How To Substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice In A Pinch

Whether you put a dash in your coffee or stick to stirring it into your pie recipe, pumpkin spice infiltrates kitchens, cafés, and bakeries during the fall months. Documented recipes from as early as the 1790s include the popular spice mixture. The flavor really gained traction in the '90s when small coffee shops began roasting pumpkin spice coffee beans, and it exploded in popularity in the 2000s as the taste became mainstream. The sweet, earthy flavor combination has inspired cookies, chocolate bars, ice cream, coffee creamers, and even sugary-scented beauty products.

Despite what the name might suggest, pumpkin spice does not include any pumpkin or pumpkin flavoring. The name simply refers to the mixture of spices often used in pumpkin pie recipes. Store-bought versions of pumpkin pie spice usually include some blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. If you find you've made one too many seasonal lattes and the pumpkin spice in your pantry has run low, skip the supermarket. It's easy to make your own pumpkin spice at home.

If you've prepared the dough, cracked open a can of pumpkin, and measured out the flour only to discover you're fresh out of pumpkin pie spice, don't put fall pastry activities on hold. To save money and fill your kitchen with fresh fragrance, make your own pumpkin pie spice at home. You might find your spice rack is already stocked with all the necessary ingredients for pumpkin spice, which starts with a heaping portion of cinnamon. While you can customize flavor ratios to your liking, cookbook author Ree Drummond shared a standard recipe to her blog, The Pioneer Woman. Start with 3 tablespoons of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of nutmeg, and 1½ teaspoons of ground allspice. You can also include 1½ teaspoons of ground cloves for added nutty flavor.

If you can't stand the idea of mixing one more ingredient, you can also use apple pie spice instead for a quick fix. The fall favorite hosts a similar flavor profile. The primary difference between the two is that apple spice also includes cardamom, which is sharp and peppery.

So, you've made your emergency pumpkin pie spice supply. With the time you saved avoiding a trip to the store, the kitchen is your oyster. What do you do with the remaining flavor blend? The obvious use for the ingredient is to sprinkle it into your flour mixture for pumpkin pie. Try adding a spoonful to other bakes, like pumpkin bread, brownies, or muffins for a boost of fall flavor. Stir some into coffee, tea or creamer.

You can also easily give a basic recipe an autumnal twist by replacing a flavor in the ingredient list with an equal amount of pumpkin spice. Ree Drummond warns that pumpkin pie spice includes intense flavors which can be overbearing in some dishes. Despite pumpkin spice's ubiquity in the snack aisle in October, it doesn't actually go with everything. Start slow when adding pumpkin pie spice to a recipe for the first time. Soon enough, all your dishes will be infused with the right amount of fall flavor.