25 Easy Pumpkin Carving Ideas for the Best Jack-o'-Lanterns (2023)

FAQs

What is the easiest pumpkin to carve? ›

The Difference Between Pie Pumpkins and Carving Pumpkins

Carving pumpkins are typically thinner and easier to saw into. They also have less guts on the inside, which are also grainier and stringier, making them easier to clean. Pie pumpkins, meant for baking, are usually smaller and more rounded.

But we think the secret to carving the perfect pumpkin starts with cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin rather than the top. This will also help make your pumpkin last longer.

To extend the life of your carved fruits, rub a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the inside of the pumpkin to reduce mold and slow decay.

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Even if you're not eating a pumpkin, you should inspect and clean it before carving. You want your pumpkin to be clean before you handle it for carving. Remove any mushy or moldy spots on the pumpkin with a knife. Rub the pumpkin down with a vegetable brush or a clean, rough cloth.

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As opposed to carving the top portion of the pumpkin to create a removable lid, experts suggest cutting out the bottom instead. It's much easier to place the pumpkin with a hole in the base over top of a lit candle than putting the candle inside the pumpkin from the top where there's a greater risk of receiving a burn.

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Does Hairspray preserve pumpkins? ›

Spray it up: Hairspray and acrylic finish sprays can seal in a pumpkins freshness. They also prevent mold.

The vinegar kills fungus, making it hard for the pumpkin to rot. That's why vinegar-soaked pumpkins look so new; they're unblemished by the grossness that inevitably befalls their untreated peers.

Apply petroleum jelly or olive oil to the cut surfaces to prevent dehydration over time. Spraying the cut surfaces with hairspray can also slow down the decaying process. Products designed for anti-humidity work really well.

Pumpkins weren't in season during the summer, and instead of ditching the season altogether, they just chose to change the format. Hopefully, the backlash will prove to the network that fans care about the show's format and go back to normal next year.

The final four carvers battle it out to earn the title of Outrageous Pumpkins Champion. First, Sunny Anderson challenges them to create a larger-than-life children's toy with a creepy spin.

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"Carve no more than three days before Halloween," Evan recommends. If you plan to celebrate on the weekend before or after Halloween, pick a pumpkin carving date a few days before then. Carve too early, and your pumpkin will scare off trick-or-treaters with its rotten teeth!

Using a pumpkin saw—you can find one in any pumpkin carving set—cut a circle around the bottom of the pumpkin that measures at least 4 inches across. Once you complete the cut around the entire circle, gently move the cut piece back and forth to loosen it from the pumpkin. Remove the cut-out piece and discard.

As soon as you carve a pumpkin, the clock starts counting down to its inevitable decline, says Ashley Renne Nsonwu, host of the show Ashley Renne on Smart Healthy Green Living. "You have anywhere from three to five days max before they start to soften and get moldy," she says.

Scoop the Seeds

Scrape the walls of your pumpkin until it is clean and the areas to be carved are about 1-inch thick. Photo by Getty. Tip: Save your pumpkin seeds for roast pumpkin seeds.

How do you carve a curve on a pumpkin? ›

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1. A Serrated Vegetable Knife. The best tool for cutting the eyes, mouth, and nose out of your jack-o'-lantern is something that's probably already sitting in your kitchen: “I use a fruit and vegetable knife with a serrated edge,” says McMahon, who notes that his is eight inches long.

Apply Water. Use a damp sponge or spray bottle full of water to soak a small area of paper (Image 1). Gently begin to rub away the paper with your finger (Image 2). You'll notice the black image has transferred to the pumpkin.

It is safest to use a glow stick or battery-operated candle in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit.

Using candles inside your carved pumpkins can have a negative effect on them as the heat is essentially cooking the pumpkin. Try using a flickering flameless candles or glow sticks instead.

Warm weather and hot sunlight can speed decay in a pumpkin. Store both cut or uncut pumpkins in a cool, dry place, such as in a cool basement or the refrigerator, when not on display, as that will help keep them fresh longer.

Thin the Walls of the Pumpkin

Pumpkins tend to have very thick walls, and for the light to shine through, especially if you are etching a design, you will want to thin it to about 1/2 to 1-inch thick.

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How do you carve a knife with a pumpkin? ›

Cut along your outlines with a serrated knife.

Push the knife straight into the pumpkin along the outline of your design. 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.

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It turns out that WD-40 is the perfect way to preserve and keep your jack-o-lantern in good condition! All you need to do is cover the exterior of your pumpkin with a layer of spray after you've finished carving it. Wait at least 24 hours to allow the spray to dry completely before placing a candle inside the pumpkin.

If it's a carved pumpkin you're treating, you can use petroleum jelly or vegetable oil to rub into all the exposed parts (do this after a bleach soak for twice the benefits). Petroleum jelly, according to these carving experts, helps it to not dry out and shrivel up.

