Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
My homemade pumpkin pie spice has a little secret: cardamom. It adds a subtle spicy-sweet note that makes this blend a little different from the classic version.
I came up with this recipe after trying pumpkin pies and drinks where one spice seemed to take over. Sometimes the cloves were too strong, sometimes I could barely taste the ginger, and sometimes the spices simply didn’t seem to work together.
I wanted a blend where I could enjoy the flavor and aroma of each spice without one overpowering the others. And, of course, I added cardamom for my own little twist.
This homemade pumpkin pie spice takes about 5 minutes to make and is easy to adjust to your taste. Use it in pumpkin pie, lattes, cakes, waffles, granola, frosting, and plenty more.
What Is in Pumpkin Pie Spice?
Traditional pumpkin pie spice is a warming blend usually made with spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. The exact combination and proportions can vary.
My version uses those familiar fall spices with the addition of cardamom. I love the slightly sweet, aromatic note it brings to the blend.
Cardamom is widely used in festive desserts and sweets across South Asia and the Middle East, so to me, it gives pumpkin pie spice a little royal touch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cinnamon: This makes up the base of the blend and gives it that familiar warm, sweet aroma.
- Ground ginger: Adds warmth and a gentle spicy kick that keeps the blend from tasting flat.
- Nutmeg: Brings a warm, slightly nutty flavor that works beautifully with cinnamon.
- Allspice: Despite its name, allspice is a spice of its own. It has notes that remind me of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Cloves: Powerful, aromatic, and warming. A little goes a long way, which is why I keep it balanced with the other spices.
- Cardamom: My special addition. It gives the blend a slightly sweet, fragrant flavor without taking it too far away from the pumpkin pie spice everyone knows.
You’ll find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice
It really is this easy: add all the ground spices to a bowl and mix thoroughly until evenly combined.
Transfer the mixture to a clean, completely dry glass jar, seal it well, and label it with the date. The whole process takes about five minutes.
Make It Your Own
One of the advantages of making pumpkin pie spice at home is that you don’t have to accept someone else’s idea of the perfect blend.
If you love ginger, add a little more. If cloves tend to overpower everything for you, reduce them. And if there’s a spice you simply don’t enjoy, you can leave it out.
The blend will taste different, of course, but that’s the point: make a pumpkin pie spice that tastes good to you.
Try a Tiny Bit of Black Pepper
Here’s another variation I’ve tried: add about ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
It doesn’t make the mixture taste noticeably peppery. Instead, I find that it enhances the other spices and adds something in the background that’s difficult to describe.
I think of it a little like vanilla extract in baking—you don’t want to drink vanilla extract by itself 🤣, but in a cake you notice what it does to the overall flavor and aroma.
Black pepper isn’t part of my regular pumpkin pie spice recipe, so consider this an optional variation if you feel like experimenting.
Using Whole Spices? Try This
If you already have some of these spices at home but they’re whole rather than ground, you can grind your own.
I like to briefly warm whole spices in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring until they become aromatic. Remove them from the hot pan immediately, let them cool completely, and then grind them finely.
I don’t do this with the ground ginger.
Keep in mind that freshly ground spices can be more aromatic and intense than older pre-ground spices, so your finished blend may taste stronger.
How Much Pumpkin Pie Spice Should I Use for One Pie?
For a standard pumpkin pie, 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice is a good starting point. You can add a little more if you prefer a more strongly spiced filling.
Interestingly, I don’t use this premixed blend in my Ultimate Pumpkin Pie. For that recipe, I add the spices individually because I wanted complete control over the final flavor and balance of the filling.
That’s one advantage of keeping both options in your kitchen: a homemade pumpkin pie spice blend is wonderfully convenient for everyday baking and drinks, while adding individual spices gives you more control when you’re developing a recipe with a very specific flavor in mind.
Ways to Use Pumpkin Pie Spice
Don’t let the name fool you—this blend is useful for much more than pumpkin pie, and you certainly don’t have to wait for fall to use it.
I use it in my Pumpkin Spice Latte, where the blend gives me the balanced spice flavor I was looking for. I also use it in my Pumpkin Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Waffles, and Pumpkin Pie Spice Granola.
You can also experiment with a small amount in buttercream or ermine frosting when you want to add a warm, spiced flavor to a cake or cupcake.
Fresh Spices Make a Difference
Making pumpkin pie spice takes only five minutes, but the quality of the spices matters more than the mixing.
If your cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg have been sitting forgotten in the cupboard for years, combining them won’t suddenly bring their aroma back.
For the best flavor, start with fresh, aromatic spices. Check the dates on their packages before making the blend, particularly if you don’t remember when you bought them.
How to Store Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
Transfer the mixture to a clean, completely dry airtight glass jar and store it somewhere cool, dark, and dry, away from heat and moisture.
I also like to label the jar, so I know when I made it and can keep track of the dates of the spices I used.
Rather than relying only on an arbitrary storage period, pay attention to the freshness and best-before guidance for the individual spices you started with. The blend may remain safe beyond its peak, but as ground spices age, their aroma and flavor gradually become weaker.
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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon cinnamon powder
- 2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon clove powder
- ½ teaspoon allspice powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
- Add all the spices to a bowl and mix until evenly combined. Transfer to a clean, dry, airtight glass jar.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use fresh, aromatic ground spices and check their expiry or best-before dates before making the blend.
- Store the spice blend in a clean, dry, airtight glass jar in a cool, dark, dry place.
- Adjust the individual spices to suit your taste. For an optional variation, add ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper for a subtle boost to the overall spice flavor.
Smells delicious!
Thank you for the recipe.
Can I sub the nutmeg for something else? As islamically nutmeg is not allowed because of its intoxicating effects. Thanks in advance
Hi, you can skip nutmeg. The spice mix will still taste great without it. Hope this helped ☺