Canned "pumpkin" is actually made with different species of winter squash than what we typically think of as pumpkins. Which means you can pick any sweet, dense squash you choose and use it anywhere pumpkin purée or canned pumpkin is called for! There are plenty of different options if you don't want to use butternut, like acorn or kabocha squash, plus tons of uses for the leftover seeds, guts, and peel.
I bake them at a slightly lower temperature than normal (375°F) to avoid any browning. Although the caramelization adds flavor, it can also add dark flecks to the purée. You should plan on getting roughly 1 cup of purée per pound of squash; I oftentimes get more than that, but better safe than sorry. Luckily, any leftover squash can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for about a week, or frozen for much longer.
One other thing to make a note of: If you start with a dense squash, you should have a dense purée, but if it turns out watery there's an easy fix. I picked up this trick from longtime Food52er HalfPint on the Hotline. She writes: "What you can do before you use the purée in baked goods is squeeze out the extra moisture. America's Test Kitchen spreads pumpkin purée onto paper towels and then squeezes or pats out the moisture. It may sound difficult and messy but it's quite easy. The purée will almost peel off of the paper towel. You can also use a clean/pristine kitchen towel and do the same."
—Lindsay-Jean Hard
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