With a simple blend of just 5 warming spices, this homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe is fabulous to have on hand to use in all your favourite fall recipes! Plus, this DIY pumpkin pie spice is made in minutes!
Pumpkin spice and everything nice, am I right? As I’ve said before, fall is my favourite time of year. I just love it.
The food.
Cozy clothes.
Those lovely scented candles (that I buy way too many of).
Tall boots.
And pumpkin spice everything, especially in a pumpkin smoothie and hummus.
I was looking at my store-bought container of pumpkin spice the other day and thought to myself …
‘Why am I paying for this?? I have all these spices on hand.’ The store-bought jar has preservatives in there too, specifically sulphites.
Plus, if I make a DIY pumpkin spice recipe, there will be absolutely no added junk. Yay for that, so that’s what I did!
Now, don’t get me wrong. There are sulphites in wine too. But Dawn ain’t giving up wine, LOL.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Ingredients
Pumpkin pie spice, or simply pumpkin spice, is made of five ingredients (that you probably have on hand in your pantry), with the primary spice being cinnamon. It includes:
- Cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Allspice
- Ground cloves
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How to Make Pumpkin Spice at Home
You literally mix all the spices in a bowl and place in an airtight container. Easy!
How to Use
Homemade pumpkin pie spice adds so much flavour to everything, from sweet to savoury dishes and everything in between! Some of my faves are:
- Pumpkin spice latte
- Waffles and pancakes
- Muffins
- Loaves and cakes
- Cookies and cupcakes
- Energy balls
- Hummus
- Pasta
- Smoothies
- Soups (recipe coming up soon)
- And so much more!
More Tips
Use fresh spices! Don’t go grabbing spices that have been in your cupboard for, like, 3 years.
This pumpkin spice recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. I made a big batch to use throughout the fall season.
It makes a fabulous hostess gift! Grab some cute little containers from your local craft or dollar store and wrap in a pretty bow or ribbon.
If you really love nutmeg, for example, feel free to add a smidgen more! It’s seriously an easy pumpkin pie spice recipe; we love it!
Best Spices to Buy
Not all spices are created equal. Sure, you can buy spices on the cheap, but they may not be of the same quality as others. Buy a brand you know and trust.
Look for spices that are bright, those they don’t look ‘dried out’ and smell as they should.
Best Way to Store Spices
In order to achieve maximum flavour out of your spices, proper storage is essential. So, there are some things to keep in mind:
Store in an airtight container. Small glass jars, like mason jars, work lovely here.
Tip: If you’re removing store-bought spices from their original container, ensure you note the best before date on the packaging so you know how long it’s good for.
Label your spices! Ever go to the bulk food store, pick up some spices and didn’t label right away? Yeah, me too. Then, you may totally forget what the heck you bought. Label so there’s no mistaking what it is.
Store in a cool, dark place. Your pantry cupboard or kitchen drawer works great. Some people often store spices next to their stove. Don’t do that! You’re exposing them to heat, light and possibly moisture and, thereby, reducing their quality.
Finish off a jar of, say, cumin? Don’t automatically top up the jar with new stuff. Clean and dry the jar first so everything stays nice and fresh.
Speaking of clean, don’t go dipping any contaminated spoons into that jar of spice. Ensure your measuring spoon doesn’t have any other food items on their from cooking and it’s not wet/damp.
Don’t buy too much of any one spice at once. Sure, you can probably get, like, a ginormous container of cinnamon at a wholesaler on the cheap, but are you really gonna use all of it in a reasonable time before it starts to lose freshness? Unless you know you are going to use it or can share with a friend, buy smaller quantities.
How Long Does It Last
Like mentioned above, when making this DIY pumpkin spice, use fresh spices for optimal taste.
The older spices are the less fresh they are, which could mean less pungent.
Ideally use this homemade pumpkin pie spice within 6 months or up to a year. I’m sure you could probably use after that, but that’s what I prefer for optimal freshness.
More Easy Fall Recipes
- Halloween Donuts
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Pumpkin Ice Cream from David of Spiced
So, go ahead … make your own pumpkin pie spice and use on all your favourite fall eats and drinks! Hope you love it as much as we do!
If you make this homemade pumpkin pie spice, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed! Thank you!
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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1.5 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1.5 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground clove
- 1 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- In a bowl (or mix directly in your storage jar), mix all spices together until everything is well combined.
- Place into your storage jar, cover and store in a cool, dark place (like your spice drawer or pantry cupboard). Enjoy within 6 months to a year for optimal freshness.
