How to carve a pumpkin

What do you need for pumpkin carving?

You don’t need a specific kit to carve a pumpkin. The most useful tools are available in your kitchen.

Essential tools:

• Small serrated knife or paring knife: These are excellent for making detailed patterns and intricate cuts. They are safer and more manoeuvrable than larger kitchen knives. Our best knives - what to buy review offers a good selection of these knives.
• Ice cream scoop or large spoon: These are ideal for scooping out the seeds and pulp from inside the pumpkin. The curved edge of an ice cream scoop works particularly well for scraping the sides clean.

Other useful tools:

• Apple corer: perfect for punching out small, round holes in the pumpkin. Handy for creating polka dots or adding small details to your design.
• A marker: useful for getting adventurous and creating your design freehand. They can also be good if you have young children who would rather draw their design than carve it.
• Potato peeler: useful for shaving the pumpkin's skin to create different layers. This can add depth and texture to your carving.
• Large bowl: great for keeping the flesh and seeds you dug out from your pumpkin. Collect them in a bowl or a Tupperware container to use later.
• Metal biscuit cutters: Press these firmly into the pumpkin to create fun shapes like stars, moons or letters. They give a clean cut and are easy to use.
• Lemon zester: As with your potato peeler, a lemon zester can be handy for carving into but not through your pumpkin skin to create differing textures and light effects.
• Templates and stencils: These can be a lifesaver if you're not confident in freehand carving. They guide you through intricate designs and patterns.

Tips for pumpkin carving

1. Choose the right pumpkin: You want to choose a fresh pumpkin for carving so that it stays looking its best for longer. You can tell the freshness of your pumpkin by how vibrant it is, the thickness of its stem and checking it for bruises. You also want your pumpkin to have a flat bottom so it doesn’t roll away as you carve it.
2. Use paper to sketch your design first: If you use a piece of paper to sketch your design to size, then this can be stuck onto your pumpkin and used as a stencil. If you don’t have a carving kit, pierce your paper and pumpkin with a fork to mark where you need to cut.
3. Start roughly: Cut out your biggest pieces first and then clean up your design afterwards.
4. Keep your pumpkin fresh: To help your pumpkins last longer, store them in the fridge when you aren’t displaying them. If you display your pumpkin outside, ensure it is protected from the elements. Also, applying a thin layer of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) along the cut edges of your pumpkin will prevent them from drying out too quickly.
5. Choose the right light: Depending on where you want to showcase your pumpkin will help decide which light will work the best. Real candles are a great choice for a traditional and strong glow; however, they don’t fare well against the elements, so if you want to display your pumpkin outside, we recommend fake tea lights.

How to carve the perfect pumpkin...

1. Cut the top off your pumpkin

Choose a large pumpkin and use a sharp serrated knife to cut off the crown.

2. Scoop out the insides

Using a large serving spoon, scoop out the seeds and fibres and discard. Then remove some of the flesh. Try our roasted pumpkin seeds recipe for a tasty snack.

3. Carve your design

With a marker pen, draw a simple outline of a face on the pumpkin. Use a small serrated knife to cut out the eyes, nose and mouth. Always cut away from you in case the knife slips.

4. Choose your light

Pop a tea light inside the pumpkin, light it and replace the crown.

More pumpkin carving advice:

For more tips on how to carve the perfect pumpkin, watch our cookery team in action:

Read our Top 10 pumpkin carving tips for more advice on making your Jack-o'-lantern stand out from the crowd.

More pumpkin carving and recipe inspiration...

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What pumpkin designs do you like to carve? Leave a comment below...