Pickled Sugar Pumpkin Recipe

By
Marisa McClellan
Marisa McClellan
Marisa McClellan is a food writer, canning teacher, and the voice behind the long-running food blog Food in Jars. She is the author of Food in Jars (2012), Preserving by the Pint (2014), Naturally Sweet Food in Jars (2016), and The Food In Jars Kitchen (2019).
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Updated Apr. 02, 2020
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Before you get pumpkin-ed up this season, make these pickles. They make a really fun addition to a Thanksgiving cheese plate or dessert spread.

Recipe Details

Pickled Sugar Pumpkin Recipe

Active 60 mins
Total 2 mins
Serves 24 servings
Makes 2 1/2 pints

Ingredients

  • 8 cups cubed sugar pumpkin (approximately 3 pounds)

  • 3 cups apple cider vinegar

  • 2 cups water

  • 2 cups granulated white sugar

  • 20 black peppercorns

  • 15 clove whole cloves

  • 10 allspice berries

  • 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed

  • 1 bay leaf

Directions

  1. Prepare a small boiling water bath canner and jars. Place lids in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.

  2. In a large pot, combine vinegar, water and sugar. Heat to dissolve sugar.

  3. Place peppercorns, cloves, allspice berries, crushed cinnamon sticks and bay leaf in a muslin spice bag or tie them tightly in a length of cheesecloth.

  4. Add pumpkin chunks and spice bag. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.

  5. Cook pumpkin in the brine for 30-40 minutes, until the chunks are translucent and fork-tender.

  6. When pumpkin is done cooking, ladle it into the prepared jars. Cover with brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

  7. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes.

  8. When time is up, remove jars from canner. Let them cool on a folded kitchen towel.

  9. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals by grasping edges of the lids and gently lifting jars. Lids should hold fast.

  10. Let pickles cure at least 2 weeks prior to eating.

Special equipment

boiling water bath canner, mason jars

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
83 Calories
0g Fat
20g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 83
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 3mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 156mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)