A few years ago, right around Halloween, my mother-in-law emailed my wife and me a story from the UK’s Mirror newspaper with a headline she thought we’d appreciate: “Woman’s ‘genius’ pumpkin carving hack has people realising they’ve been doing it wrong.”
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I almost didn’t click on it, but the headline was too compelling. After all, I’ve been carving pumpkins for more than 40 years. Could I really have been doing it wrong this whole time? As it turns out, yes. Very wrong.
The story featured Barbara “Babs” Costello, a Chicago native, grandmother and social media sensation known as @brunchwithbabs. Babs became an internet favorite during the pandemic by sharing practical household tips, recipes and life hacks that make you wonder why nobody taught you these things years ago.
One of her Halloween pumpkin-carving videos went viral, racking up tens of millions of views. In just 59 seconds, she shared seven tricks that completely changed the way I think about carving jack-o’-lanterns. And apparently, I’m not alone. Even Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Garner have tried her pumpkin-carving tricks.
With Halloween just around the corner, I figured it was the perfect time to revisit her advice. Here are Babs’ seven tips, along with my thoughts and a few important safety reminders.
1. Carve your pumpkin from the bottom, not the top
This was the first tip that blew my mind. Instead of cutting a circle around the stem and removing the top of your pumpkin, Babs recommends cutting a hole in the bottom. Why? You can use the stem as a handle, and when you’re finished carving, simply lower the pumpkin over a battery-operated candle or flashlight. No more awkwardly reaching inside to position the light.
Seriously, why have I been carving pumpkins from the top my entire life? This makes so much sense.
2. Keep your pumpkin steady while carving
Babs recommends holding the pumpkin in your lap to keep it steady while you work. I can see why that might help prevent a pumpkin from rolling around, but this is one tip I’d modify.
Holding a pumpkin in your lap while using a sharp knife sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Instead, I’d recommend placing it on a sturdy table with a nonslip mat or towel underneath. You’ll still have a stable pumpkin without risking a trip to the emergency room.
And if you’re carving with kids, let them draw the faces or scoop out the seeds while an adult handles the sharp tools.
3. Use a red dry-erase marker to draw your design
This one is so simple, yet so smart. Instead of using a pen or permanent marker to sketch your jack-o’-lantern’s face, Babs recommends a red dry-erase marker. The advantage is that you can wipe away mistakes before carving. And if you miss a little bit of the marker afterward, the red is less noticeable against the orange pumpkin.
Foolish me. I’ve been using a regular pen forever. Seriously, if the folks at Google found out, they’d probably never hire me.
4. Use a hand mixer to clean out your pumpkin
This might be my favorite trick of all. You know that slimy, stringy mess inside a pumpkin that takes forever to scoop out? Babs uses an electric hand mixer to loosen the strings and seeds before scooping everything out. I’d never even considered doing this. I’m not sure I know where our hand mixer is, but I’m willing to find it.
Just make sure the beaters are properly attached, keep your hands away from them while the mixer is running and unplug it before removing any tangled pumpkin strings. You may still need a spoon to finish the job, but this could make the messiest part of pumpkin carving much easier.
5. Use cookie cutters and a rubber mallet to make your design
Instead of struggling to carve perfect triangles, circles or other shapes with a knife, Babs suggests using metal cookie cutters and a rubber mallet. Place the cookie cutter against the pumpkin, gently tap it into the flesh and remove the shape. Depending on how thick your pumpkin is, you may need to finish cutting through the inside. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
I’m already imagining all kinds of fun Halloween designs. Maybe I should start designing jack-o’-lantern cookie cutters. This could be my next business venture!
6. Put Vaseline on the cut edges to help your pumpkin last longer
Once you’ve finished carving, Babs recommends applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly, like Vaseline, to the exposed cut surfaces to help prevent them from drying out.
She says this can help carved pumpkins last one to two weeks, although the actual lifespan depends on the weather, temperature and condition of the pumpkin. If you live somewhere warm, you might want to wait until closer to Halloween before carving.
This tip particularly caught my attention because I’m a huge fan of Vaseline. Ever since I had squamous cell carcinoma removed from my lip, my doctor recommended Vaseline over ChapStick to keep my lips moisturized. We literally have jars of it all over our house.
One warning: Petroleum jelly is flammable, so if you use it on your pumpkin, stick with battery-operated LED lights rather than real candles.
7. Sprinkle cinnamon inside your pumpkin for a festive smell
Babs’ final tip is to sprinkle a little cinnamon inside the pumpkin to give it a wonderful fall aroma. Her original trick involved using a candle to warm the cinnamon, but I’d skip the real flame and use a battery-operated light instead. It won’t produce the same warmed cinnamon aroma, but it’s much safer, especially around children, pets and Halloween costumes.
If you really want that pumpkin-spice scent, place a separate cinnamon-scented decoration nearby.
I’m all for making the house smell like fall, and I love that Babs thinks about these little finishing touches.
Even celebrities have tried Babs’ pumpkin-carving hacks
I’m clearly not the only one impressed by Babs’ advice. Her video became such a sensation that Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock tried the techniques together in 2022. Jennifer Garner also shared her own attempt at the hand-mixer trick.
And judging by the thousands of comments on Babs’ original TikTok, plenty of people had the same reaction I did: How did we go this long without knowing these tricks?
One final Halloween safety tip
As much as I love these clever ideas, safety comes first, especially when you’re carving pumpkins with children. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends leaving the actual carving to adults and using battery-operated lights or glow sticks instead of open flames. Kids can still have plenty of fun choosing designs, drawing faces and helping clean out their pumpkins. You can read more in the CPSC’s Halloween safety recommendations.
If you’re planning to carve pumpkins this Halloween, I highly recommend watching Babs’ original video below. It’s less than a minute long and might completely change how you approach this annual tradition. I wish I’d discovered these tricks 40 years ago, but better late than never!
Happy Halloween and happy carving! 🎃
@brunchwithbabs ?Do’s and Don’ts of Pumpkin Carving ?It is a treasured tradition in our family to carve jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. But with all the yuck and mess, sometimes my kids would quit the project before we even started. Babs’ Do’s and Don’ts for Pumpkin Carving, saves the mess and speeds up carving so you can have the perfect jack-o-lantern with no mess and no fuss. Happy Halloween ?XO Babs 1. Carve from bottom. That way you have the stem to hold onto and you can easily slip the pumpkin right over a candle or flashlight. 2. Hold pumpkin in your lap to carve. You will have a much steadier pumpkin to cut. 3. Use a red dry erase marker to sketch your design. It erases easily and if you miss a spot, it blends in. 4. Use a hand mixer to clean out your pumpkin. 5. Use cookie cutters and a rubber mallet to carve your design. 6. Cover all cut surfaces with Vaseline to keep the pumpkin moist after carving. Pumpkins should last 1-2 weeks carved! 7. Sprinkle some cinnamon on the inside top of your pumpkin for festive pumpkin spice smell when a candle is lit inside the pumpkin. ? #pumpkincarving ♬ original sound – everyone’s grandmother
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These tips are a game-changer! Who knew there were better ways to carve pumpkins after all these years? I love learning new tricks from people with so much experience—grandma influencers really know their stuff! Can’t wait to try these out next Halloween. 🎃
Really cool!