Learn How to Cook a “Pie Pumpkin” in the Slow Cooker and Instant Pot to Get Pumpkin Puree for Your Holiday Baking! 

I spotted a great deal on the cute little “pie pumpkins” that are grown to make the Pumpkin Puree that is used in holiday cooking and baking. I grabbed 4 of the pumpkins so that I could cook 2 in the Instant Pot and 2 in the Slow Cooker. 

While they both cooked beautifully and made a great pumpkin puree, I generally cook these in the Instant Pot because it’s faster and I can finish scraping and pureeing while I’m still in the kitchen doing other things.

The Slow Cooker method is really just as convenient, it’s just fits differently into your day – starting it in the morning, then scraping and pureeing at the end of the day.

Watch and learn how to cook them below. 

Video: How to Cook a Pie Pumpkin to Get Pumpkin Puree for Baking

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!

Homemade Pie Pumpkin Puree

How cook a pie pumpkin to get puree, using the slow cooker and instant pot.

Prep Time15 minutes minutes

Servings - 14 cups

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 4 small pie pumpkins
• water

Instructions

• Cut the tops out of each of the pie pumpkins. Remove the seeds and strings from the inside of each pumpkin. Set the seeds aside for roasting.
• Carefully cut the pie pumpkins into wedges to nestle into the slow cooker and instant pot. Add 1 cup of water to both the slow cooker and instant pot. Add the steaming rack to the instant pot insert.
• Place 2 pumpkins worth of wedges into the slow cooker, skin side down. Place 2 pumpkins worth of wedges into the instant pot, on the steam rack.
• SLOW COOKER: Slow cook on low for X hours. Once cooked, set out into a single layer to cool down. Then scrape the pumpkin flesh into a bowl and mash to puree. If preferred, puree the pumpkin with a touch of water in a blender. Let cool before adding to containers and freezing to use later. Thaw and use in recipe that calls for pumpkin puree.
• INSTANT POT: Set on High Pressure, Manual mode and pressure cook for X minutes. Once cooked, set out into a single layer to cool down. Then scrape the pumpkin flesh into a bowl and mash to puree. If preferred, puree the pumpkin with a touch of water in a blender. Let cool before adding to containers and freezing to use later. Thaw and use in recipe that calls for pumpkin puree.