Take “scratch cooking” to a whole new level with my deliciously simple recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice. All you need is 5 minutes and 5 ingredients to whip up a batch! Perfect for adding warm n’ cozy vibes to your favorite fall drinks and desserts while using what you already have.
Dried herbs and spices are some of the simplest ways to add big flavor to your meals without a big fuss. And, while I have a pretty broad collection of singles in the mix, homemade seasoning blends are one of my favorite cooking and baking shortcuts. Why? Because tons of flavor complexity resides in each bottle!
This pumpkin spice blend is definitely one of my favorites for fall and winter, when I’m almost always in the throes of pumpkin-propelled passion. Pumpkin pie cookies, pumpkin protein shakes, or pumpkin pancakes—it honestly doesn’t matter. If it’s pumpkin-spiced, I know it’s nice.
But as much as I love this quintessential fall flavor, last I was at the grocery store, a dinky little 1-ounce bottle of pumpkin spice mix was going for almost $5! 🤯 So, rather than shell out my hard-earned dollars for unreasonable seasonal surge pricing, I decided to raid my spice cabinet and make my own. Turns out, making pumpkin pie spice is a snap.
Jump to:
- What is homemade pumpkin spice seasoning?
- What does it taste like?
- Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions
- How To Make Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Success Tips
- Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix Nutrition
- Pricing Info
- FAQs
- Other Pumpkin Spice Recipes
- Recipe
What is homemade pumpkin spice seasoning?
Seasoning blends (also known as masalas in Hindi) are just what they sound like—mixtures of varying types of herbs, spices, and sometimes, salt. The idea is one of convenience; find a ratio of flavors that you like, then bottle it up so you only have to unscrew one cap while you’re cooking.
This homemade pumpkin pie spice is a blend designed for—you guessed it—pumpkin spice dishes and drinks. While it can go savory, it’s most often used for flavoring pumpkin-flavored coffee drinks, breakfast favorites, and dessert dishes. In case you’re wondering, there is no pumpkin in this blend; rather, it is designed to accentuate the flavor of pumpkin.
Generally speaking, the two main players for this ingredient are cinnamon and ginger with a strong supporting cast of cloves and nutmeg. Many recipes also include allspice, and some even add ingredients like black pepper or cardamom. Note that the basic pumpkin pie spice ratio is flexible and can be suited to your particular preferences—a strong argument for making your own.
What does it taste like?
The two predominant flavors of this homemade pumpkin spice blend are the natural warm sweetness of cinnamon & nutmeg and the spicy, bold flavor of ginger & cloves. I also like to add peppery-sweet allspice since it straddles the line of sweet and spicy. In short, it tastes like autumn and reminds me of a soft, snuggly blanket on a chilly night.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
- Super Speedy – Measure your spices, mix ‘em up, and store them. The whole process should take no longer than 5 minutes.
- Thrifty – Grocery stores tend to jack up the prices of seasonal items to maximize profits on the most desired products. Pumpkin pie seasoning is in high demand from October through December, so it usually costs more, too. Making your own pumpkin spice isn’t just cheaper—it’s also a great way to move through your individual spices while they’re at their most potent.
- Customizable – Hate a particular ingredient in the pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice blend? Not to worry—when you’re the one blending, you can use whatever you want. 😉
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Cinnamon – Recently, some ground cinnamon has been found to have elevated levels of contaminants like heavy metals. To avoid adding lead to your mix, opt for reputable brands following organic growing practices.
- Ground Ginger – Though often treated like a spice, this spicy ingredient is actually the root of a rhizome. As with cinnamon, you need to be choosy about your source—many contain fillers that dilute the flavor, and may contain other contaminants like mold.
- Ground Cloves, Allspice, & Nutmeg – While all ground spices lose potency over time, these three are particularly sensitive to flavor loss. If possible, buy the spices whole and grate or grind them yourself—they’ll last much longer and taste much richer.
Substitutions
- Ground Cinnamon – If you’re out of cinnamon or are allergic, try swapping in an equal amount of ground cardamom, half as much allspice, or a quarter as much nutmeg.
- Ground Ginger – Can’t do ginger? Try using a 50/50 mix of cardamom and white pepper or a 50/50 blend of cinnamon and allspice.
- Ground Cloves – Use half as much allspice or a 50/50 mix of cinnamon and nutmeg in place of cloves.
- Allspice – You’re welcome to omit it or swap in a 50/50 mix of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Nutmeg – Mace has the closest flavor, but you could also use either cinnamon or allspice instead.
How To Make Pumpkin Pie Spice
This recipe for pumpkin pie spice is as easy as 1-2-… That’s it!
Step 1: Mix. Stir together all the spices, making sure to break up the clumps of ground ginger.
Step 2: Store. Decant into a spice jar using a funnel and store for up to 1 year in an airtight container.
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Change the Ratio – Want more nutmeg? Don’t want cloves? Feel free to tinker with your spice blend until it fits your ideal flavor profile.
