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!

It’s so important to support your local and small businesses to help them survive and thrive.

Our first focus will be on spices. Once you get away from all the salt in fast food, you start to realize the importance of having spices in your meals. Once you start using them regularly, you’ll start to notice information about what powerhouses many spices and herbs are in maintaining your health and immune system. Once your armed with that information, you become powerful too.

I’ve been following Pinch Spice Market since they had a shop in Bucktown (Chicago). From talking with the owners (and my own tastebuds), I know they use discernment when selecting the spices and herbs that they sell. The quality of their spices is top tier. Dedicated to sustainability and organics, Pinch knows how growing and processing spices can be pesticide and chemical heavy. But not only do I trust the “purity” of their spice, their blends are really what it’s about.

Now they’ve moved physically but still have a strong online market. Supplying many of Chicago’s finest restaurants with spice blends for seasoning, marinating and dusting, they are experts on the complex favors involved in making good blends. One of my favorites is Ras El Hanout, a Moroccan spice that goes well with vegan and vegetarian foods. I remember reading the blog posts about developing this spice blend and the nuances needed to really make it taste authentic.

And a must-mention my son’s favorite - Magic Toast Dust…evaporated cane juice, Vietnamese cinnamon, orange zest. Cinnamon Toast was such a comfort food growing up. We now make a gluten-free version with vegan butter.

Next time you need a spice, give this small business a try: https://pinchspicemarket.com/

You’ll be directly supporting the fair-trade and organic marketplaces :) And for that I’m grateful.