Pumpkin pie spice is a quintessential spice blend for all things autumnand especially thanksgiving dessert. In the fall, pumpkin spice is craved in pumpkin spice lattes and is also delicious in new recipes like this pumpkin pie ice cream. When you’re in the middle of a recipe and realize you’re all out, don’t worry, this signature fall flavor can be recreated using a few of the spices you have on your spice rack.
The Best Substitute: Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice
Some people prefer to make their own pumpkin pie spice so they can tweak the measurements and create a flavor that’s unique and perfectly crafted for a certain recipe. You can make your own pumpkin pie spice and store in a sealed jar for up to 6 months to use whenever you please. To make ¼ cup of pumpkin spice, use the following measurements.
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Common Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitution Questions
What If I Don’t Have All of the Above Spices?
If you’re missing a couple of the spices above to create the most accurate version of pumpkin pie spice, don’t worry, you’re not out of luck yet. You can achieve similar results by using cinnamon and whichever of the other spices above you happen to have. To get 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, use ¾ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ginger, allspice, cloves or nutmeg, whatever you have! If you have two of the above spices, use ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of whichever two spices you do have.
Can I Just Use Cinnamon?
Since pumpkin pie spice is composed mostly of cinnamon, if that’s all you have, just use that! Although your recipe will be missing some of the spice and flavor complexity, you’ll still get a similar autumn feeling as you would with the complete spice blend.
What if I Don’t Have Cinnamon?
If you don’t have ground cinnamon, you can use ginger or allspice in place of pumpkin pie spice. Just use half of the amount called for since ginger and allspice have stronger flavors than cinnamon.
What’s the Difference Between Pumpkin Pie Spice and Apple Pie Spice?
Both of these spice blends have similar ingredients, but the most common difference is that apple pie spice contains ground cardamom that balances out the sweetness of apples. Pumpkin pie spice also usually contains cloves, which is not normally in apple pie spice. Despite these differences though, you can still use these spice blends interchangeably.
