Five spices, five minutes, and you'll never buy the jarred blend again. This homemade pumpkin pie spice is ready for everything from pie to pancakes to your morning latte.

As a pastry chef, I never buy the jarred stuff. Homemade pumpkin pie spice takes five minutes, uses five spices already on my shelf, and gives me fresher flavor and ratios I can tweak. It works in far more than pie: try it in a pumpkin roll cake, pumpkin brookies, or mix it into your coffee.

What is Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Pumpkin pie spice is a warm spice blend made of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. No actual pumpkin involved! It was originally created to season pumpkin pie filling, but it has become the signature flavor of fall baking, from cookies and quick breads to lattes.

And if you're wondering about the difference between pumpkin spice and pumpkin pie spice: there isn't one. Pumpkin spice is just a shortened naming of the same blend.

Ingredients in Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

• Cinnamon: This is the dominant flavor and is the base for all warm spice blends.
• Ginger: A strong flavor that adds a mild heat to the mix.
• Nutmeg: Adds a slightly sweet woody flavor.
• Allspice: It's warm, sweet, pungent and earthy all at the same time. Despite its name, it's not a blend. It comes from a dried unripe berry.
• Cloves: a sweet and woody intense flavor with a hint of bitterness. McCormick's pumpkin pie spice blend, a common grocery store brand, does not contain cloves, but I find it to be essential.

Ratio of Spices in Pumpkin Pie Spice 

The magic is in the ratio: roughly half cinnamon, with ginger and nutmeg splitting most of the rest, and just enough allspice and clove to add depth without taking over. Here's the blend at three different scales, including a quick single teaspoon.

Spice	Full Batch (⅓ cup)	Half Batch	Just 1 Teaspoon
Ground cinnamon	3 Tbsp	1 ½ Tbsp	heaping ½ tsp
Ground ginger	2 tsp	1 tsp	⅛ tsp
Ground nutmeg	2 tsp	1 tsp	⅛ tsp
Ground allspice	1 ½ tsp	¾ tsp	pinch
Ground cloves	1 ½ tsp	¾ tsp	pinch

How to Make It

I use my whisk to blend dry ingredients because it blends faster but you can also just use a spoon. If you find that ingredients are clumping, then use a sieve or a flour sifter. When it's all nicely blended, just transfer it to an airtight jar. 

Easy! You're ready for all your fall baking and pumpkin spiced lattes. Let me help you out by suggesting these irresistible pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or butterscotch pumpkin cake bars.

How Much Pumpkin Spice to Use

This is really a matter of personal preference but here's a guide on where to start.

• Pumpkin Pie: 2-2½ teaspoon for a 9 inch pie
• Quick Bread Loaf: 2 teaspoons for a standard 9x5-inch loaf
• Latte or Bowl of Oatmeal: ½ teaspoon

Substitutions

Did you run out of pumpkin pie spice for a recipe? For every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice a recipe calls for, use ¾ teaspoon cinnamon plus ¼ teaspoon of whatever warm spices you have - ginger, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves in any combination. 

Missing just one spice from the blend? 
No allspice: use a little extra cinnamon plus a small pinch of cloves
No cloves: swap in an equal amount of allspice.
No ginger: leave it out and add a touch more cinnamon and nutmeg

Does Your Recipe List Out All the Spices? If a recipe lists individual spices like 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ginger,  just add up the total (3 teaspoons) and use that much pumpkin pie spice instead.

Pumpkin Pie Spice vs. Chai Spice vs. Apple Pie Spice

Pumpkin pie spice and apple pie spice are very similar and I'd even use them interchangeably. Apple pie spice contains less if not no cloves and sometimes you will even see a pinch of cardamom. Both spice blends are dominated by cinnamon.

Chai spice contains these same ingredients but relies heavily on cardamom flavor. It also includes black pepper, mace and star anise which makes it more complex. Check out my homemade chai spice recipe made with whole spices. 

Storage and Shelf Life

Store the spice mix in an airtight jar in a cool dark place. It should stay potent for 6-12 months, as long as you started with fresh spices. This recipe makes just enough pumpkin spice to last you through the fall season whether you bake heavily or just want it for your morning oatmeal or latte.

More Ways to Use Pumpkin Pie Spice

• Pumpkin Spice Cookies: Cookies you'll want to make again and again. 
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: A flavorful twist on everyone's favorite muffin flavor.
• Pumpkin Bread: Easy quick bread crowd pleaser. 
• Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls: An essential Thanksgiving breakfast, in my opinion.
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie: One less step. So easy.
• Pumpkin Pancakes: Whole grain and delicious.
• Pumpkin Cheesecake: This one's for the Instant Pot fans!
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake: A delightful twist on the classic. 
• Caramel Walnut Pumpkin Pie: A crunchy nut base makes this one special.
• Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecakes: They're mini and perfect for a buffet.

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