How To Make and Use Pumpkin Powder (Yeah, It's a Thing) in Your Prepping

You know, it's exciting to wake up each morning and learn something new, whether it's making a tasty treat (my favorite), or saving money, or working out a just-add-water recipe.  But when it's all three of those and more?  Well, life could only get better if the liberals would just accept the fact that Trump won the election.


About four or five years ago, my Grocery Outlet store had a killer deal on eight-ounce cans of pumpkin puree.  I love the smaller cans (which I have not seen in stores since that time) because usually I only want one cup of pumpkin puree instead of two.  The second cup got wasted far too often.  And then, I wasn't saving any money.  Anyway, I bought a lot, apparently, because the price was right and the little cans were just so cute.

But now they're four years out of date.  Previously, some pumpkin cans from another processor started bulging at about the five-year mark, and I don't want to lose this current batch.  Pumpkin has gotten a bit expensive.  So I had to figure out something to do with these last remaining dozen cans.

A few weeks before realizing that I had to figure out a solution for the pumpkin, I started making some just-add-water mixes for muffins.  And I was also going through the Dessert for Two cookbook by Christina Lane.  (You see where this is going, right?)  Could I dehydrate pumpkin puree and make cupcake and muffin mixes, especially in smaller batches than a whole can of puree would normally allow?

So I somewhat followed the procedure recommended by Tammy Gangloff in her Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook.  She only starts with fresh produce, so, of course, I had adjustments to make.  After thoroughly dehydrating the pumpkin leathers, I put them into the blender to powder them.  And while I got some good powder, there were also a lot of larger bits.  I figured it wouldn't be a problem, because everything would rehydrate anyway, right?

I created a just-add-water adaptation of pumpkin cupcakes using pumpkin powder, and it was pretty good.  The cupcake was a bit crumbly, which has since been corrected by increasing the amount of egg powder in the recipe.  However, there were hard little bits of pumpkin that hadn't rehydrated completely.  It was still good, but you know, I want great if I can have it.  The hard little bits of pumpkin had to go.

Obviously, the pumpkin had to be completely powdered.  Unfortunately, running it through the blender for a longer time wasn't doing the trick.  So I pulled out the wire strainer, hoping the mesh on it would be fine enough to do the job.  Yep, it was.  No, I do not remember where I got it.  Maybe Amazon.  The strainers at the grocery stores I checked yesterday did not have a mesh that was fine enough.

With the fine powder produced using a strainer to hold back the larger bits, the experiment was perfectly successful.  The larger bits were run through the blender again a few times, but eventually, it was time to call it quits. I'll use the coarse powder for soups. The fine powder was stored in one canning jar and the larger bits in another.

I decided to blog on this today because some lucky devils out there are going to come across deep-discounted pumpkin after the holidays.  It's nice to know how to use it, especially if the pumpkin is in larger cans.  Not only is pumpkin powder great for making cupcake and muffin mixes, but it can also be used for flavoring smoothies, yogurt, and pudding.  The larger bits can be put to use in soups.  Pumpkin powder is light, takes far less space in storage, and allows you to make just the right amount to serve your family without wasting the rest of the can.  Gotta love it.

Mini-Batch Pumpkin Cupcakes (just-add-water)
Makes 6-7 cupcakes


7 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons egg powder
2 tablespoons dehydrated pumpkin powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons coconut oil
---------------------
3/4 cup water

In a medium bowl, combine everything except the coconut oil and mix well.  Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the coconut oil.  Store in a pint-size canning jar and label.

To prepare cupcakes, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.  Pour cupcake mix into a medium bowl and add 3/4 cup water.  Mix well for two minutes.  Pour into cupcake liners, about 1/2-2/3 full.  Bake for 30 minutes, or  until cupcakes test done. 

Buttercream Frosting
2 tablespoons butter powder
2 teaspoons dry milk powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

Combine the above in a small bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer if it's an option. Otherwise, mix by hand. 


Mini-Batch Pumpkin Muffins (just-add-water)
Makes 7 muffins

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons quick oats
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon                                  
scant 1/2 teaspoon baking powder                
1/4 teaspoon baking soda  
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash teaspoon nutmeg                                    
dash teaspoon cloves                                     
2 tablespoons egg powder     
2 tablespoons pumpkin powder
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons honey powder
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons coconut oil

Combine all ingredients except coconut oil in a medium bowl.  Then cut in coconut oil until it is evenly distributed.  Put this mixture into a pint-size freezer bag.

To prepare the muffins, pour the mix into a medium bowl.  Add 3/4 cup water and stir well to combine, but do not overmix.  Spoon batter into greased or lined muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Pumpkin Curry Soup Mix (just add water)
2-3 servings
1 tablespoon butter powder
2 tablespoons dehydrated minced onions
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1/4 cup coarse dehydrated pumpkin powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry milk

3 1/2 cups water


Add everything except water to a half-pint canning jar.  Apply lid and shake to combine ingredients.  Label, add cooking directions, and store in the cabinet.

To prepare:  Pour mix into a small saucepan.  Add 3 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer ten minutes, or until pumpkin is fully rehydrated.

Links to related posts:
Instant Soups
Instant Meals
Quick and Dirty Dehydrating


For further reading: 
https://practicalselfreliance.com/pumpkin-powder/
https://www.trail.recipes/blog/dehydrating123-how-to-make-pumpkin-powder/
https://www.trail.recipes/recipes/curried-pumpkin-soup/
https://momwithaprep.com/dehydrate-canned-pumpkin-make-pumpkin-powder/
https://www.frugalupstate.com/crafts-diy/diy-how-to-dehydrate-pumpkin/