Carrot “Pumpkins” are adorable! They are so cute, kids go crazy over them, and they offer Moms a healthy alternative to all that Halloween candy! By far, they are my new favorite Halloween treat!
I’m so excited to share my Carrot “Pumpkin” post with you today. I have tons of carrots growing in my garden and I can’t think of a better way to use them.
My boys pick carrots, wash them in a hose, and eat them as an easy outdoor snack all the time! The other day I was cutting carrots into sticks and remembered heart shaped carrots on Pinterest. Immediately my wheels started turning and I knew I had to make Carrot “Pumpkins”.
They are so easy to make. I have some super fat carrots and they make the most awesome pumpkins! With a really sharp knife cut slits lengthwise down the carrot. The distance between your cuts will determine the width of your pumpkin stem. The depth of your cut will determine the height of your stem.
Carefully, make a perpendicular cut from the edge of the carrot until it just intersects the first cut you made. You should be able to remove a pie shaped section of the carrot. Repeat on the other side.
For rounded pumpkins, carve the angles at the top of the pumpkin with a pairing knife or peel them with a vegetable peeler. If found I needed to use both tools just a little bit!
Update October 2017: See the movie below for my new favorite way of smoothing and rounding the pumpkin. I use a knife and just gradually shave little pieces of the pumpkin until it’s smooth. It’s a little bit like whittling a piece of wood. You can entirely skip this step if you want more geometric pumpkins! You hold the Carrot “Pumpkin” future in your hands!
Slice the carrot into rounds.
Aren’t they the cutest thing ever? If you were super bored, a really fun mom, and extra patient you could carve eyes and a mouth into these pumpkins. I’m not bored, not patient, and I’m only a really fun mom once in a while. That’s why my kiddo’s get Carrot “Pumpkins” and not carrot jack-o-lanterns!
I love having a healthy alternative to all the Halloween candy my kids collect. They are make salads, relish trays, and even soups more festive and fun for fall celebrating!
Pyper says
October 24, 2015 at 4:18 pmSuper cute idea Amy!!
Amy Engberson says
November 12, 2015 at 11:58 amThanks Pyper! It’s always refreshing to have a little healthy treat!
karolina says
September 5, 2016 at 12:50 amyou could add raisins or dried blueberries for eyes and mouth/teeth (attached with peanut butter).
Amy Engberson says
September 8, 2016 at 8:26 amThat would be cute! The kids would love it. Maybe they could decorate there own pumpkins!
Jaclyn says
September 16, 2016 at 3:16 amI love this! Thanks for the great idea 🙂
Amy Engberson says
September 19, 2016 at 5:01 pmAren’t simple and healthy things the best? Happy Fall!
DeAnna Hill says
October 2, 2016 at 4:11 pmHi there! I am interested in using your picture for your carrot pumpkins with a link back to your site for the How To in my upcoming post of “Halloween Favorites”, if that is okay with you 😀 I will say it is your image and everything, I just really think my readers would love this!
I love this idea! My little man loves carrots, and this has become his new favorite way to eat them since I’ve found your post 😀
Amy Engberson says
October 10, 2016 at 9:27 amI would love for you to use my post, as long as you mention my blog name, and include a link back to my site. Thanks!
M. POTTER says
October 3, 2016 at 12:56 pmAlthough I’ve raised my family and now I raise chickens, horses, and carrots along with spending lots of time with my grandchildren. I have used your carrot pumpkins in soups, in pasta as well as roasted. We also raise the heirloom multi colored carrots to the delight of kids and horses. Thanks for your pin.
Amy Engberson says
October 10, 2016 at 9:35 amYou are using these pumpkins in such fun ways! I love it and I bet your grandchildren do to! I’ve always wanted to try multi colored carrots. Maybe next year!
Sue says
October 15, 2016 at 9:47 pmHi Amy! Love, love, love your pumpkins! Never thought to make them but I have made flowers for salad this way for years! Just make 4 or 5 channel cuts on each carrot depending on the size of the carrot! Cute and adults love them as much as children My GRANDchildren love them! I will be making them pumpkins this week for sure! A couple of years ago I was shopping in a gourmet cooking store and found a channel cutter tool that makes the flowers easy–just peel the carrot and run the tool down the length of the carrot and it cuts a neat little “v” cut in the carrot. Maybe it will work for pumpkins—but yours are so cute I will probably go back to the knife to make them… Thanks for the fun idea! (I can hear the giggles)
Amy Engberson says
October 26, 2016 at 11:08 pmCarrot flowers would be so cute! I’m going to try that next summer. Maybe a channel cutter would be easier. I have super sharp knives so they work really well too!
Kathryn says
October 22, 2016 at 5:36 pmWe mixed carrot pumpkins with bow tie pasta (bats), Brussels sprouts, meatballs, and a browned butter sauce for a festive Halloween month supper.
The carrots made the dish perfect, and everybody loved them!
Amy Engberson says
October 25, 2016 at 10:15 amThat’s such a fun idea! I can see why the kids loved it!
Serena says
October 26, 2016 at 5:13 pmwill these lose their shape if you cook them? I want to do honey glazed carrots for Thanksgiving and I want to cook these
Amy Engberson says
October 26, 2016 at 11:01 pmI actually haven’t ever cooked these carrots. I think they would hold their shape for the most part. The edges might not be as clean though. I would be super cute. Let me know if you try it!
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cakespy says
October 26, 2017 at 12:35 pmThis was new to me though I see the post is from a while ago. Had to say…adorable!
Amy Engberson says
October 31, 2017 at 5:55 pmThanks! We love eating these clear up until Thanskiving! And I love having a cute healthy option for the kids!
Julia Bennett says
December 31, 2017 at 12:28 pmI use these cute carrot “pumpkins” in all my Autumn soups and casseroles. It really doesn’t take that much time, and adults are as charmed as the little ones. Thank you for this charming treat.
Amy Engberson says
January 3, 2018 at 12:36 pmAren’t they so fun? I think I love them more than my kids because I love themed food!