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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute

Learn how to make your own pumpkin pie spice blend with this easy recipe! Use it to replace store-bought pumpkin pie spice.

Ever since I discovered that you can mix your own spice blend, I have shied away from the pre-mixed store-bought varieties.

I’m sure there are some lovely blends out there, but there’s just something nice about knowing exactly what and how much of everything goes into your seasonings. 

Plus, if you prefer to use organic spices, it can be a more affordable option.

I like to buy my spices a little at a time from the bulk bins at our local health food store. That way I don’t keep an entire bottle of cloves in my drawer for a few years until it goes stale. 

This pumpkin pie spice recipe is SO easy to make at home. The blend of cinnamon and other warming spices is perfect for mixing into your favorite fall recipes, or sprinkling on top of cozy lattes.

It’s an essential addition to your spice cabinet this time of year!

 

 

Here’s a video tutorial in case you learn better that way. The written tutorial and full recipe are below!

Is Pumpkin Spice Just Cinnamon and Nutmeg?

No, typically pumpkin spice blends are made from cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and sometimes cloves. Every spice company has their own recipe, but those are the most commonly found ingredients. Just cinnamon and nutmeg will still be delicious, but there’s usually a couple of other ingredients. 

Best Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute?

If you don’t have any pre-made pumpkin pie spice on hand, this homemade version is the best substitute.

My recipe makes about 5 tablespoons. But if you don’t want that much pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can make just enough for your recipe!

For just 1 teaspoon use:

  • 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 pinch cloves
  • 1 pinch allspice

Can I Substitute Nutmeg Instead of Pumpkin Spice?

You can, but cinnamon is actually a better substitute. Since cinnamon is by far the main ingredient in pumpkin pie spice blends, that’s the best one to use as a single spice substitute. 

So if you want a quick substitute, using cinnamon is a pretty good pumpkin spice substitute. There won’t be as much depth of flavor without the rest of the spices, but it will still be delicious. 

If you do opt for nutmeg instead of cinnamon, make sure you don’t substitute it 1 for 1. Nutmeg is a strong spice, and it can easily overpower your recipe.

Okay, let’s get into making the recipe!

Pumpkin Pie Spice Ingredients:

All of the ingredients needed to make pumpkin spice lend at home.

You only need a few common spices to make this DIY pumpkin pie spice:

  • 3 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon: This is the predominant flavor in pumpkin spice, and I’ll talk more about the different types of cinnamon below!
  • 2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger: This imparts a slightly spicy, warm flavor to the blend of spices. 
  • 2 Teaspoons Ground Nutmeg: I highly recommend making sure your nutmeg is really fresh. In fact, make sure all of your spices aren’t stale! But fresh nutmeg vs old nutmeg is night and day different!
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Allspice: This is probably the least common of all the spices. If you don’t have any on hand, you can leave it out or substitute a little more of the other secondary spices.
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves: The addition of cloves does add another layer of flavory, but this spice isn’t always included in commercial blends.

Notes:

  1. If you want to take your homemade spice blend to the next level, you could grind whole spices in a spice grinder. Freshly grated nutmeg is amazing, just saying.
  2. These are the spices that are most commonly found in pumpkin spice, but you can definitely add others such as star anise, cardamom, black pepper, etc. 
  3. You can definitely adjust these spices or leave some out according to your personal preference and taste buds! Don’t like cloves? Leave them out!

A Quick Note About Cinnamon:

Regular and Ceylon cinnamon in jars side by side.

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The type of cinnamon you use can greatly affect the final flavor of your spice blends.

The cinnamon that you typically find at the grocery store is not true cinnamon. True cinnamon, or Ceylon Cinnamon, has different health benefits, and also a different flavor. 

Another variety is Vietnamese Cinnamon, which has a strong flavor in my experience. If you opt for the Vietnamese variety, you may want to reduce the amount of cinnamon a little bit.

Making the Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix:

Whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Place the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a small bowl. 

Whisk until the ingredients are well combined.

Pouring the homemade pumpkin pie spice into a small jar.

Carefully transfer the spice blend into an airtight container.

Now you have the flavors of fall in a jar!

Quick Tip: Lay down a sheet of parchment paper first to cast any spills!

I really like these Weck jars with wooden lids, but you could also use a mini mason jar.

Note: This will make a small jar of pumpkin pie spice. Double or triple the ingredients if you go through a lot during the fall season!

 

A jar of homemade pumpkin spice blend with pumpkin behind it and spiced around it.

 

Make sure to label your jar so you don’t forget what’s in it!

I used a piece of white washi tape and wrote on it, but you could use masking tape or sticker labels.

Storing:

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place. It will last for about 6 months of your spices are fresh when you make it.

After that it’s still safe to consume, it will just lose some of its pungency. 

If you have leftovers after pumpkin spice season, you can store it in the freezer for next year!

A jar of homemade pumpkin pie spice blend with pumpkins behind it and spiced around it.

How to Use:

You can replace pumpkin spice blend in any recipe with this homemade version at a 1:1 ratio. So if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, use 1 teaspoon of this homemade version.

Obviously this will pair well with any pumpkin desserts.

My Homemade Pumpkin Cold Foam would be a great place to use it. Or my Easy Baked Pumpkin Custard is another great recipe that uses pumpkin pie spice.

If you’re into making your own coffee syrups, you can use it to make Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup, and then make a Pumpkin Spice Latte with it.

Instead of measuring out all the individual spices, you could substitute 2 teaspoons of this homemade pumpkin pie spice in my Low Sugar Pumpkin Pie recipe.

You could even experiment with adding it to savory dishes such as Roasted Butternut Squash and Garlic Soup

Here are a few more recipes where you can use it:

 

A top down picture of homemade pumpkin spice blend in a small jar with whole spices and a pumpkin around it.

So that’s my homemade pumpkin pie spice substitute! If you make it and enjoy, please come back and leave a 5 star rating!

And check out this other delicious recipes:

More Homemade Spice Blends:

More Fall Recipes:

From Around the Web:

Recipe Card
 

Yield: 5 tablespoons

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

A jar of homemade pumpkin pie spice.

Learn how to make your own pumpkin pie spice with a few simple ingredients!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 2 teaspoons nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon cloves

Instructions

  1. Mix everything together and store in an air-tight container. Use as you would store-bought pumpkin pie spice. 

Notes

  • If you don't like a particular spice, or don't have it on hand, feel free to leave it out! Just don't skip the cinnamon!
  • Make sure all of your spices are fresh for the best flavor!
  • Adapted from My Baking Addiction

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 7

Did you make this recipe?

Please share a photo and tag me on Instagram!

  
 

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice | Buttered Side Up

The original photo from when I first posted this recipe back on Oct 17, 2014 at 12:01. I took it with my iPhone 5S 

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