Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice and How to Use it

Your very own homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice is a perfect blend of pure ingredients and delicious flavor added to your pies, bread, cookies and so much more. Ready in less than 5 minutes and with just a few spices you already have, it’s going to be a must-have in all of your pantries.  

Don’t you hate when you go to make a recipe and it calls for a spice such as a Pumpkin Pie Spice and you don’t have it in your cabinet? So then you drive all the way to the store to get it, and $5.00 later (for a tiny little container which only has about 2-3 tablespoons) you realized that you had all the ingredients you need to make your own?! 

I’m sure I’m not the only person who that has happened to. But with just 5 simple ingredients and in less than 5 minutes you can have your own pumpkin spice readily available whenever you need it. Oh and with this recipe, it will make a small jar which will last you quite a while, unlike those tiny containers the grocery store sells. 

Making your own homemade spices are easy and the best part is that you have control over what you actually use. If you like a certain ingredient more than another then you can choose to add whatever quantity you want. Plus you will never have any other “extras” or “fillers” to your own homemade spices.  

Here is a simple DIY pumpkin pie spice recipe so you will never have to go out and buy it again. 

What is Pumpkin Pie Spice?

One of the many perks of fall time is baking in the fall. And what is a fall baking necessity? That’s right pumpkin pie spice. I’ve been baking for the last 2 months making so many pumpkin and “apple” recipes, but I decided it was time to make my own homemade version. 

What is pumpkin pie spice you might ask? It’s a simple combination of “warm” spices that most of us end up needing all fall and winter long as we bake our desserts. 

You might have thought at first that there’s pumpkin in “pumpkin spice” but nope there isn’t. All it is: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Allspice, and Cloves….that’s it!! 

I’ve found this easy homemade pumpkin spice to be a real lifesaver for me and hope it is for you as well. Whenever you have a recipe that calls for your typical fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg you can use your homemade pumpkin pie spice instead. 

Here are the Ingredients in Pumpkin Pie Spice:

Cinnamon – It has a sweet-spicy flavor that enhances fruits, vegetables, chocolate, and most desserts. Cinnamon is the perfect smell and taste of fall.

Nutmeg – Intense spice with a strong and distinctive aroma. Flavors that are nutty yet slightly sweet. Some can find it to be almost spicy. 

Ginger – Sweet and warm yet it has a zesty bite to it. Ginger tends to be pungent and spicy, with a slight wood flavor that creates a certain mildness to its overall flavor. Ginger is commonly used to help settle upset stomachs. 

Allspice – It has a strong spicy taste and an aroma that is close to a mixture of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper.  

Cloves – The taste is very pungent, yet sweet with a bitter astringent flavor. They have a very distinct warmth, and almost hot. It is a spice that is very intense. Only a small amount is needed in recipes. 

Are Pumpkin Spice and Allspice the Same?

People have gotten pumpkin spice and allspice confused thinking that they are the same thing. It’s not the case though and they are actually different. The flavor profile of allspice does closely resemble pumpkin spice, especially since allspice is one of the 5 spiced used to make pumpkin pie spice, but they are different.

Why Should I Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice?

There’s a lot of different reasons to make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice but here are the main reasons:

• You will save a lot of money! For just 1 tiny little bottle of pumpkin spice at the grocery store will cost you about $5.00 and will only give you 2-3 tablespoons. Which doesn’t last very long at all. Making your own will cost less and is easy.
• Did you run out of pumpkin spice? That’s ok, just make another batch. No need to go to the store for an extra trip.
• Adjusting your flavors are easy to do. If you find cloves or allspice to be too strong, then lower the amount.
• This makes a perfect gift for family or friends. I love to buy cute jars online and fill them up with pumpkin spice, and I’ve given them away as housewarming gifts. Quick, simple and cheap gift ideas are always awesome.  
• Spices can last for several years in your cabinet, so if you make a larger jar of it don’t worry it’s not too much, it will last you a long time. 

What Can I Make with Pumpkin Pie Spice?

There’s a lot of different things you can make using your homemade pumpkin pie spice, especially food that taste good with the cinnamon/nutmeg flavor profile.  Here are a few options: 

• Pumpkin Pie
• Cakes
• Cookies
• Lattes
• Brownies 
• Fudge
• Bread
• Pumpkin Muffins 

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

This is the best part because it’s soooo easy to make!! 

1. Measure all of your spices and put into a small bowl
2. Stir them all together
3. Transfer into an airtight jar or container to keep it fresh

I told you it was easy….

Something to keep in mind though: If you want to go heavier or lighter on certain spices then feel free to. It’s about what flavors you prefer. I’m sharing with you how I prefer it, but your taste buds may be different than mine. 

What Can I Substitute for Pumpkin Pie Spice?

You might be wondering what can I use instead of pumpkin pie spice? Don’t worry though, if you need to substitute it for something else that’s ok and can work no problem. 

Can I Substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice for Apple Pie Spice?  

These two spice blends are a staple for a lot of bakers and you can substitute one for the other. But what is the difference between pumpkin pie spice and apple pie spice? 

Apple Pie Spice usually is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. It’s commonly used in apple pies, pancake batter, cookies, cake, muffins, apple crisp, and cobblers. 

Pumpkin Pie Spice will usually contain all the ingredients that you find in apple pie spice but has ginger and cloves added as well. Typically is used in most pumpkin bread, muffins, pies, cookies, and cheesecakes. But it can be used for more than just pumpkin desserts. 

Cloves can have a very strong distinctive taste, and some may not like cloves at all. If that’s the case, then all the more so, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice for apple pie spice. 

Can you Substitute Allspice for Pumpkin Pie Spice?

You can’t seamlessly substitute allspice for pumpkin pie spice. I wouldn’t recommend using just allspice when your recipe calls for pumpkin spice, because of its strong spicy flavor. It would be way too overpowering.

But now if a recipe calls for just allspice, you can substitute if for pumpkin spice. 

How Much Pumpkin Spice do I Use Instead of Individual Spices? Conversion

To make 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice all you need is:

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp allspice
• ⅛ tsp cloves 
• sprinkle of cloves

You can adjust the amounts as needed for your recipe. 

What Diets is Pumpkin Spice Good for?

I don’t think there is a diet that you can’t have pumpkin pie spice on. The main thing to consider is what you put your homemade pumpkin spice mix into. 

How to Store Pumpkin Spice

Once you have mixed up your homemade pumpkin spice, transfer it to an airtight jar until ready to use. If stored properly, your pumpkin pie spice will last for many, many months in your cabinet or pantry, even over one year. However that’s only if you don’t use it all up first.

Other Pumpkin Recipes:

If you’re in the mood for some recipes that use Pumpkin Pie Spice then try our:

• Keto Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Low Carb Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

You and you’re family will love them!

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