How To Use Pumpkin From Carved Pumpkins

Since the cut edges of the pumpkin are exposed to the air, they could rot or develop mold quicker. Pat the cut edges dry with a paper towel before rubbing a thin layer of petroleum jelly over the exposed skin. Make simple shape cutouts with cookie cutters and a rubber mallet. If you want to add some striking designs to your pumpkin, hold a cookie cutter against your pumpkin. Tap the cookie cutter gently with a rubber mallet to push it through the pumpkin’s skin.

You won’t have a lid to fall in as the pumpkin softens. Be sure to consider the ugly, asymmetrical pumpkins, as you can often use their shape as part of your design. Read on to learn more about how to carve a pumpkin and why we carve them in the first place. Pumpkins are not gourds, even though pumpkins and gourds are both used for fall decorating.

Use an up-and-down sawing or rocking motion to cut through the skin. Start by making rough cuts to remove large sections and go back to clean up the edges. Follow our pumpkin carving tips to look like a pro when carving your next Jack-o’-Lantern.

Carving jack-o-lanterns is a popular Halloween tradition. Some like to carve scary faces, others carve silly faces and the more artistic among us carve incredible depictions of movie scenes or characters from popular Halloween and horror movies. Close-up of a jack-o'-lantern carved for Halloween night. If you find these issues as you carve, you may want to try carving another pumpkin. You can also paint your pumpkins instead of carving them, which averts the need to peer inside. Instead of candles—which make the inside of the pumpkin hot—use Crazy a battery-operated tea light that flickers or a glow stick.

Cutting at an angle prevents the lid from falling inside of your pumpkin. Cover your workspace in newspapers or a large garbage bag. Work on a clean, hard surface, such as a dining table or the kitchen floor. Put down a layer of newspapers or cut open a large garbage bag to unfold it into a large tarp to catch any spills or messes you make.