How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice (or the Best Substitute to Use)

Gina Bergman

Making a Thanksgiving dessert, but forgot the pumpkin pie spice? Try mixing these ingredients for DIY pumpkin pie spice—or use this easy substitute.

It’s that time of year again—pumpkin pie spice lattes, pumpkin pie spice muffins and breads, pumpkin pie spice recipes galore. But perhaps your spice rack is missing that omnipresent ingredient. Is there a pumpkin pie spice substitute? How do you make your own pumpkin pie spice? Is there a pumpkin spice recipe? Hint: All questions lead to "yes."

What’s in Pumpkin Pie Spice?

There’s no actual pumpkin in pumpkin pie spice, as some might think. Pumpkin pie spice is a combination of warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Like most spices, pumpkin pie spice is usually gluten-free. If gluten is a concern for you, check your product’s label or contact your preferred spice company’s customer service line for verification.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 tablespoons

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

  • 4 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 3 teaspoons ground nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice

How to Make It

Step One: Using a whisk, mix the spices together in a bowl.

Step Two: Using a funnel, transfer the mixture to a small jar. Seal the jar with a lid.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute

The best part of this recipe? It’s easy to adapt it to both your preferences and what you have on hand. Not a fan of allspice? Leave it out. Love ginger? Add more. You can even play with spices like cardamom and mace, which, though not commonly included in conventional pumpkin pie spice blends, make great additions. Feel free to play with the ingredients and measurements to make your own custom pumpkin pie spice blend.

What can you use as a pumpkin pie spice substitute? In a pinch, ground cinnamon makes a great pumpkin pie spice substitute. Use a little nutmeg too, if you have it. Now, the only thing left to do is Instagram your delicious pumpkin pie spice-scented sweets.