You planted a big pumpkin patch this year, huh? And now you have pumpkins everywhere, but you aren’t really sure what you should do with them all.
Oh, friend, I’ve been there. We’ve had pumpkins spring up from the ground at random, and I was totally at a loss as to what to do with them all.
But thanks to a few years of experience of being overrun with them, I’ve now learned of a few handy tricks to utilize the pumpkin harvest.
Pumpkin Harvest Uses if you Have a Bumper Crop
Here is what I’ve come up with:
1. Sell Them
If you are overrun with pumpkins, the first thing you might want to consider doing is putting them in the back of a truck and setting up a stand at the local farmer’s market, at the local grocery store parking lot, or even putting up a sign that leads to your property.
So keep in mind that this time of year, a lot of people are looking for pumpkins to decorate. If you can be cheaper than everyone else, you might sell them pretty easily.
2. Give to Livestock
When we are finished with our pumpkins each year, I usually toss them to my goats and chickens. Pumpkin is actually really good for them because of all of the vitamins.
So you may want to consider taking some of your pumpkins and storing them in a cool, dry place so they will last longer, and you can use them as food for your livestock.
3. Use as Serving Bowls
Did you know that you can hollow out a pumpkin and use it to serve food or drink in? You can’t say that tomorrow.
Actually, thanks to this tutorial, we all can be snazzy and use our pumpkins as serving dishes for food or drink.
4. Make Pumpkin Stock
Would you ever consider using pumpkin stock in soups or other recipes? Well, now you should. You can actually take the insides of the pumpkin and get a delicious tasting stock.
You can use this recipe to make a delicious ‘gut soup stock.’ It sounds gross but promises to be good.
5. Use as a Planter
I’m not sure why, but I had never considered using my pumpkins to plant in. That is until now. I find it to be a great decorating tip now.
So you can run down to the nursery and pick up a mum. Then hollow out a larger pumpkin, add some dirt, and put your mum inside.
6. Puree Them
I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin puree, but then my mom got a dog, and I found the use in it. Even if you don’t like to eat pumpkin puree, your pup might. The vitamins are great for it, and you’ll find that its coat will shine. My mom’s dog has the prettiest coat I’ve ever seen.
But you can do the same for yourself. You can actually use pumpkin puree on your own skin to give it a boost of vitamins and some glow. Here is a great recipe for pumpkin puree.
7. Turn Pumpkins into Butter
If you love apple butter, then you will probably enjoy pumpkin butter as well. It goes well with toast, biscuits, and anything else you like apple butter on.
So if you’d like to give it a try, then check out this recipe. You will be glad you did!
8. They are Great for Breakfast
Are you a muffin person in the morning? If so, then you’ll be glad you grew a ton of pumpkins because these muffins look delicious.
Plus, the recipe calls for fresh pumpkin. So the next time you are craving a delicious, but quick breakfast, grab one of these.
9. Decorate with Them
If you’ve ever decorated your home for fall, then you know that pumpkins could potentially be a huge part of that.
Actually, it is very common to see people place mums and pumpkins on their porches and at their mailboxes in the spirit of fall.
10. Make Them Glow
Along the same lines, it is very common for people to purchase pumpkins around Halloween. Many people make many unique carvings.
Then they place candles in them so they ignite the night with their either beautiful, scary, or silly faces.
11. Would You Like Fries with That?
We make fries from regular white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and now we are introducing pumpkin fries as well.
So if you like a sweeter fry, then you’ll want to check out this recipe to have a healthier and delicious pumpkin fry.
12. Serve Them Up for Dessert
Do you love pumpkin pie? Boy, my children and husband sure do. Anything that is flavored like pumpkin pie is a winner too.
So if you like pumpkin pie, then I wanted to share this recipe with you to make a homemade pumpkin pie with fresh pumpkins. Check it out.
13. That’s Amore
Are you a fan of Italian food? I absolutely love it. The only problem is when you have a gluten allergy you don’t get to enjoy it like you once did.
But I was surprised to find that you can actually make delicious pasta from pumpkin. If you like pasta but would like a healthier version, then you might want to check it out.
14. Great for a Cold Day
I’m a soup person. If you’ve hung around the blog for very long, you probably already knew that. Actually, you’re probably thinking, “She’s just a food person all the way around.”
Well, I actually am. But I found it fascinating that you can make a delicious soup with your pumpkin harvest. It would be a great dish to warm you up on a cold day.
15. Freeze Them
If you don’t really have time to cook a bunch of dishes right now with your pumpkin, but you’d still like to try different recipes, don’t rush.
