Best Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute

Don’t have pumpkin spices, or realized you’re all out while you’re making a recipe? Here’s the best substitute for pumpkin pie spice.

Making a recipe that calls for pumpkin pie spices and don’t have it? Don’t worry, there are lots of options that work as a substitution! Pumpkin pie spices are a blend of spices used in the American traditional dessert, pumpkin pie. The mixture usually includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, and often allspice. There are many different variations on this spice, and you can usually find it in the spice aisle at your grocery.

Are you all out, or is your grocery out of stock? (This has happened to us often during pumpkin season!) Don’t worry: there are lots of good substitutes.

Best substitute for pumpkin pie spice

1. Homemade pumpkin pie spice

The best substitute for pumpkin pie spice? The homemade version! You can make your own pumpkin pie spice and store it in a sealed jar for up to 6 months. Here’s how to make ¼ cup of pumpkin pie spice:

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2. Cinnamon + any of the other spices

Don’t have all of the above spices? You can approximate a substitute. Here are some various combinations. For 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, substitute:

• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon ginger, allspice, cloves, or nutmeg (whatever you have!)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon each of any of the two above

3. Cinnamon

Pumpkin pie spice has a large percentage of cinnamon. In a pinch, you can use a 1:1 ratio of cinnamon as a substitute. It won’t have nearly the complexity of the other spices, but it works.

4. Half the quantity ginger or allspice

Don’t have cinnamon? (Gasp!) If not, you can also substitute the pumpkin pie spice in the recipe with half the quantity of ginger or allspice. These spices are stronger than cinnamon, which is why you’ll need less.

Related recipes

Here are some recipes where you could use this substitution:

• Pumpkin Smoothie
• Cozy Pumpkin Muffins or Pumpkin Spice Muffins
• Vegan Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee

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