Learn how to make a homemade pumpkin pie spice blend. It’s quick and easy, and can be used in so many recipes—not just pumpkin pie! Plus, download and print free labels for your jars. This is wonderful for gifting and can be used year-round for your favorite baked goods.

small jar of pumpkin pie spice with white label on the front.

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I love it most in pumpkin cookies, pumpkin snickerdoodles, & pumpkin cake!

One reader, Sandy, commented: “I hate using store bought pumpkin spice because I find it very bland in flavor. This was what I felt pumpkin spice should be. I made it yesterday and threw out my store bought. Thank you for the recipe. ★★★★★“

Ah, pumpkin spice season. Pumpkin spice has gone from an occasional ingredient used primarily in Thanksgiving pumpkin pies to becoming the unofficial flavor of autumn. August rolls around and the grocery store shelves are suddenly lined with pumpkin spice-flavored everything. Whether or not you’re into pumpkin spice-flavored cereal or hummus, pumpkin pie spice is a great ingredient to have in your kitchen for fall baking.

Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice

While you can buy the pre-made stuff from the grocery store, it’s super easy—and more cost-effective—to whisk up a batch of pumpkin pie spice at home. And stored in a little jar topped with one of these cute labels, this spice blend makes a great gift!

Everyone has loved it in my popular brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies.

homemade pumpkin pie spice in white bowl with labeled container and cinnamon sticks next to it.

Ingredients You Need for Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin pie spice is a blend that’s usually made up of 4–5 different ground spices. Another thing to love about making your own blend: you’re in control of the mixture, so if you really like a certain spice, you can add more, or if you don’t like one, you can use less or even leave it out.

Unlike many other homemade and store-bought versions, I also add a pinch of my secret ingredient, the same one I use in my pumpkin pie. Each of these spices adds a warming flavor to foods, and mixed together in the right proportions, they’re as cozy as your favorite fuzzy slippers.

Cinnamon
Ginger
Nutmeg
Cloves
Allspice
The secret ingredient: Black pepper

This sounds weird, but I always add a touch of freshly ground black pepper to my pumpkin pie filling. I got this tip from the genius kitchen crew over at King Arthur Baking and I am forever grateful. No one will even know it’s there except for you! And they will all be wondering what makes your pumpkin-spiced treats so much better than any they’ve tried before.

Just a little pinch:

spices in a large white mug including ginger, nutmeg, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice.

The directions are very straightforward: simply measure and whisk together all the different spices, and store in an airtight container. I can hardly call this a recipe!

My Top Success Tip

Or should I call it my top PSA (pumpkin spice announcement)?

Before you start, make sure to check the freshness of your ground spices. Check the expiration dates, and give them all a good sniff—spices lose their potency over time and if they’re not adding flavor to your food, then you’re basically just adding dust to it!

How Long Can I Store Pumpkin Pie Spice?

This homemade pumpkin pie spice mixture will last in a tightly sealed container until the individual spices’ expiration dates, which is typically 1–2 years. Buy them all at once to ensure equal freshness and store in a dry place at room temperature, like in a cupboard, pantry, or drawer.

big white bowl of homemade pumpkin pie spice.

Free Printable Labels

Because everyone enjoys a fun accessory, team member Trina designed some labels. They match our vanilla extract and vanilla sugar labels! So excited to share these with you.

**Click this link for the PDF: Sally’s Baking Recipes Pumpkin Pie Spice Labels

Directions: Print out the labels on sticker adhesive paper, then cut out the circles. Peel off the labels and stick on your jars. The labels are obviously optional, but they’re a nice addition if you plan to gift the pumpkin spice to others. (Note that you’ll have a crease in the round sticker if the side of your jar isn’t perfectly flat. Looks great on the flat lid, though.)

Spice Jar Options

The labels will fit on all of these jars (affiliate links):

The pictured 3 ounce jars with swing tops are no longer available, but here is a similar set. It conveniently includes a funnel and labels, too!
And here is a set that doesn’t have colors.
The jar with the wooden lid that you see in my photos is no longer available, but here is basically the same spice jar set. I love them. It’s really easy to fit a teaspoon in there!
Optional: a small funnel is helpful for pouring the spice mix into the jars.

pumpkin cookies on purple plate and pumpkin muffins in the lower corner.

Uses for Your Pumpkin Pie Spice

This spice blend is wonderful on anything you might typically top with cinnamon, like your coffee or oatmeal. Stir a pinch into yogurt or mix with a bit of sugar and turn basic cinnamon toast into something a little more fall-flavorful!

I love adding 1 and 1/2 teaspoons to my sugar cookies dough (in the step when you add the baking powder) and 1/2 teaspoon to cream cheese frosting. It’s also fantastic with homemade honey butter to enjoy atop all your favorite fall treats.

And you can use today’s homemade blend as a 1:1 substitution in any recipe that calls for pumpkin pie spice. If a recipe calls for ground cinnamon AND some or all of the other spices used in this mixture, you can total the amount and use this pumpkin pie spice instead. For example, my pumpkin bread uses 2 and 3/4 teaspoons total of spices, so you can use 2 and 3/4 teaspoons of today’s spice.

Here are just some of my recipes that use it:

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 36 reviews

Author: Sally McKenney
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: about 5 Tablespoons
Category: Spice
Method: Mixing
Cuisine: American

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Description

Before you start, check the expiration dates of your spices because they lose potency & flavor over time. Don’t forget to print out the free labels above. These and these are my favorite storing/gifting jars.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons (21g) ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons (5g) ground ginger
1 and 1/2 teaspoons (4g) ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon (3g) ground cloves
1 teaspoon (2g) ground allspice
pinch ground black pepper (small pinch, less than 1/8 teaspoon)

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Instructions

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. The ground ginger can clump, so whisk it very well to rid any clumps.
Pour spice mixture into your desired jar that seals well. A small funnel makes this step a little easier.
This homemade pumpkin pie spice mixture will last in a tightly sealed container until the individual spices’ expiration dates, which is typically 1–2 years. Buy them all at once to ensure equal freshness and store at room temperature in a dry place, like a cupboard, drawer, or pantry.

Notes

Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | 3-ounce Swing Top Glass Jars or 6-ounce Glass Jars | Small Funnel | Measuring Spoons
You can use this homemade pumpkin pie spice as a 1:1 substitution in any recipe that calls for store-bought pumpkin pie spice. If a recipe calls for ground cinnamon AND some or all of the other spices used in this blend, you can total the amount and use this pumpkin pie spice instead. For example, my pumpkin bread uses 2 and 3/4 teaspoons total of spices, so you can use 2 and 3/4 teaspoons of this pumpkin pie spice.
The weight measurements listed are approximate, as spices weigh so little that a digital kitchen scale may not even register them. For best results, use a set of measuring spoons to measure the spices.

Sally McKenney

Sally McKenney is a baker, food photographer, and New York Times best-selling author. Her kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials have given millions of readers the knowledge and confidence to bake from scratch. Sally’s work has been featured on TODAY, Good Morning America, Taste of Home, People, and more.