Curious about these beautiful textured pumpkins? You’re not alone! I was so intrigued by these pumpkins I spent some time researching them and I’m sharing what I found with you!
Even though it’s a little early in the Season to purchase real pumpkins, when I saw these, I knew they were coming home with me! The pumpkins were in a large bin of pumpkins labeled “heirloom squash”. The texture, color and shape were so unique I immediately saw these beauties as a centerpiece on my dining room table! Once I got them home, my family was so surprised they were actually “real” pumpkins and not one of my many faux pumpkin crafts of the season! The more we looked at them and talked about them, the more curious I became and I had to know more!
Through my research, I discovered that these pumpkins are called Peanut Pumpkins and suddenly their appearance made perfect sense! Their name is derived from the peanut-like protrusions that grow on the exterior of the rind. The peanut protrusions are actually a buildup of excess sugar in the flesh of the pumpkin and as the sugar increases, the more peanut protrusions the pumpkin rind has.
Since these protrusions are sugar, the rind of the pumpkins is actually edible and can be roasted, grilled, baked or sautéed. When cooked, the pumpkin flesh has a smooth texture and sweet flavor similar to a sweet potato and apple. The flesh is extremely sweet and is typically used in desserts such as pies and cheesecakes or breads.
The peanut pumpkin is a 220 year old Heirloom variety that originated in Bordeaux region of France where it’s called Galeux d’Eysines which means “embroidered with warts from Eysine”. Interestingly, these pumpkins weren’t introduced here in the U.S. until 1996. Since it’s an heirloom pumpkin and not a hybrid, the seeds can be saved and used for growing the next year. As the pumpkin grows and matures, the color changes from green to a salmon-peach color. 
So now that you know all about Peanut Pumpkins, what do you think? Would you purchase a Peanut Pumpkin?
If you’d like to see my YouTube video on the pumpkins you can watch it here. I’d love for you to subscribe to my channel and be the first to know when I publish new videos!
