Pumpkin Spice… much like cilantro, you either love it or you hate it.

I happen to be in the love group, so when the Autumn season hits, I put this spice mixture in everything!

This Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix Recipe is from Catherine Boeckmann at the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Does pumpkin spice contain pumpkin? Nope! But the flavors go perfectly with any squash, pumpkin, bread, coffee or tea, or really anything you want to spice up.

According to the Almanac’s article, A Century-Long Passion for Pumpkin Spice, the Pilgrims developed this spice mixture. The Native people of America introduced them to the pumpkin an abundant crop that could help sustain them in the winter. The Pilgrims cooked the pumpkins with warm and aromatic spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove or allspice.

““They would cut the top off of the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, and fill it with cream, honey, eggs, and spices. Then, they would place the top back on and cook the pumpkin in the ashes of a fire. When the pumpkin was cooked, they removed it from the ashes and scooped out the contents along with the cooked flesh. It was like a custard or pudding.””

— Almanac.com

What’s great about these spices is their immune boosting properties that help us to stay well in the winter. They help to reduce inflammation in the body and activate healing. Here are some attributes of each from GreenMedInfo’s research database.

Cinnamon: balances blood sugar, improves lipid profiles (cholesterol), and cardiovascular health

Clove: antioxidant, antimicrobial, and potential anticancer effects
Ginger: anti-inflammatory, digestive, and helps to regulate blood pressure
Nutmeg: antibacterial, pain relief, and antidepressant
Mace: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative effects on cancer cells
Allspice: antioxidant, antitumor effects, and helps to lower blood pressure

Try making a mix and see where it takes you!

Pumpkin Spice Mix Recipe

To create pumpkin spice mix, combine the following:

1/3 cup ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg or mace
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

Tip: Sprinkle a teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix into your carved pumpkin before lighting the candle. Your jack-o’-lantern will still look spooky, but smell delightful!

Looking for an easy autumn gift? Make a gift jar of pumpkin spice and add a tag with these instructions: “For pumpkin pie, add 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of spice mix to your other ingredients.”

Try these other sweet and Savory Pumpkin Recipes from The Old Farmer’s Almanac, a Slab Pie or the Joy of Cooking’s Perfect Pumpkin Pie. If you’d like to try the spice already made, check out Pinch Spice Market! Or stop by October Cafe in Chicago where you can get Pumpkin Spice-flavored items all year round!

One of my favorite parts of our Thanksgiving meal is Pumpkin Pie. My Mom would make this pie with “three times as much spice”, so sometimes I find the store-bought pies are just missing something…

The good thing about these spices is that they are really great for your health! So the more, the merrier :)

Not to be outdone, pumpkin provides a wealth of health benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases, facilitating wound healing and providing cardiovascular protection.

GreenMedInfo has a recipe for pumpkin spice you can use year-round and a fantastic article on the health benefits. If you’d like a pre-blended mix of spices, I’ll always recommend Pinch Spice Market (who we will be using for our pumpkin pie this year). Swap out the pre-made mix for the four spices listed in the recipe below. (Spices make great gifts for the holidays too :)

Healthy Pumpkin Spice

3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. ground cloves
1.5 tsp. ground allspice

Pumpkin Pie (Adapted from Joy of Cooking)

For a gluten-free and dairy-free pie crust, check out Gluten-Free on a Shoestring’s recipe.

2 Large Eggs (vegan egg substitutes can also be used)
2 Cups freshly cooked or canned pumpkin puree
1 1/2 Cups vegan cream or evaporated milk
1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar or Evaporated Cane Juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Spices (if using pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice, 2 3/4 teaspoons - feel free to increase that to your liking)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

Position a rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using a pre-rolled pie crust, place crust in a glass pie pan, making sure to make a rim around the edges. Glaze the bottom with egg yolk (if desired) to prevent the filling from soaking into the crust.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl; and then slowly whisk in the remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Warm the pie crust in the oven until it is hot to the touch, letting the filling stand at room temperature. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the crust and bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until the center is set, but quivery like gelatin.

Pro-tip: Place a baking pan on a shelf below the pie, in case any filling drips out after heating. Let your pie cool fully on a cooling rack.

Serve cold or slightly warm with some coconut whipped cream. Enjoy!

This is a part of Thanksgiving that can be made a day early, which saves time the day-of. If you’d like more Thanksgiving dinner ideas, check out one of our Thanksgiving Menus on madgood.