Taste-Off: The best pumpkin butter … and the ones to avoid

It’s the season for all things pumpkin — pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie — but the one seasonal treat that every pumpkin fan must try is pumpkin butter.

Similar to apple butter, pumpkin butter delivers the earthy flavor of cooked pumpkin in a velvety puree. Spread it on toast, stir it into coffee or hot milk, spoon it over ice cream or simply eat it straight from the jar for an instant shot of fall goodness.

Most brands of pumpkin butter aren’t available year-round, nor are they particularly easy to find — some stores carry only a brand or two, others have none — so when you find a good one, stock up. Specialty stores and farm stands are often a better source than the average supermarket.

While all pumpkin butters are made with the same basic ingredients — pumpkin, sugar and spice — flavors and textures vary. Some are thin and pourable, others as thick as flour paste. Some are candy sweet or so spicy they make the mouth tingle.

Good pumpkin butters hit all the notes of a great pumpkin pie filling. The best are an artful balance thats allow the squash’s subtle flavor to shine. Bad versions are gloppy, over-spiced or so cloying, the pumpkin flavor is lost.

Here are details on pumpkin butters that deliver fall on a spoon — and the ones to avoid. Nutrition info refers to a 1 tablespoon serving. (Psst, despite the word “butter” in the name, all the pumpkin butters we tasted were fat-free.)

Snow-Line Orchard Pumpkin Butter

Bold pumpkin flavor, a kick of spice and just enough lemon to brighten the mix make this smooth, luscious butter a memorable, luscious bite. Made at a family-owned SoCal farm, this pumpkin butter looks and tastes like homemade. 30 calories, no sodium, 7 g sugar. $12.99 for 14 ounces online. (4 stars)

Williams-Sonoma Pumpkin Butter

Expertly spiced, caramelized pumpkin, vanilla caramel notes and luscious, thick texture make this rich, complex puree an irresistible, mouthwatering treat. Cut the sugar and it would get top marks. 45 calories, 10 mg sodium, 10 g sugar. $16.95 for 13.95 ounces. (3½ stars)

Terrapin Ridge Pumpkin Butter

Rich, caramelized pumpkin sprinkled with just enough spice makes this a bite to savor. It’s like an extra-sweet spoonful of brown sugar-pumpkin pie. 25 calories, no sodium, 6 g sugar. $9.50 for 10.5 ounces online. (3½ stars)

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter

A huge hit of cinnamon and clove in this extra-sweet butter make for a tasty bite, but the flavor of pumpkin is secondary. 40 calories, no sodium, 9 g sugar. $2.99 for 10 ounces. (3 stars)

Stonewall Kitchen Maple Pumpkin Butter

Minimal spice and minimal sugar allow the squash to shine, but this thin spread lacks the flavor nuances of the top-rated brands. 30 calories, no sodium, 6 g sugar. $9.50 for 12.25 ounces online. (3 stars)

Earth & Vine Pumpkin Butter

This bright, slightly tart butter, which hails from a farm in Loomis, Placer County, is enjoyable, but the sugar and spices all but eclipse the delicate flavor of pumpkin. 30 calories, no sodium, 7 g sugar. $7.99 for 10 ounces online. (2½ stars)

Braswell’s Pumpkin Butter

A mere hint of pumpkin flavor, too much sugar, not enough spice and gloppy texture make for a bland spoonful. 40 calories, 10 mg sodium, 10 g sugar. $11.99 for 12.5 ounces online. (2 stars)

Bonne Maman Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Spread

Fans of extra-sweet desserts may enjoy this lightly spiced spread, but it’s thickened with so much tapioca and pectin that it’s more of a sticky, stiff paste than jam. 50 calories, no sodium, 11 g sugar. $7.99 for 13 ounces at Safeway. (1½ stars)

Sur La Table Pumpkin Butter & Pie Filling

Yikes, adding apple cider vinegar to pumpkin butter is a mistake. It turns the mix strangely sour and overpowers the flavor of pumpkin. 40 calories, no sodium, 10 g sugar. $12.95 for 10.5 ounces. (1 star)

Great Value Limited Edition Pumpkin Butter

It’s orange, but calling this pumpkin butter is a joke. It has no pumpkin flavor at all. It tastes like sugar — nothing more. 35 calories, no sodium, 9 g sugar. $3.74 for 10.15 ounces at Walmart. (½ a star)

Green Jay Gourmet Pumpkin Butter

Something went wrong with this butter. It has great texture, but way too much salt and a massive blast of cinnamon turns the whole mix into a bitter mess. 25 calories, 20 mg sodium, 6 g sugar. $14.99 for 19 ounces online. (No stars)

Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.