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It’s almost the holiday season! Cue the music! Cue the classic movies! And cue the holiday baking! There’s no better spice to have on hand in the cabinet for all of those fall and winter treats than pumpkin pie spice. Did you know that pumpkin pie spice doesn’t have to come from the store? You can make homemade pumpkin pie spice in minutes!

What does pumpkin pie spice contain?

Great question! What exactly is pumpkin pie spice, and why do we feel like we cannot make it at home? Pumpkin pie spice is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a combination of spices that are typically used to season a traditional pumpkin pie.

The usual suspect list of spices in pumpkin pie spice are cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, though there are many variations out there. I have seen some that contain black pepper, allspice, and even orange peel. The great thing about making your own pumpkin pie spice at home is that you can suit it to your family’s tastes and needs. This is especially true if there are allergies in your family.

When to use pumpkin pie spice

Some recipes will directly call for pumpkin pie spice, which is probably why you’re wondering how to make it from home. For other recipes, especially baked goods, if there’s a combination of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, then pumpkin pie spice can probably be substituted in to save time and effort.

A few recipes that use pumpkin pie spice, or a combination of the above spices, here on The Kitchen Garten are:

• Whole Grain Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Instant Pot Apple Butter
• Easy Pumpkin Scones with Cinnamon Glaze
• Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cream Cookies
• Mini Bourbon Sweet Potato Pies

What’s needed for pumpkin pie spice

For this super easy version of pumpkin pie spice, I stick to the classic flavors, so here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 Tablespoons of Cinnamon (I like this Whole Foods brand)
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg (fresh ground if you can!)
• 3 teaspoons of ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• Clean glass spice jar (I like these small jars.)

So, get your ingredients out, along with a small mixing bowl, whisk, and a funnel, and let’s whip up some DIY pumpkin pie spice!

DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

1. Begin by gathering the spices together and freshly grating the nutmeg (and cloves) if needed.
2. Combine all of the ground spices together in a medium sized bowl and use the whisk to combine them well. You certainly don’t want any large pockets of one type of seasoning to throw off your recipe later.

3. Once spices are mixed well, place a funnel in the top of a clean spice jar. Spoon in pumpkin pie spice and seal up.

4. Use in your favorite recipes, and remake often.

This isn’t a difficult recipe, and it’s actually a fantastic recipe to get kids started on learning to measure and mix well. So if your hands are tied up in the kitchen and you know you need some pumpkin pie spice, then delegate that job out to a child who can measure and mix!

This homemade pumpkin pie spice would also make a great DIY Christmas gift to someone who enjoys baking. You could even include a favorite recipe along with the jar.

DIY Spices and Extracts

• Homemade Vanilla Extract (and mint and orange, too!)
• Homemade Cinnamon Hot Cocoa Mix
• How to Dry Basil
• DIY Apple Pie Spice (from Sally’s Baking Addiction)