If you’re looking for a substitute for pumpkin pie spice, you’ve come to the right place!
Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of spices that are typically used in pumpkin pie, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. It’s not actually made from pumpkins—it’s just named after them because they’re both orange.
It’s actually pretty easy to make your own pumpkin pie spice blend at home! You can just throw together some ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and whole cloves in equal parts. Or if you’re feeling fancy, throw in some cardamom or star anise as well.
If you can’t find any of these ingredients at the store or if you don’t want to mess around with making your own mix at home, there are some excellent substitutes out there for pumpkin pie spice. We’ll go over seven options for you today:
What Is Pumpkin Pie Spice?
Do you have any idea what pumpkin spice is? Do you use pumpkin in any of your recipes? It’s used in pumpkin spice seasoning, which is a blend of dried pumpkin and several spices. The pumpkin has nothing to do with it, that much is certain.
Pumpkin pie spice, sometimes known as just “pumpkin spice”, is a spice mix popular in the United States that is typically used in the autumn and winter months to flavor pumpkin-based desserts such as pumpkin pie, waffles, lattes, mousses, pancakes, cheesecakes, and many more.
It’s a spice mixture that includes cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. You can’t have pumpkin bread or muffins in the fall without it.
The 7 Best Substitutes For Pumpkin Pie Spice
#1 All Spice
All spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s used in pumpkin pie and other desserts, as well as savory dishes like pork roast or turkey stuffing. All spice has an earthy fragrance that lends itself well to sweet and savory dishes alike.
To substitute all spice for pumpkin pie spice in your recipes, use ¼ teaspoon of allspice for every teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice called for in the recipe.
#2 Cinnamon
Cinnamon is the second best substitute for pumpkin pie spice. It’s a sweet, warm spice that can be used in place of allspice or nutmeg.
Cinnamon is made from the bark of a tree and has been used since ancient times. It’s often used to make desserts and drinks, but it also makes an excellent addition to savory dishes like stews and curries.
You can use cinnamon as a substitute for pumpkin pie spice by adding 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon to your favorite recipe—just keep in mind that cinnamon is much stronger than other spices, so you’ll need less of it!
#3 Ginger
Ginger is commonly used as a substitute for pumpkin pie spice because it has a distinct flavor that can be added to recipes in place of the spices in pumpkin pie spice. It adds a bit of heat and spice and helps to add a little something extra to your dish without being overpowering.
You can use ginger as a substitute for pumpkin pie spice in any recipe that calls for the spices that are typically found in pumpkin pie spice, such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. It will also work well with other kinds of baked goods like cookies and cakes, but it may be too strong if you’re making something like bread or rolls.
#4 Nutmeg
Nutmeg is a hard, brown seed that comes from the nutmeg tree, which is native to Indonesia. It’s most commonly used in baking and as a spice in savory dishes. Nutmeg has a sweet, earthy flavor that blends well with pumpkin pie spices, making it an excellent substitute for pumpkin pie spice in any recipe that calls for it.
Nutmeg is often used in conjunction with cinnamon and cloves, which are also common ingredients in pumpkin pie recipes. However, nutmeg has its own unique flavor that makes it a perfect addition to your favorite holiday treats!
#5 Clove
Cloves are a spice that can be used to replace pumpkin pie spice. Clove is an aromatic dried flower bud. The buds are harvested from the clove tree and dried to be used in cooking and baking. The clove gives a warm, sweet and spicy flavor to dishes. The taste of a dish can be enhanced by adding cloves to it.
Cloves have an intense flavor so it is important to use them sparingly when cooking or baking with them. If you do not like the taste of cloves but want the flavor of pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute it with just a pinch of cinnamon powder instead of using all three spices mentioned above (clove, ginger and nutmeg).
#6 Cardamom
Cardamom has the same general flavor profile as pumpkin pie spice, but it’s more complex. It has a floral and citrusy flavor, which makes it an excellent substitute for pumpkin pie spice when you’re baking.
Cardamom is also an ingredient that you can use to add some heat to a dish if you’re looking for a little extra kick.
To substitute cardamom for pumpkin pie spice in your recipes, try using about 1⁄2 teaspoon of ground cardamom with each 1⁄4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice called for in the recipe.
#7 Star Anise
Star anise is a dried fruit of the star anise tree. The fruit looks similar to a seed or cherry, but it’s actually a dried pod. It smells and tastes like licorice and is used in Chinese cooking for its flavor and medicinal properties.
If you need something that can be used in place of pumpkin pie spice, consider using star anise instead. It has the same warm, sweet taste that makes pumpkin pie so delicious and comforting during the fall season. You can use it in any recipe that calls for pumpkin pie spice because it contains all the same ingredients.
Conclusion
Pumpkin pie spice is a delicious blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves that can be used in pies, cakes, muffins, soups, and even bread. The taste of pumpkin pie spice can vary depending on the brand or recipe you use.
If you do not have any on hand but still want to make a pumpkin dish, there are many substitutes for pumpkin pie spice that can help you get the flavor of pumpkin pie spice without having to buy it. Some common spices that can be used as a substitute for pumpkin pie spice include ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.
These spices will give your dish some of the same flavors as pumpkin pie spice without being exactly the same.
If you are looking for something even more similar to pumpkin pie spice then you can also try using ground cloves or allspice as they both have similar tastes albeit with slightly different undertones.