Notes
- Use fresh spices!
- This pumpkin spice recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
- Label your spice jar.
Nutrition (ESTIMATE ONLY)
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
Kevin
Pumpkin spice is all the rage again this fall….so much better homemade too! Love it!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Homemade is always best 🙂 Thanks Kevin!
Katerina | Once a Foodie
I’m so glad I found this post, Dawn! I see all these wonderful recipes using pumpkin spice on Instagram but they don’t stock it here in Australia. So excited I can make my own! I love your photography too. Thanks for sharing!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you so very much, Katerina 🙂 Hope you love the recipe!
[email protected]
“But Dawn ain’t giving up wine!” Hahahahah! Priorities! I’m with you sister!! Nothing better than homemade ‘anything’…this spice mix included! So homey and delicious! Happy week, my friend! xoxo
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Haha! Thank you sweet friend! Happy week to you too! XOXO
Laura
An awesome recipe for a spice mix we can all use repeatedly! Especially since pumpkin season is here! Like you, Dawn, I totally choose my sulfites carefully. Thanks for the recipe, and spice hints!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Haha! Happy to hear it! Thank you Laura 🙂
David @ Spiced
What a perfect post for kicking off Autumn! I love making my own spice mixtures, and I use pumpkin pie spice in so many recipes this time of the year. Great photos, Dawn! 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you very much, David! Appreciate the kind words 🙂
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes
Such a beautiful gift idea, Dawn! We are in Spring in Australia, but I am loving all of the fall recipes and pumpkin dishes everywhere – delicious!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Alexandra 🙂
Valentina
What an excellent ingredient to have at the ready at all times. I love pumpkin spice mix and your suggestion of adding it to hummus sound delicious. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Valentina! I have a pumpkin hummus recipe on the blog already if you want to check out 😉
Katherine | Love In My Oven
I do love fall too, Dawn!! The cozy clothes, the excitement of the approaching holidays, the FLAVOURS! I don’t know WHY I haven’t made my own pumpkin pie spice before. Making this stat!! I hope you had a wonderful weekend my friend!! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Woot woot! Thank you Katherine! Hope you love it! Have an awesome week too 🙂 XOXO
Marissa
What a great idea to make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice! I love the idea of being able to tilt the flavor any way I want. Definitely making a batch of this for the holiday season!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Hope you love it, Marissa 🙂 Thank you!
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl
“But Dawn ain’t giving up wine…” LOL! One of the many reasons why I just love you, girl! Also I am totally obsessed with this recipe!! I have ALL of these spices in my pantry right now..totally going to make it and make all of the baked goods with it…or maybe put a tbsp worth in my coffee! YUM!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Haha..it’s true 😉 Thank you Haylie! You’re so sweet!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Such a great idea and so perfect to have on hand through the Fall baking (and latte) season!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thank you Jennifer 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I can smell this already and yes, it is time for everything pumpkin spice. I love the idea of giving this as gifts! I have a few people I know who would absolutely love getting a jar filled with this delicious mixture.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Woo hoo! Thank you Kathy 🙂
Leanne
I’ve started making my own pumpkin spice because I go through so much of it! And sometimes, early in the fall, you can’t find it in stores! Thanks for the great tips for using and storing spices. I am sometimes guilty of using old spices, forgetting to label them, and double dipping my teaspoon into different spices! I’ve become pretty good at the ‘smell and guess what spice it is’ game! 😉 Happy Monday Dawn!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! Thank you Leanne! Have a great week 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
I should be making my own too Dawn, and know I most certainly will! I’m so excited for fall this year! It’s been a hot summer and I’m totally ready for tall boots, sweaters and pumpkin spice everything! Pinned!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thank you Mary Ann!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
Homemade spice mixes are always better than store-bought! I love that you can customize them too–I always add a tiny bit of cardamom to my pumpkin pies. And thanks for all the tips on storing spices; you reminded me I need to go weed out my spice drawer. I have things in there I don’t even remember buying :). Have a great week, Dawn!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally!! Cardamom sounds lovely too! Hope you’re having a lovely week, Kelsie 🙂
Mimi
This is great, and really smart to have around. You know what’s funny, is that there’s no pumpkin in it. I mean, it could be called eggnog spice. I remember when I went to make eggnog liqueur years ago, I realized there’s really no eggnog flavor – it’s just the spices!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! Thanks you Mimi 🙂