Pure maple syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal until soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter.
We save left over pumpkin for this recipe. My kids beg for it on occasion.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
1 cup milk
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup pumpkin (or sweet potato)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp pumpkin pie or cinnamon
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tsp peanut butter
Dried fruit and nuts
Pure maple syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal until soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter.
Freeze leftover pumpkin purée in measured 1/2 cup in a ziploc bag. Flatten and freeze. I have pumpkin granola recipe that uses 1/2 cup so they’re ready to go. I also will make a protein shake with frozen pumpkin and add a banana, milk, o gurt and a dash or two of pumpkin pie spice. Yum
Those pumpkin scones with ginger glaze are some of our favorites! I make them every fall and my kids love them. A great way to use up leftover pumpkin, but also worth opening a can just to make them.
This may be one of the greatest life hacks you’ve ever posted!!! I LOVE the idea of not only using up would-be-throw-aways, but also adding a subtle and yet amazing flavor to things! I think my favorite suggestion may be soups and pasta sauce. Totally going to try these ideas with that lil bit of pumpkin I have stashed away in my fridge! You’re such a culinary genius!
These are fantastic ideas. I have half a can of pumpkin in my fridge right now. I put some in my oatmeal this morning with a bit of vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. It was really good.
I’ll blend pumpkin into cream cheese with some cinnamon and ground ginger and a little bit of brown sugar to taste. It’s an awesome fruit/apple dip or just a spread for bagels.
This is a timely article for me, since I just made pumpkin blondies yesterday. I have been putting a few scoops of the plain pumpkin on my dog’s food to use it up. She loves it and it’s good for her. 🐶
We like to put it in smoothies.
A “blob” of pumpkin, some apple, kefir and/or yogurt, pumpkin pie spice, some kind of sweetener and ice cubes.
It’s delicious!
Wow!!!! This is seriously so helpful!!! I actually just threw away leftover pumpkin that had been in my fridge for a week. Now I know what to do with it! I would’ve never even considered adding it to cornbread. Thanks!
Another way I’ve been using mine is just adding about 1/2 a tablespoon to my coffee! Add a little bit of cinnamon and a lot of oatmilk and it is delicious!!
I have also learned that canned pumpkin is a great healthy treat for cats and dogs! When I just have a 1/4 a cup or so left, I save it in the fridge and give my cat a spoonful every day as a treat. He loves it!
I was going to comment this also! I consulted our vet for the right amounts, but my large dog loves a big spoonful, and my cats will eat a small amount mixed in with some of their food. I love that I’m not the only one whose mind went there. 😄
Thanks for chiming in on this, Megan! I was going to mention this, but didn’t want people to get mad at me for giving pet advice. Haha. We also give our golden retriever a spoonful of pumpkin now and then.
These ideas are great.
We save pumpkin to put in my kids favorite oatmeal. We always make it on a crisp, clear day.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
1 cup milk
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup pumpkin (or sweet potato)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp pumpkin pie or cinnamon
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tsp peanut butter
Dried fruit and nuts
Pure maple syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal until soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter.
This is great info Mel! Thanks!
We save left over pumpkin for this recipe. My kids beg for it on occasion.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
1 cup milk
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup pumpkin (or sweet potato)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp pumpkin pie or cinnamon
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tsp peanut butter
Dried fruit and nuts
Pure maple syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal until soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter.
Happy fall y’all. 🍂
This is the most useful post on the internet today for sure. Although I petition all pumpkin recipe developers to scale to use a whole can!
Drop the pumpkin by tablespoons or up to 1/4 cup on a plate or cookie sheet and freeze them. After frozen, bag them and toss them into smoothies.
Brilliant!
Stir a tablespoon or 3 of pumpkin puree in a mug of hot chocolate! You know you might love it!!
I love pumpkin + chocolate together, so I’ll definitely be trying this!
Such great ideas! My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. Thanks, Mel!!
You are so welcome!
Freeze leftover pumpkin purée in measured 1/2 cup in a ziploc bag. Flatten and freeze. I have pumpkin granola recipe that uses 1/2 cup so they’re ready to go. I also will make a protein shake with frozen pumpkin and add a banana, milk, o gurt and a dash or two of pumpkin pie spice. Yum
Great ideas, Jacquie! I’ve been testing a pumpkin granola recipe…trying to get it just right!
Those pumpkin scones with ginger glaze are some of our favorites! I make them every fall and my kids love them. A great way to use up leftover pumpkin, but also worth opening a can just to make them.
Yes, agreed! So glad you love that recipe!
This may be one of the greatest life hacks you’ve ever posted!!! I LOVE the idea of not only using up would-be-throw-aways, but also adding a subtle and yet amazing flavor to things! I think my favorite suggestion may be soups and pasta sauce. Totally going to try these ideas with that lil bit of pumpkin I have stashed away in my fridge! You’re such a culinary genius!
Haha, not sure I’m a genius – but I do absolutely hate wasting food. My favorite ways to use it up are also the savory options!
These are fantastic ideas. I have half a can of pumpkin in my fridge right now. I put some in my oatmeal this morning with a bit of vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. It was really good.
Oatmeal! Yes! Brilliant!
I’ll blend pumpkin into cream cheese with some cinnamon and ground ginger and a little bit of brown sugar to taste. It’s an awesome fruit/apple dip or just a spread for bagels.
Ok, this is an amazing idea. Yum!
This is a timely article for me, since I just made pumpkin blondies yesterday. I have been putting a few scoops of the plain pumpkin on my dog’s food to use it up. She loves it and it’s good for her. 🐶
Lots of people mentioned that on Instagram, Debbie! We give our golden a spoonful of pumpkin when we have it leftover, too.
We like to put it in smoothies.
A “blob” of pumpkin, some apple, kefir and/or yogurt, pumpkin pie spice, some kind of sweetener and ice cubes.
It’s delicious!
Sounds delicious – love this idea, Erica!
I really liked this post. Just what I needed… Thankyou Mel❤️ your website is my go to for recipes. They are all very good
Thank you so much, Anne!
I love adding spoonful or two of canned pumpkin to boxed max and cheese. It adds vitamins and my picky kids can’t taste or see it.
Great idea, Hannah!!
Wow!!!! This is seriously so helpful!!! I actually just threw away leftover pumpkin that had been in my fridge for a week. Now I know what to do with it! I would’ve never even considered adding it to cornbread. Thanks!
It’s honestly so yummy – gives it just a very slight hint of sweetness and pumpkin. We love it in cornbread!
Another way I’ve been using mine is just adding about 1/2 a tablespoon to my coffee! Add a little bit of cinnamon and a lot of oatmilk and it is delicious!!
Great idea! Thanks for adding that here!
I have also learned that canned pumpkin is a great healthy treat for cats and dogs! When I just have a 1/4 a cup or so left, I save it in the fridge and give my cat a spoonful every day as a treat. He loves it!
I was going to comment this also! I consulted our vet for the right amounts, but my large dog loves a big spoonful, and my cats will eat a small amount mixed in with some of their food. I love that I’m not the only one whose mind went there. 😄
Thanks for chiming in on this, Megan! I was going to mention this, but didn’t want people to get mad at me for giving pet advice. Haha. We also give our golden retriever a spoonful of pumpkin now and then.