With October comes the cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and, of course, pumpkin carving time. For the perfect carved Jack O Lantern, be sure to familiarize yourself with this list of the best pumpkins for carving.

When it comes to choosing pumpkins for carving projects, not all pumpkins are equal. As a matter of fact, there are over 100 varieties of pumpkins. Some are edible types that are perfect for pumpkin desserts, and others are better for decorating purposes or pumpkin carving.

Before you head out to your yearly visit to the pumpkin patch or harvest your own pumpkins from your vegetable garden, it’s a good idea to know a little bit about the different types of pumpkins.

Keep reading to find out why you should choose a pumpkin grown for carving. You’ll also learn what types of pumpkins are available for you to carve into your Jack-o’-Lantern project.

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Can you carve any type of pumpkin?

Yes, if it is a pumpkin (or gourd), it can be carved.

However, for the best results, you will want to select a pumpkin that is made for carving. This means that the pumpkin you choose should be one with thin flesh and stringy guts that will be easier for you and your kids to clean and carve.

Another thing to keep in mind is that all pumpkins will start to rot and break down once they have been carved. Look for those with deeper colors and thicker skins to get pumpkins that will last longer once you have cut into them.

Types of pumpkins for carving

Now that we know about pumpkins grown for carving and eating, let’s learn about some pumpkins that are the perfect choice for carving. You can also print out this list in the project card at the bottom of this post.

List of medium-sized pumpkins for carving

If you plan on carving a simple Jack O’Lantern design, you will likely enjoy carving a medium-sized pumpkin. Their round shape and pretty color make them ideal for this project.

Some popular medium-sized pumpkins for carving are these:

Autumn Gold Pumpkin: Easy to handle, 7 – 10 pounds with an orange-gold color. Very easy to carve.
The Hobbit Pumpkin: 10-12 pounds; very popular in the Western states.
Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin: Small heirloom variety bred for carving into Jack-O-Lanterns. Ribbed with a deep orange color. 7-10 pounds, about 10 inches tall.
Magic Lantern Pumpkin: Slightly taller than wide, medium orange, 16 to 24 pounds. Just the right size for Jack!
Sunlight Pumpkins: 5- 8 pounds. Bright yellow instead of the traditional orange.
Giant Polar Bear Pumpkin: A white pumpkin that carves well.

Large-sized carving pumpkin varieties

If you are looking for a pumpkin where the background of the design will be more elaborate, you’ll want a larger pumpkin. These weigh about 15- 25 pounds.

Some larger-sized pumpkins to look for are:

Gold Rush pumpkins: About 15-35 pounds. They can be harder to carve the time spent will have your carving make a statement.
Connecticut Field pumpkin: Round and orange, with smooth, ribbed skin, weighing 15-25 pounds. These pumpkins were grown by the Native Americans before colonization and were part of the original Thanksgiving feast.
Jaune De Paris Pumpkins: Yellow-skinned pumpkin that can weigh in excess of 100 pounds!

Tall oblong pumpkins for carving

Pumpkins that are tall and oblong tend to be stringier inside. This makes precise cuts more difficult, but these pumpkins are also lovely to display and worth the extra effort.

The height of these pumpkins allows you to carve designs that are taller than they are wide.

Try one of these varieties:

Big Max Pumpkins: Bright orange, round to flat-round shape, and weighing over 100 lbs.
Dickinson Pumpkin: 10 – 40 pounds with a round, elongated shape and a light color.
Howden Biggie: Much taller than wide with an almost rectangular shape. It is dark orange in color.

Best white pumpkin varieties for carving

The color of these luminous pumpkins gives a spooky look to any Jack O’Lantern design.

Readers often ask me, “Can you carve white pumpkins?” The answer is a definite yes! Normally, white pumpkins are easier to carve than orange ones. Your knife will go right through it.

Also, if you are going for a no-carve look or a painted pumpkin, white pumpkins are easier to paint and look lovely on any display.

Good white pumpkin varieties for carving are:

Lumina White Pumpkins: 10-12 pounds. Carve them right before displaying, since these pumpkins don’t last well.
Moonshine Pumpkins: Small, white pumpkin, very uniform, and smooth-skinned. They average 8-12 pounds. The pumpkins have long green handles.
Polar Bear Pumpkins: Extra-large pumpkin with bright white skin. They weigh 30 – 65 pounds, making them perfect for an elaborate design.
Valenciano Pumpkins: Snow-white skin, about 11 – 15 inches across and 7 inches tall.

Best caving pumpkins with long handles

In pumpkin carving designs, a pumpkin with a long stem (handle) makes the pumpkin easy to hold onto when you are carving.

If you have an opening from the top to insert your light source, a pumpkin with a long handle makes it easy to keep removing the top to light the pumpkin.

