In the middle of a recipe that calls for pumpkin pie spice and realize you don’t have any? Don’t fret, I’ve got every pumpkin pie spice substitute for you to make sure you get those Fall flavors you’re seeking!
Whether you’re cooking, baking, or mixing up a drink with pumpkin pie spice, it’s a quintessential Autumn ingredient. And despite its name, can and should be used for way more than just pumpkin pie!
As an environmental scientist, I LOVE making my own sauces and spice blends.
For one, pre-made spice blends often contain extra preservatives and anti-caking agents. Food preservatives, like pesticides, are harmful to the environment. They contain toxins that are harmful to plants, animals, and soil.
Plus, making your own blends means you can avoid buying extra pesky plastic, or those single use packets that are often not recyclable. These plastics often end up in landfills or make their way into the environment and become microplastics.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Cinnamon. The most prominent flavor in your pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon does a lot of the heavy lifting in this Fall spice blend! It’s subtly sweet and is often described as woody.
- Nutmeg. Similarly to cinnamon, nutmeg is slightly sweet and woody, but adds an additional nuttiness to your spice blend.
- Ginger. The ground ginger is what brings the heat. It’s “spicy” in the same way that black pepper is, with a distinct warming kick.
- Cloves. Cloves are the most aromatic and intense, having the biggest warming effect, even in the smallest amount.
- All-spice. All-spice adds a slightly peppery and savory note to your spice blend.
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
Whisk it Up!
The only tool you really need to make homemade pumpkin pie spice is a whisk (or a fork)! This will help you integrate all of the spices seamlessly.
It’s important to use a whisk or a fork because if any moisture infiltrates your spices, you can get little clumps! The whisk (or fork) will be able to easily break any lumps or clumps down.
Other Options for Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitutes
1. Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice and are not able to grab some from the store, no worries! It’s so quick and easy to make your own at home! You’ll just need cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and all-spice. More on this later.
2. Cinnamon
Cinnamon makes up the majority of your pumpkin pie spice blend, so in a pinch, you can simply substitute just cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice!
3. Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup
Depending on what you are using it for, you can opt to buy or make a pumpkin spice simple syrup! This is especially useful for cocktails, coffee, or other beverages.
4. A Makeshift Pumpkin Pie Spice
By “makeshift” I just mean, use what you have! Of the 5 elements in pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and all-spice), you can use any combination of 2-4 of the ingredients and still get similar results. More details on this below!
What if I’m Missing an Ingredient for Pumpkin Pie Spice?
If You’re Missing Cinnamon
Cinnamon does most of the heavy lifting in this pumpkin pie spice recipe. In fact, in a pinch, you can simply substitute cinnamon in any recipe that calls for pumpkin pie spice if you must!
Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t whip up pumpkin pie spice without cinnamon!
To do so, simply use 1 part all-spice, 1 part cloves, 2 parts nutmeg, and 2 parts ginger.
If You’re Missing Nutmeg
Nutmeg lends a nutty flavor to your pumpkin pie spice. An easy substitute for nutmeg is mace.
If you don’t have mace, simply add a little extra cinnamon in its’ place.
If You’re Missing Ginger
Ginger brings the heat. If you don’t have ginger, you can easily substitute turmeric in its place.
Otherwise, just leave the ginger out and add a little bit of extra all-spice.
If You’re Missing Cloves and/or All-Spice
The cloves and all-spice can be swapped for one another. By this, I just mean that if you don’t have cloves, use double the all-spice, and if you don’t have all-spice, use double the cloves.
If you don’t have any all-spice or cloves, don’t worry! You can still make a really tasty and effective pumpkin pie spice. Just use 3 parts cinnamon, 2 parts nutmeg, and 1 part ginger.
Green tip: Organic farms rely on biodiversity to generate rich soil, avoiding pesticides and fertilizers, which means no toxic runoff. Consider organic spices for this recipe!
Pumpkin Pie Spice Tips & Tricks
How to Store Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
You can store your pumpkin pie spice in any airtight container or sealed jar. I love to keep mine in one of these glass spice jars with labels as pictured.
The idea is to keep it sealed and keep any moisture out. Keeping your pumpkin pie spice dry will make it last longer and avoid having any clumps.
Your Fall spice blend should be kept at room temperature in a dry environment.
How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Spice Last?
Pumpkin Pie Spice can last up to three years, depending on the age of the spices you use to make it!
With time, your spice blend may start to lose some of its flavors and become milder in taste. Eventually, you may start to notice discoloration or mold, which will indicate to you that it’s gone bad.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitutes Frequently Asked Questions
What is pumpkin pie spice made of?
Typically, pumpkin pie spice is primarily made up of a combination of warming spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and all-spice.
Can you substitute cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice?
In a pinch, yes! Cinnamon can be substituted for pumpkin pie spice.
How do I substitute pumpkin pie spice for individual spices?
If you’re using pumpkin pie spice in place of multiple individual spices in the recipe, add up the sum of all of the spices, and use that much pumpkin pie spice.
For example, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of ginger, use 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in their place.
I hope this article on Every Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute is helpful! Below, you will find the full recipe for my Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend. Enjoy!
Every Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute
Print Save RateEquipment
- Whisk (optional)
- Glass Spice Jars with Labels (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground all-spice
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
Instructions
- Add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, all-spice, and cloves to a shallow bowl or dish.
- Use a whisk or fork to combine, making sure there are on lumps or clumps.
- Transfer to a glass spice jar, Tupperware, or small container to store for up to 4 years!
- Use in cookies, muffins, and other baked goods. Or use it to make this pumpkin spice simple syrup to use for coffee and cocktails!
Pro Tips
- If you enjoyed making your own spice blend and want to try another one, check out this Homemade Taco Seasoning!
- If you want pumpkin pie spice for beverages, check out this Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup.
- If you want pumpkin pie spice as a topping for desserts and drinks, check out this Pumpkin Whipped Cream!
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