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I had to make this Easy Homemade Pumpkin Spice recipe if only to save time! We’re pumpkin fans in this household and every year I tell myself I’ll make my own blend of spices to create the perfect homemade pumpkin spice. Finally, I got round to doing it.
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Where did pumpkin spice originate?
To answer this question you have to break it down into the spices that make pumpkin spice and the combined pumpkin spice itself.
‘Pumpkin Spice’ Has Been a Thing for 3,500 Years
History.com – Pumpkin Spice Trading
The History website delves deeper than the average ‘what is pumpkin spice’ search, and discusses the use of the individual spices. For example; nutmeg, that has been traced back to over 3,500 years. Nutmeg is singled out in the article and I personally find that nutmeg is the overriding flavour of the pumpkin spice we know and love today. The nutmeg is in fact the seed inside an apricot-looking fruit that local Indonesians eat as well.
To find out when and why nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and clove were blended to make pumpkin spice, we need to whisk forward a few thousand years to the 1930’s. This was when a collection of companies (including Thompson & Taylor Spice Co and McCormick & Company) in the US decided to combine the spices to make things way more simple when making pumpkin pie. Hence the name for the spice combination.
Why is Pumpkin Spice so popular now? That’s all thanks to Starbucks! That’s right, a Pumpkin Spiced Latte threw the spice into the stratosphere of popularity in 2003 – the worlds bonkers isn’t it. According to Food and Wine;
Since 2003, Starbucks has sold more than 424 million PSLs in the U.S. alone.
Food & Wine – The Surprising History of Pumpkin Spice
Which cinnamon do you use in pumpkin spice?
There are two common types of ground cinnamon; sweet cinnamon or just plain old cinnamon. The former is also known as cassia. In fact, I have a tiny bottle of cassia extract that I use in my Gluten Free Traditional Easter Biscuits. Cassia is sweeter and more fragrant whilst the common cinnamon is more robust and adaptable for both sweet and savoury dishes.
What can you use this spice for?
Okay, so there’s the obvious things you make with pumpkin spice i.e. pumpkin pie and latte’s. But let’s not limit this wonderful spice to just those two recipes shall we? Check out what I’ve made with it.
How to make your own homemade pumpkin spice
Due to the intensity of ground clove, I opt for a less intense spice experience, so I use equal quantities of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg with just a pinch of clove.
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
How to store your homemade spice
As these are spices they store well but remember all spice has a shelf life. Also be mindful that they must be kept out of direct sunlight.
- Clip-top Kilner jars (pictured)
- Screw-top Kilner jars
- Cleaned and repurposed jam jars
- Tupperware
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Spice Recipe
If you make it and like the recipe I would be eternally grateful if you popped back and commented leaving a star rating as this will tell search engines that this recipe is worth checking out and others will get to find it in searches.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice
Ingredients
- 3 tsp sweet ground cinnamon [see notes]
- 3 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground clove
Instructions
- Simply measure each spice and to a bowl, whisk with a small whisk to combine.
- Tip into a small glass jar with a suitable lid to keep airtight.
- Use within 6-12mths (assuming you use newly bought individual spices.
Notes
Nutrition
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For full transparency, in 2020 I made my first £25, and in 2022 I reached my next £25 (Amazon don’t transfer the money until you reach £25). I’m now up to £17.80 for 2023 so edging closer to the magical £25 mark!!
To date I have made £69.28 since I first started the scheme in 2017. It won’t pay the bills, that’s for sure but it does help to pay for ingredients or little treats to cheer me up!
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