I say this because you can freeze your pumpkin as well. Just dice it up, place it in freezer bags, and they’ll keep for a few months until you can try out the different recipes.
16. Toss Them in Your Cinnamon Rolls
We are cinnamon roll people around my house. I make some killer homemade cinnamon rolls (if I do say so myself.)
But when I found this recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls that also use pumpkin, I knew my kids would love them. You might love them too!
17. Add Pumpkin to Your Biscuits
Along the same lines, if you love homemade biscuits, then you might be happy to know that pumpkin can go in those as well.
So if you would like to add a twist to your traditional biscuits, then consider this recipe a good place to start.
18. They Make Great Chili
I toss a lot of different items in my chili, but I’ve never thought of adding pumpkin to chili.
However, that changes now. Thanks to this recipe, I now know that I can make a delicious chili that is great for fall, cold nights, and great grub while watching football too.
19. Pumpkin Applesauce
Just as I would have never considered adding pumpkin to my chili, you may have never thought of adding pumpkin to your applesauce.
But thanks to this recipe, you can now add it. Also, it is easy to do as well since the whole thing can be brought together in a slow cooker.
20. Pumpkin Risotto
Are you looking for a tasty side dish for your dinner, and you also want to utilize some of your pumpkin harvest?
Well, this could be a 2-for-1 for you. It is pumpkin risotto. It looks creamy, delicious, and definitely worth trying.
21. Turn Pumpkins into Bread
Pumpkin bread is one of those breads that is definitely a dessert but could also triple as a breakfast and a sin.
So if you are looking for something absolutely delicious, then you should try this pumpkin bread that also has pumpkin buttercream frosting.
22. Put Them on a Shelf
I realize this list may be overwhelming. There are so many different recipes and things you can do with pumpkin.
But what if your pumpkins go bad before you can try them all? Don’t worry, instead, can your pumpkin. Then you have all year to try it all out.
23. Pumpkins Make Great Doughnuts
I would have never thought that pumpkins make killer doughnuts. That is until my husband and I visited our local Krispy Kreme on a day I was deciding to eat whatever I wanted.
Well, he and our oldest got a bunch of the pumpkin doughnuts. They were literally inhaled. If you’d like to use your own harvest to make doughnuts here is a great recipe. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy them as much my boys did.
24. Pumpkin Gelato
If you really get into all things pumpkin, then you may even want that flavor to ring through in your gelato.
If so, you’ll be glad to know that is one more way you can utilize your harvest because someone actually came up with this recipe.
25. Make Them into Crepes
I haven’t had crepes in years, but I remember how absolutely delicious they were then, and I’m sure that they are still just as delicious.
So if you would like to enjoy some delicious crepes with your pumpkin harvest, then try this recipe.
26. Decorate Your Table
We’ve discussed many delicious recipes that pumpkins are great for. You also know that they are great for your skin and your dogs too.
Also, your livestock enjoy pumpkins as well. If they can do all that, why not decorate with them as a centerpiece too? Here is a very helpful tutorial that will hopefully inspire you and your future centerpieces.
27. Turn the Seeds into a Snack
My husband is a seed fanatic. When he’s driving he is constantly chewing on sunflower seeds to keep him occupied.
But did you know that you can do the same with your pumpkin seeds? You can actually roast them, salt them, and enjoy them as a delicious healthy snack.
28. Pumpkin Cake
Pumpkins are great for many dishes. You can use them in everything from sweet to savory dishes. Which means pumpkins are actually great in cakes.
But I have a recipe for you that will absolutely make your mouth water. This delicious cake has a tasty frosting and nuts on top too. You’ve got to try it!
29. Pumpkin Cupcakes
So if we do a cake, then you know I have to share a cupcake recipe too. Yes, you know it! Pumpkins can be used to make delicious and festive cupcakes.
But this cupcake recipe is actually pretty easy and is packed with tons of flavor too. If you are needing cupcakes to share with coworkers or classmates, then consider putting your harvest to use there too.
30. Pumpkin Pancakes
We end our pumpkin journey with pancakes. If you have an overload of pumpkins, then realize you can use them for everything from breakfast to dinner.
But a great family-friendly way to use them for breakfast would be with these pumpkin pancakes. Give them a try and see what you think.
Well, that wraps up our journey through all things useful for using pumpkins. I hope that you now have a few ideas for how to utilize them better.
But now I’d like to hear from you. What do you do with your pumpkins every year? Do you have any uses or recipes that you would be willing to share with our community?
We love hearing from you so please leave us your thoughts in the space provided below.