- Cinnamon-Free or Ginger-Free – If you’re allergic to either ginger or cinnamon, I’ve offered several alternatives in the “substitutions” section above.
- Add-Ins – As I mentioned earlier, different brands use different blends of spices. I’ve seen some with black pepper and/or black or green cardamom. You could also add vanilla powder or ground vanilla bean for more depth.
- Coffee Topper – Jazz up your normal cinnamon sugar by using this seasonal spice blend instead. Long live pumpkin spice lattes!
Serving Suggestions
I’ve professed my love of all things pumpkin spice in the past, but prepare yourself—I’m about to go all Bubba on this one. This homemade pie spice can be used in:
- Breakfast – My fluffy pumpkin pancakes, high protein pumpkin overnight oats, pumpkin protein muffins, and pumpkin banana bread all call for pumpkin spice.
- Side-Dishes & Snacks – Make pumpkin spice pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie smoothies for crunching and slurping on the go, or whip up this easy, not-too-sweet bread machine pumpkin bread to serve alongside your favorite fall meals.
- Desserts – You know the drill—pumpkin pie, pumpkin crisp, pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin cheesecake ice cream. If you can dream it, you can pumpkin spice it.
- Coffee & Tea – I’m not sure you know this about me, but I’m a coffee fanatic. Try out my Starbucks copycat pumpkin cold brew, or head over to Coffee Copycat where I share even more seasonal Starbucks favorites like pumpkin spice frappuccinos, iced pumpkin cream chai lattes, and pumpkin cold foam.
Recipe Success Tips
- Cinnamon Surprise: When it comes to cinnamon, there are several varieties to choose from. Most bottled cinnamon in the US is cassia cinnamon, which has a strong, spicy flavor. The second most popular variety is Ceylon cinnamon, also known as Mexican cinnamon or canela. It’s softer, milder, and more floral than cassia. There’s also Saigon cinnamon, which is probably the sharpest in the bunch, and Korintje cinnamon, which is the sweetest. I used cassia cinnamon since it’s what I had on hand, but any of the other varieties will work too! Enjoy experimenting to find your favorite.
- Proper Storage: Ground spices lose their intensity over time as their essential oils dry up. To prevent this for as long as possible, keep your pumpkin seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dry, and dark place.
- Expiration & Intensity: While most dried herbs and spices won’t technically spoil under proper storage conditions, their intensity will wane. Make sure to use spices that have recently been opened—they’ll lose their flavor within 6-12 months. If your spices were languishing on the shelf for years, it’s likely they won’t taste like much.
- No Funnel? No Problem. For dry ingredients like spice mixes, simply fashion a piece of paper into a cone.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix Nutrition
Each tablespoon of this homemade blend contains 20 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of fiber. With no fat or protein, it’s a guilt-free way to give your dishes the pumpkin spice treatment! By making your own spice blend, you can ensure you’re using pure, high-quality spices, free from unnecessary fillers or contaminants often found in pre-packaged blends.
In addition, pumpkin spices all have beneficial qualities. Cinnamon is known for its anti-inflammatory and blood sugar-regulating properties. Ginger adds digestive support and can help reduce nausea. Cloves and allspice bring antioxidant benefits, supporting overall immune health. Nutmeg rounds out the mix with its ability to enhance mood and improve sleep quality.
All in all, this is a flavorful seasoning mix you can use with wild abandon. Go ahead and enjoy pumpkin spice season while you can! Excuse me while I go figure out other things I can pumpkin spice-ify… 🤔
Total nutritional content per tablespoon is:
- Calories: 20 calories
- Total Fat: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Carbohydrates: 6 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- ¼ cup ground cinnamon: $0.60
- 1 tbsp ground ginger: $0.22
- 1 tsp ground cloves: $0.18
- 1 tsp allspice: $0.05
- 1 tsp nutmeg: $0.08
The total comes out to be around $1.13 or about $0.14 per tablespoon!
FAQs
It all depends on the recipe or manufacturer. Classic pumpkin pie spice ingredients include cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, though some may use allspice instead of or in addition to cloves. Other warming spices are sometimes added, but my recipe uses just those 5.
While allspice is often included in pumpkin spice blends, and despite the somewhat misleading name, allspice is a single ingredient made from dried berries.
They are one and the same! While they can be used interchangeably to describe this seasoning blend, “pumpkin spice” can also refer to foods and drinks (and even non-edible products!) that contain the beloved seasoning or scent.
Make your own blend of warming spices! Use the recipe card below for a classic pumpkin spice blend, or mix and match cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and/or black pepper to your heart’s content. You could also use premixed chai masala, apple pie spice, or haiwaj.
It’s so easy! Hop on up to the “Substitutions” section where I outline easy swaps for both ginger and cinnamon.
Other Pumpkin Spice Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Stir together all the spices, making sure to break up the clumps of ground ginger.
- Funnel into a spice jar and store for up to 1 year in an airtight container.
Nutrition
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
xoxo Megan
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