Make homemade pumpkin pie spice in just 5 minutes using cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and mace. You'll also learn how to roast a pie pumpkin and turn it into smooth homemade pumpkin puree for pies, breads, cakes, muffins, and other fall recipes.
💬 Why This Recipe Works In My Kitchen
Have you ever pulled everything out of your spice cabinet just to find three half-used jars of cinnamon and zero idea which one was actually fresh? That was me a few falls ago, elbow-deep in a drawer of spice jars, when it hit me: I didn't need to buy another little bottle of pumpkin pie spice. I already had everything I needed sitting right there. And since I was already in a make-my-own mode, I decided to make pumpkin purée as well.
- It is so easy to make your own pumpkin pie spice, it takes about five minutes to mix and gives those pantry spices a good reason to earn their shelf space.
- And for the puree, the pumpkin roasts in halves, so there is no need to peel or chop it into small pieces first.
- You can make one or both, depending on how deep you want to go into make-my-own mode.
Simply Made, Fully Flavored!
Ingredients You Need
Pantry Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- ground mace
- ground cloves
- ground allspice
Pumpkin puree vs. pumpkin pie filling They are not the same. Plain pumpkin purée contains cooked pumpkin and nothing else. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and seasoned. They are not interchangeable in most recipes because pie filling adds sugar, spices, and other ingredients that can change both flavor and texture. When a recipe calls for purée, use plain canned pumpkin or this homemade version.
Fresh Ingredient for Pumpkin Purée
- one small pie pumpkin, sometimes labeled a sugar pumpkin
For the purée, look for a small pie pumpkin, sometimes called a sugar pumpkin. Pie pumpkins have sweeter, denser flesh and usually make a smoother purée.
Substitutions and Variations
- Simpler spice blend: If you do not have mace, leave it out and add a little more nutmeg. The blend will still work, but it will lose some of mace's warm, slightly peppery flavor.
- Stronger ginger flavor: Increase the ginger slightly for a brighter, sharper blend. Make a small adjustment, whisk, and smell before adding more.
- Milder clove flavor: Reduce the cloves if their flavor tends to take over for you. Cloves are powerful, so a small change is noticeable.
Your homemade purée and spice blend can both go into Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon Granola, where pumpkin and apple bring fall flavor to an easy breakfast or snack.
HowTo Make Pumpkin Pie Spice
Measure the spices. Measure the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, mace, cloves, and allspice into a small bowl. Level each measuring spoon so the flavor stays balanced.
Whisk until evenly blended. Whisk for 20 to 30 seconds, breaking apart any small clumps. The mixture should be one even warm-brown color with no dark streaks of cloves or pale patches of ginger.
Transfer and label. Spoon the blend into a clean, dry spice jar or another airtight container. Label it with the name and date so it does not become one more mysterious brown powder in the pantry.
Store. Keep the pumpkin pie spice in a cool, dry cabinet away from the stove. Stir or shake it before measuring if it settles during storage.
Now you have your very own flavor of the season ready for use whenever you need it.
It's perfect for these Pumpkin Spice crumble Donuts with Cream Cheese glaze.
How To Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Prep and remove the seeds
After preheating the oven to 350 and washing the pumpkin, Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Use a sturdy spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy fibers. The inside does not have to look perfectly clean, but remove the loose strings so the finished purée is smoother.
Roast cut-side down
Place both halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for about 1 hour, or until a fork slides easily through the skin and into the flesh. Begin checking earlier if your pumpkin is especially small.
Cool and peel
Let the pumpkin rest until it is warm rather than piping hot. Peel away the loosened skin. If it does not peel easily, scoop the soft flesh from the shell with a spoon.
Blend and drain pumpkin
Blend cooked pumpkin in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed. If your puree is too thick and you have trouble blending add a small amount of water, about 1 - 2 tablespoons, only if needed.
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and line it with cheesecloth or a clean flour-sack towel. Add the purée, cover, and refrigerate while it drains for several hours or overnight. This step matters most when the purée looks loose or watery.
Ready to use
One pie pumpkin typically produces about 2 cups, but the amount will vary with the pumpkin's size and moisture.
A delicious first use is my Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple-Pumpkin Cream Sauce, or you can fold the purée into your next fall bake.
Ways To Use Pumpkin Spice and Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Bake a snack cake: Use both homemade basics in Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Spice Glaze.
- Make a layered fall dessert: Try the purée and spice in this Pumpkin Apple Tart.
- Prepare breakfast: Stir purée into pancake batter, oatmeal, yogurt, or a smoothie and season to taste with the spice blend.
- Flavor a drink: Whisk a small amount of spice into coffee, warm milk, or hot cocoa. Start lightly because the ground spices can settle.
- Make a quick snack: Mix pumpkin purée into plain yogurt with a little spice and your preferred sweetener.
How To Store Your Pumpkin Pie Spice and Puree
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Spoon the blend into a clean, dry jar with a tight lid and keep it in a cool cabinet away from the stove. I always recommend adding a label and date. Otherwise, a few months from now it may look like one more mysterious brown powder on the spice shelf. Use it while the spices still smell fragrant, and replace it when the aroma becomes faint.
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Refrigerated: Cool it promptly, place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
Frozen: Freeze in recipe-friendly portions for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little expansion room in rigid air-tight containers, or freeze measured portions flat in freezer bags removing as much air as possible.
Thawing: Thaw in the refrigerator. Stir well, then drain again if the purée releases water before using it in a baking recipe.
Celeste Cook Smart Tips
- Double the spice batch. It keeps for months, so mix a double or triple batch once and you'll have pumpkin pie spice on hand all season for coffee, oatmeal, and baking.
- Save the seeds. Don't toss the pumpkin seeds when you're prepping to roast. Rinse them, toss with a little oil and salt, and roast alongside the pumpkin halves for a crunchy snack.
- Freeze in small portions. Fill an ice cube tray with puree, freeze, then pop the cubes into a freezer bag. It's perfect for stirring a spoonful into oatmeal or sauces without thawing a whole batch.
Yes, one-for-one. A standard 15-ounce can of pumpkin equals about 1 ¾ cups, so keep that in mind when portioning your homemade batch for a recipe.
I highly recommend it. Pumpkin holds onto a surprising amount of water, and skipping that step can leave baked goods dense or soggy.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground mace
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- Place all the spices in a small bowl and whisk until evenly combined. That's it. Store it in a spice jar or any airtight container, somewhere cool and dark, and it's ready whenever a recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice.
Ingredients
- pie pumpkin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper so cleanup is easier.
- Wash and dry the outside of the pumpkin. Set it on a stable cutting board with a damp kitchen towel under the cutting board for grip. Use a large sharp knife to cut the pumpkin in half.
- Use a sturdy spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy fibers. The inside does not have to look perfectly clean, but remove the loose strings so the finished puree is smoother.
- Place both halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for about 1 hour or until a fork slides easily through the skin and into the flesh. Begin checking earlier if your pumpkin is especially small.
- Cool the pumpkin until safe to handle. Peel away the loosened skin. You can also scoop the flesh from the shell with a spoon.
- Place the cooked pumpkin in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed. If your puree is super thick add a small bit of water, about 1-2 tablespoons, only if needed.
- Drain the excess liquid if your puree is a bit watery. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl lined with cheesecloth or a clean flour sack towel. Add the puree, cover and allow it to drain. If you like you can drain overnight in the fridge.
- Use your puree right away or transfer your drained puree to an airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use. You can also freeze following the instructions from above how to store directions..
There you have it, your very own pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree.
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