Soak the pumpkin in a bleach solution.

The bleach is an antimicrobial agent that will kill most of the surface bacteria and mold spores on the pumpkin. You can soak the pumpkin up to 8 hours, but soaking it too long can actually infuse the flesh with too much moisture, making it more prone to rot.

Preserve carved pumpkins with a vinegar bath

' Once you have carved your pumpkins for your outdoor Halloween decor ideas, fully submerge your pieces in a bath or large tub or bucket full of 10 parts water and one part white vinegar.

The idea is to seal in moisture while preventing mold and bacteria from setting up shop on your pumpkin. Suggestions include applying petroleum jelly, vegetable or olive oil, or even WD-40 to the inside and outside of the pumpkin.

Generally, carved pumpkins last between 3 to 5 days, but weather and sunlight can play a huge role in your lantern's life. If you live in a colder climate, your pumpkin could last up to a week, but if it's exposed to heat, it may only last a few days.

What do you spray carved pumpkins with? ›

Petroleum jelly or vegetable oil will help keep the moisture in and keep your pumpkin looking good. Another option is to use a store-bought pumpkin preservative spray like Pumpkin Fresh, which contains fungicide (to kill the mold) and lubricants (to keep the pumpkin from drying out).

Can pumpkins catch on fire if a lighted candle is inside them? No, pumpkins are not flammable.

Using a large bucket or container, submerge your amazing work in a bleach/water solution of 1/3 cup bleach per gallon of water. Your pumpkins should soak for several hours, but no longer than 24. After the pumpkins have air dried from their bath, it is important to coat the carved edges with a moist preservative.

Choose the Right Kind

For cooking, you'll want to use sugar pumpkins (also called pie or sweet pumpkins), which are small and round. Long Island Cheese pumpkins, which are more oblong and can look like a wheel of cheese, are also good to eat.

Generally, carved pumpkins last between 3 to 5 days, but weather and sunlight can play a huge role in your lantern's life. If you live in a colder climate, your pumpkin could last up to a week, but if it's exposed to heat, it may only last a few days.

Carving pumpkins is such a fun Halloween tradition for all ages that lets you make some spooky decor to light up the night. Since it only takes 30–60 minutes to carve a pumpkin, it's the perfect afternoon activity for you.

"Make sure it's a good color, and what you want is a deeper orange." A pumpkin that is mostly green, but has patches of orange, will work if you don't plan on carving it right away, Rufener says. "It can still ripen even after you've picked it from the patch, but don't start carving until it's mostly orange."

Cinderella pumpkins are a type of winter squash with a mild, sweet flavor and moist texture that makes them great for soups, sauces, purees, and curries. They can be roasted, baked and steamed, and used for ornamental purposes.

Fairytale is a French heirloom pumpkin variety with a Cinderella shape and an unusual buckskin color at maturity. Fairytale weighs an average of 15 lbs. and has a flat shape, 6" deep by 15" wide. It is heavily ridged or scalloped shaped, has a delicious flesh for baking, and store for about 3 months.

"Carve no more than three days before Halloween," Evan recommends. If you plan to celebrate on the weekend before or after Halloween, pick a pumpkin carving date a few days before then. Carve too early, and your pumpkin will scare off trick-or-treaters with its rotten teeth!

Is it better to keep a carved pumpkin inside or outside? ›

When you're decorating your home for Halloween, you can absolutely display jack-o'-lanterns inside. Just keep in mind that pumpkins fare best in dry, cool places. Where to put carved pumpkins is up to you, but we wouldn't recommend putting a carved pumpkin in your bathroom where it's wet and warm, for example!

Once you've carved your pumpkin, put petroleum jelly around the carved edges as well as all around the inside to help keep it moisturized. This will ensure the pumpkin stays fresh for a longer amount of time.

Small paring knives are great for carving designs into the pumpkin. Pumpkin-carving kits, made specifically for kids or adults, are another good source. Battery-operated, pumpkin-carving knives also make quick work of even intricate designs.

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The white Halloween pumpkin was inspired by a Facebook post with a poem written by a mother in mourning. Jennifer Giles, a mother who lost her child Madelyn, wrote the poem in remembrance of her daughter. Now, white pumpkins are used to represent pregnancy and infant loss across the country.

Lots of people are wanting to know what month unripe pumpkins turn orange. Well it depends on sunlight. If they get decent sunlight in August they will turn orange within a few weeks. In sunny climates they may turn orange as soon as late August.

Once it turns from green to orange that is as big as it will get. You absolutely should pick it as this will encourage the formation of more pumpkins. As long as it isn't damaged it will easily keep through Thanksgiving.