Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Learn how to make pumpkin pie spice to use in everything from pumpkin pie recipes to pumpkin spice lattes, and more. All you need is a few spices and a few minutes!
How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: measuring spoon, small jar
Servings: makes about ¼ cup
Fall In A Jar
Don’t you just love the fall season with rows of gleaming orange pumpkins, brilliantly colorful leaves, azure blue sky, and a crisp tinge in the air? And of course, there’s the food: mulled cider, cinnamon sugar-dusted apple cider doughnuts, and pumpkin everything.
When the days turn cool and crisp, use pumpkin pie spice in all your favorite fall recipes. This homemade spice is featured in everything from my healthy pumpkin bread to pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, homemade pumpkin pie, and more. Keep reading for easy ways to use pumpkin spice! (Mixed spice is another name for pumpkin pie spice and they’re interchangeable in recipes.)
What makes mine special:
- Better quality spices. Making your own seasoning mixes is budget-friendly and tastes way better than store-bought. This homemade pumpkin pie spice is easy to customize to your taste, and it’s free of any additives or preservatives.
- Easy ingredients. Chances are, you already have what you need in your pantry. Five simple spices and five minutes is all it takes.
“Absolutely perfect blend!! You saved my baking day! Thank you so much for the recipe.”
Ingredient Notes
I’ve included some quick notes on the short list of spices you’ll need to make your own pumpkin spice. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for the full ingredient amounts and recipe details.
- Cinnamon: Sweet and warm, ground cinnamon is the foundation of the blend.
- Nutmeg: Store-bought ground nutmeg works fine. But, I promise, once you try freshly grated nutmeg, you’ll never go back! The flavor of pre-ground just can’t compare. Buy whole nutmegs (they look like a hard, round nut in the dry goods section) and use a fine zester or grater to scrape off the amount you need.
- Ginger: Another warming spice, ground ginger packs a zesty punch reminiscent of gingersnaps.
- Allspice: Despite the name, allspice is just one spice. It’s a dried berry, also called Jamaica pepper, and ground into a fine powder.
- Cloves: You may be more used to whole cloves, but you’ll need ground cloves for this pumpkin spice blend. This dark brown spice has a powerful flavor, so use it sparingly. Take a sniff and if you’re not sure about it, start with a half teaspoon and add more to taste.
Handy Tool
I usually use my fine zester to grate nutmeg but there are other nifty little tools available. I’m thinking about buying this cute little nutmeg grater. It’s inexpensive, too!
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice
Combine ingredients. Use a measuring spoon to measure out each ground spice into a jar or container, put the lid on, and shake it. You can also stir the spices together in a bowl before transferring the mixed spice to a storage container.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh spices. There’s no need to buy a bunch of brand-new spices for this recipe, just as long as yours haven’t been sitting in the cupboard for 10 years. If they have, my advice to you is to start fresh. You won’t be sorry!
- Double or triple the recipe. If you find that you’re using this spice blend often, it might be a good idea to make a bigger batch of pumpkin pie spice mix. Just keep the ratio the same.
- Make it the way you like it. If you’re not fond of a particular ingredient, simply omit it. You can also substitute extra cinnamon, or another warm sweet spice, such as cardamom.
How To Use Pumpkin Pie Spice
I’m sure you’ll find loads of ways to use pumpkin pie spice in all your favorite recipes! Here are a few of my own ideas to get you started.
- Pumpkin pie. Of course! Your homemade pumpkin pies just got a whole lot more homemade, right down to the pumpkin pie spice.
- Fall baking. There are so many fall desserts and baked goods that call for pumpkin spice! Try pumpkin poke cake or these healthy pumpkin bran muffins.
- Snacking. Pumpkin spice candied walnuts are the perfect cozy snack with your pumpkin spice latte! We love this easy pumpkin dip with gingersnaps or graham crackers.
- Breakfast. Add a dash of this spice blend to your bowl of oatmeal. A teaspoon or so mixed in with your pancake or waffle mix will taste like fall.
- Hot drinks. Skip the lineup at the local coffee house and make your own homemade pumpkin spice lattes, hot apple cider, and more.
- Ice cream. Mix pumpkin pie spice into vanilla ice cream or use it to flavor homemade whipped cream.
- Savory. Add a sprinkle of warm spice to roasted sweet potatoes and other winter vegetables, like butternut squash.
Use an airtight container. I like to recycle old spice jars to put my homemade spice blends in. I write up a quick label and date it before stashing my pumpkin pie spice in the pantry. It’s important to store spices and dried herbs in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight, like inside a pantry or cupboard.
This pumpkin pie spice will keep fresh for two to three years if stored properly.
More Seasoning Mixes
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (see note)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a small jar or airtight container. Makes a little less than a quarter cup.2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg , 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground cloves
Notes
- Nutmeg: Use store-bought ground nutmeg if you need to but I promise once you try freshly grated, you’re never going back!
- Storage: Store at room temperature in your pantry or cupboard. I like to use a clean dry jar, usually a recycled empty spice jar. Pumpkin pie spice keeps for two to three years if stored properly.
- How to use: Use this spice blend for pumpkin pie, of course, but check out the post above for lots more ideas and recipes.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Stirred into your oats sounds perfect! I should get up and toss this right away!
I think I’m going to have it on oatmeal tomorrow!
Your little homemade wrapper for the jar is the cutest :) Next time I’m out of pumpkin pie spice I’m definitely making it from scratch.
Thanks :) Let me know how you like it! I saw some recipes with cardamom too.
Perfect! Much nicer to make your own, and you can adjust for personal tastes too.
Exactly! I saw some with cardamom in them too, but I didn’t have any.
What about snorting the spice? Is that accepted among human beings? No? Yes?
looks. awesome.
Let me know how that works out for you, Bev! ;)
what a wonderful idea. I wish I would have thought of it. I love pumpkin spice and you want to know a secret- i use it even when its the middle of summer. I just can’t get away from it! great post!
Summer use is perfectly acceptable, in fact, now I’m trying to figure out why I don’t use use it year-round!
Great post, Rachel. I like to put pumpkin pie spice on applesauce. Penzey’s sells empty spice jars for situations like this, and they’re like less than $2. I use them for taco seasoning and BBQ rub, and yeah, labels are important because my husband put taco seasoning on something we were going to barbecue this summer!
Haha, whoops! I’m thinking that might be kind of good though! What were you grilling?
Country-style pork strips. We did the only logical thing: grilled them, then cut them up and put them in tacos!
Ooo yay I should do this. I’m very intrigued by what you have coming Friday…and for the pictures of the inside of your fridge!
The photos will be on Taste and Tell around two. I’ll throw up a link when her post goes lives :)
I love making my own spice mixtures! Thanks for posting this one- I was hesitant to buy pumpkin pie spice, but I have all these ingredients!
-Miriam
Yeah–It’s great in a pinch, but I don’t think I’ll ever go back now!
Awesome! I usually make my own impromptu pumpkin pie spice blend whenever a recipe calls for one, so it’s good to have an actual recipe to follow! :-) Also I just shared your taco seasoning recipe with a friend who was fretting about not being able to find taco seasoning in Israel :-)
Awesome, thanks!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing the inside of your trash can! lol…no seriously…I too am all about homemade seasoning blends. I always make my own taco seasonings too. :)
You’re welcome! See, I knew people were dying for a trash can shot ;)