Pumpkin Pie Spice

By
Carrie Havranek
Carrie Havranek
Carrie Havranek
Carrie has 10+ years experience as a food writer and editor. Her work can be found in her cookbook, Tasting Pennsylvania, and her site, the Dharma Kitchen.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/24/22
Tested by
Cara Cormack
Cara Cormack head shot
Tested by Cara Cormack
Cara is a commercial food, drink and product photographer based in London. She has produced photography for: Rowse Honey, Octopus Books, Kyle Books, The Spruce Eats, Mamamade, Vegan Food and Living, Spoon Cereals, Walnut Magazine and Soopergood.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
pumpkin pie spice in a bowl

The Spruce/Cara Cormack

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 16 teaspoons
Yield: 1/3 cup

Thanks to its eagerly awaited addition to lattes at coffee bars, we know how beloved pumpkin spice is; it has its own hashtag (#PSL) to prove it. But people have been using pumpkin spice (aka pumpkin pie spice) long before it became a fall staple at your local cafe. And so whether you’re making your own pumpkin spice latte at home or want your pumpkin pie to live up to its full (and delicious) holiday potential, this homemade blend comes together fast. Chances are, you have the ingredients on your spice rack already.

What Is In Pumpkin Pie Spice?

The typical supermarket pumpkin pie spice blend includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice—and not a whiff of anything pumpkin related. The blend gives your pumpkin pie (and other pumpkin baked goods) the signature aromas of fall. This particular pumpkin pie spice recipe goes a step further and adds cloves to really help round out the flavor.

Fresh Is Best

Start with the freshest spices you can find for the best results. Some health food stores or supermarkets have a bulk section that includes spices–ask how quickly that stock moves. Chances are, it’s fresher and rotates more quickly than jarred spices on the average grocery store shelf. Not to mention that bulk spices are usually less expensive.

How To Use Pumpkin Pie Spice

Add pumpkin spice to pumpkin whoopie pies, waffles, pancakes, muffins, cookies, you name it. It also works well blended with maple syrup in your morning oatmeal (with sliced apples, naturally) or plain Greek yogurt. Try it on roasted veggies or add to sweet potato or butternut squash soup; it’s especially good with those orange veggies.

"It’s like fall in a jar! This blend is warming, easy to make, and surprisingly versatile. I’ve been enjoying toasting a bunch of pecans and almonds with this pumpkin spice and a drizzle of honey. Sometimes it can be difficult finding that perfect balance of spices, but this recipe really gets it right." —Cara Cormack

Pumpkin Pie Spice/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make pumpkin pie spice

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  2. Whisk the ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves together in a small bowl.

    pumpkin pie spices in a glass bowl

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  3. Use as directed in your recipe and store the remaining spice blend in an airtight container.

    pumpkin pie spice in a glass jar

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Use the freshest spices possible. Your lattes, pies, and cookies will thank you. If you have a spice or coffee grinder, you can start with whole spices; nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon can be acquired whole and ground separately, then combined as directed in the recipe above.
  • If freshly ground spices don't work for you, just make sure your spices aren’t old. If they are, this blend’s power will be blunted quite a bit, resulting in drinks or baked goods that don’t taste as good as they could. If you aren’t sure how old yours are, take a whiff. Stale or musty smelling spices, or even ones that smell a little dull, should be pitched.

How To Use

  • This blend can be used in a 1:1 substitution for any recipe calling for pumpkin pie spice.
  • If you’re adding it to existing recipes, start with 1 to 2 teaspoons and scale up or down as needed, depending on how much spice flavor you want. It may take a little experimentation to get it right.

Recipe Variations

  • This recipe can be customized to suit your preferences; start by making substitutions of 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon if you want to increase the amount of one spice or swap out a different one. 
  • If you like it heavy on the cinnamon, use a little more. 
  • Feel like your blend needs something a little different? Try a hybrid of chai spice blend and pumpkin pie spice by adding ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, cardamom, or both.

How To Store

Store this blend in an airtight jar in a cool pantry or cabinet away from direct light. Use within 6 to 9 months for optimal freshness.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
7 Calories
0g Fat
2g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 7
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 14mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)