To make homemade pumpkin puree, you must make sure you buy the correct pumpkin. The correct pumpkin is a pumpkin pie pumpkin, often called sugar pumpkins. You wouldn't want to make a pumpkin pie with your regular cut-out pumpkins. 1. You'll want to destem the pumpkin, cut it in half, remove the seeds and then place it on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees; face the pumpkin face up or down and bake for around 45 minutes; check to see if it's fork tender, and bake longer if needed. 2. Remove the pumpkin skin, place the flesh of the pumpkin into a food processor, and process until smooth.3. If your pumpkin is super watery, strain the pumpkin with cheesecloth. Store-bought pumpkin is less watery than homemade and can affect your recipe.