Look for these varieties of long-handled pumpkins:

Wolf pumpkin: 15-25 pounds with a deep orange color and moderate ribs.
Howden Pumpkins: 18 -26 pounds, with an intense, bright orange color with defined ribs, and strong handles. The shape is round and slightly tall
Tom Fox Pumpkins: Medium-sized, averaging about 12-20 pounds, with a deep orange color. Their handles are fantastic – fat, long, and sturdy!

Gourds can be carved, too!

Gourds are from the same family as pumpkins, and their shape makes them a fun carving medium. They often have necks that make them easy to hold when carving.

Their smaller size makes them a bit difficult to work with, so they are suitable for more experienced pumpkin carvers.

Avoid those with warts and go for the smooth-skinned type. Some to choose from are:

Speckled Swan Gourd: Long crook neck and flat base, about 8 inches wide, but the sweeping neck can grow to 16 inches long!
Bottle Gourds: These gourds have a hard, smooth shell. This hard outer shell lends itself to excellent carving. Bottle gourds can also be turned into drinking vessels. Only edible when immature. Before carving a bottle gourd, you must dry it. This can take up to 6 months.

Can Cinderella pumpkins be carved?

The unique shape of Cinderella pumpkins makes them ideal for decorating. A common question I get asked is, “Can you carve a Cinderella pumpkin?”

Yes, Cinderella pumpkins can be eaten and carved! Their design makes carving more difficult, however, since there is not as much flesh to carve.

Their plump and flattened shape might make traditional pumpkin designs harder to carve, but their coach-like shape makes them ideal for turning the pumpkin into a coach.

For a colored Cinderella variety, try Blue Jarrahdale. It weighs about 6-10 pounds and has pale gray bluish skin.

Can you carve small pumpkins?

Most people head for medium to large-sized pumpkins and generally avoid the smaller ones for their carving projects. Their small size makes it easier to slip with a knife when they are carved.

However, small pumpkins are easier for the kids to handle, especially if you stick to painted designs instead of carved ones. When you choose small pumpkins, you can end up with very cute designs and happy kids.

Tips for picking the perfect pumpkin for carving

Now that you know which varieties are available, let’s figure out out to pick the perfect carving pumpkin.

With so many types out there, where do you start? Keep these tips in mind when you head to the pumpkin patch.

Look at the visual appeal. Do you like the color and shape? It should suit the design you have in mind.
Be sure the pumpkin is healthy and free of any decay.
The pumpkin should have a consistent color throughout.
Pick a pumpkin with a thin skin. Overly thick shells are hard to carve.
Press on the pumpkin to make sure it is very sturdy. If there is any give, it means that your pumpkin might rot quickly.
A thin-walled pumpkin will allow the light from the inside to shine through. Tap the pumpkin and listen for a hollow sound. Lifting the pumpkin will tell you about the walls, too. Heavy pumpkins normally have thicker walls.
Choose a pumpkin that has a flat base so it will sit well.
Carry the pumpkin home by holding the base and not the stem. You don’t want this to come off in your hand!

The differences between a carving pumpkin and a pie pumpkin

Have you ever noticed, in the grocery store, that some pumpkins are marked as “pie pumpkins” and others are labeled”carving pumpkins?” If so, you are lucky, since this removes some of the guesswork in your quest for finding the perfect pumpkin to carve.

But if the pumpkins at your store are not labeled in this way, do you know how to tell them then?

Carving pumpkins have thinner skins. This makes them easier to slice into. They also have less flesh and seeds on the inside, and these “guts” are more grainy and far stringier. This makes cleaning a pumpkin before carving it easier.

Pie pumpkins are made for baking, and they are usually smaller and rounder with thicker skins. They also have darker, more orange colored flesh that is fine-grained. This makes the finished pies more appealing in look and texture.

Pie pumpkins are sugar pumpkins, which makes them sweeter than carving pumpkins. They belong to the winter squash family and can be cooked in a similar way to winter squash.

Are all pumpkins edible?

Yes, you can eat all types of pumpkins. Not only is the flesh of the pumpkin edible, but so are the flowers, leaves, skin, stems, and seeds.

It is nature’s complete food!

However, while you can eat any type of pumpkin, some do taste better than others when it comes to cooking and baking!

All varieties taste like pumpkin, but some have a strong flavor, and others have a more subtle, sweet flavor.

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Admin note: this post for the best pumpkins for carving first appeared on the blog in October 0f 2013. I have updated the post to add all new photos, more information about carving pumpkins, and a video for you to enjoy.

Yield: 1 printable list of pumpkins for carving

Printable List of the Best Pumpkins for Carving

There are over 100 varieties of pumpkins. Some are best for cooking and baking, and others are meant for pumpkin carving. Print out this list of carving pumpkins and save it for later.

Active Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Difficulty easy

Estimated Cost $1

Materials

Card stock or printer paper

Tools

Computer printer

Instructions

Load your printer with printer paper.
Choose portrait layout and, if possible, "fit to page" in your settings.
Print out and add to your garden journal.
Take the list with you when you go shopping for pumpkins to carve.

Notes

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