Pumpkin Spice is Simply a Combination of Spices
A common question asked about pumpkin spice is – what exactly is it? You might see a spice bottle labeled either as ‘pumpkin spice’ or ‘pumpkin pie spice’, both of which are probably either exactly the same or very similar. There is no 100% accurate combination of spices in pumpkin spice, as it is simply a mix of traditional seasonal spices. This is when you have spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Sometimes allspice is also included, but not always. You can also control the flavor of it based on how much of each of these spices you use.
It is Easy to Make Yourself
While you can pick up a jar of pumpkin spice at your local store, you can also make it at home. If you already have these spices in your cabinet, why not? Again, you can control how much of each spice you use. Perhaps you don’t have allspice so you skip it, but you love nutmeg and want a little extra – go for it! Typically, you want to have about equal amounts of ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon. However, if you love cinnamon, go ahead and add a little more. Then you want to add in your ground cloves and allspice, about half of what you included with the other spices. Mix it up and add it to a container to save for later.
There are Many Ways to Use it
People often think about pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice lattes when they think about this spice combination, but there are so many other ways to use it. First of all, instead of mixing up a latte at home, just add some pumpkin spice to your coffee grounds before brewing a cup of coffee. It will taste like pumpkin without the added sugar or milk. You can also add it directly to creamer, whipped cream, and many other ingredients.
Pumpkin spice works great for both savory and sweet dishes. It is just as good in soup and pasta with pumpkin as it is when you are making muffins, cookies, or pumpkin bars.
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