Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe - How to Make

This Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe is one of my absolute favorite autumn treats. With just a handful of pantry spices, you can make your very own Pumpkin Spice mix at home and have it on hand throughout the season!

The best part about this recipe is that it calls for just four ingredients: cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, meaning this recipe can be prepped in mere minutes. As an added bonus, this spice mix can be added to practically anything you can imagine.

Read on for a complete ingredient checklist, tips for using today's pumpkin spice, and a printable recipe card.

Now, without further delay, let's get to it.

What is Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Short Answer: A blend of cinnamon with some combination of cloves, nutmeg, and ginger, with occasional appearance of ground allspice and brown sugar. No, there is no actual pumpkin in either pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie spice.

Recipe Overview - Homemade Pumpkin Spice

Yield

This recipe yields approximately 3 tablespoons (or ¼ of a cup) of pumpkin pie spice blend. This is enough for about 2-3 pies, or several batches of cookies or muffins, or about 15 pumpkin spice lattes. Yes, 3 tablespoons is a small amount spice, but I recommend preparing it in small batches to ensure freshness and potency, as spice blends lose their aromatic oils over time. For best results, store the spice blend in a small glass jar or any small, airtight container that you might have on hand. Stored properly, this blend will last for about 3-6 months if kept in a cool, dark place.

Prep Time

This recipe takes five minutes (or less!) from start to finish. Seriously, this is one of the quickest and easiest recipes imaginable. We're measuring just four ingredients into a bowl or ramekin, and then mixing, and that's it. Simple.

Recipe Difficulty

Beginner. This recipe could not possibly be easier to prepare. If you can measure and stir, you can make pumpkin pie spice.

Recipe Cost

Minimal. The simple truth is that making your own pumpkin spice at home is vastly cheaper than storebought. The total cost of ingredients is about $3-10 dollars for enough spices to make multiple batches - whereas as a single batch of storebought pumpkin spice will cost at least twice that. Even if you purchase fresh, premium quality spices, you will still be saving money.

Uses for Homemade Pumpkin PIe Spice

• Baking: Pumpkin pie, autumn apple desserts, pumpkin cinnamon buns, autumn themed donuts, pumpkin spice cookies, and pumpkin spice muffins are all great choices for enhancing with a pinch of pumpkin spice. You can also mix pumpkin pie spice in autumn-themed dessert loaves, such as my pumpkin caramel loaf.
• Beverages: Pumpkin Spice Lattes are the go-to - and are one of my favorite autumn treats. You could even blend pumpkin spice into coffee grinds before brewing.
• Unexpected Delights: Mix a pinch into whipped cream for a simple, yet deliciously seasonal delight. You could also sprinkle them over candied nuts.
• Savory Applications: There's no need to limit yourself to sweet uses or beverages, as this pumpkin pie spice recipe also works deliciously in roasted squash, sweet potato dishes, and as an autumn themed glaze for pork or chicken, as well as pumpkin-based soups.

Ingredient Checklist - Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

1. 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
   • The Main Flavor: The key flavor in pumpkin spice is cinnamon. It's foundational for a good pumpkin spice, and so using a good cinnamon is key.
   • Quality Matters: Since the cinnamon is the bulk of the flavor, you want to use a decent quality cinnamon. This is key.
   • Which Type of Cinnamon to Use: While there are some very strong opinions out there regarding Cassia versus Ceylon cinnamon, the truth is that this is preference. Use Ceylon for a delicate yet complex flavor, or choose cassia for a bolder, more traditional 'cinnamon flavor.'
2. 2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
   • Dried vs Fresh: There is almost no instance where dried and fresh ginger are interchangeable, as they possess almost entirely different flavor profiles. Fresh ginger is bright and sharp, whereas dried is warm and slightly spicy, with an earth depth.
   • What to Look For: Choose a dried ginger that is a bright, tan-colored powered without any dark spots or clumping.
   • Substitute: As with the cinnamon, this is a key ingredient that cannot be replaced without changing the dynamic of the spice blend.
3. 1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
   • Potent: A little goes a long way with the cloves. This is the single most potent spice in the blend, and even a little too much will quickly overwhelm the recipe.
   • Warm and Sweet: Brings a deep and intense warmth with a mild sweetness.
   • Find Ground: You want to opt for fine-ground cloves for even mixing into the blend. Ideally, grind or grate your own.
4. 1 Teaspoon Fresh Nutmeg
   • Freshly Grated: Pumpkin Spice is about that unmistakable aromatic profile - and a lot of those aromatics comes from nutmeg. Fresh ground nutmeg has vastly superior aromatics, meaning grating your own is key.
   • Substitute: If all you have on hand is pre-ground that's fine, it will get the job done just fine - since your pumpkin spice will still taste just fine but will have slightly muted aromatics.

Pumpkin Pie Spice vs Pumpkin Spice - What's the difference?

The flavor profiles of these two spices are very nearly identical, and you can use them as a good substitute for each other while achieving similar results. That said, they are a few distinct differences:

Pumpkin Spice:

• Ingredients: Pumpkin spice typically consists of a few key spices, primarily a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It may also include allspice.
• Flavor Profile: Pumpkin spice has a warm and sweet flavor with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. It's often used to add a cozy, autumnal taste to various recipes.
• Versatility: Pumpkin spice is more versatile and can be used in a wide range of recipes, including beverages (like lattes), baked goods (like muffins and cookies), and even savory dishes (like roasted vegetables).

Pumpkin Pie Spice:

• Ingredients: Pumpkin pie spice shares many similarities with pumpkin spice, as it also includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. However, it usually excludes allspice.
• Flavor Profile: Pumpkin pie spice has a flavor profile that closely resembles the traditional spices used in pumpkin pie, hence the name. It has a warm, sweet, and slightly spicy taste.
• Specific Use: As the name suggests, pumpkin pie spice is often used specifically in pumpkin pie recipes. It's less versatile than pumpkin spice but provides the signature flavor associated with pumpkin pie.

Storing Homemade Pumpkin Spice

Store your homemade pumpkin spice the same way you would other ground spices. Here are my top tips:

• Airtight Container: Transfer your homemade pumpkin pie spice to an airtight container. This could be a glass jar, a plastic container with a tight-sealing lid, or a spice container with a shaker top. The key is to keep air out.
• Cool, Dark Place: While you can get away with storing pumpkin spice at room temperature for short periods, I recommend storing the container in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight and heat sources. A pantry or a kitchen cabinet is an ideal spot. Avoid placing it near the stove or oven, as heat degrades spices over time.
• Labeling: Be sure to label the container with the contents and the date of preparation. Spices can lose their potency over time, so this will help you keep track of freshness.
• Avoid Moisture: Moisture causes clumping, and will quickly spoil the spice blend. As with other spices, keep your pumpkin spice away from areas with high humidity.

Print

And that's our Homemade Pumpkin Spice Recipe. Be sure to join us throughout the season for more delicious fall flavors. If you enjoyed today's recipe, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below, we always love hearing from you.

Happy Baking!

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