I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but fall is hands down the best season. There's something about the changing temperatures, abundance of warm-toned and crunchy leaves, heartier food, and sense of new beginnings that gets me super excited to throw on a cozy sweater and jump in a pile of leaves.

The commercial world has definitely cornered the market of the fall-obsessed and churned out pumpkin spiced versions of almost anything you can imagine. Some things, of course, are dramatically improved by pumpkin spice: lattes, oatmeal, baked goods, ice cream, etc. I definitely think that some things are definitely better off without it, but to each her own.

However, buying all of the pumpkin spice goodies at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's definitely adds up, and your love for fall can quickly turn into a huge strain on your budget. A great way to cut back on cost while still celebrating your love for pumpkin spice is to make your own versions at home. 

While you can buy pumpkin pie spice at the store, it's definitely cheaper to make your own blend of spices. It isn't complicated at all, and making it yourself allows you some control over the final product. If you like one flavor more than another, definitely tweak the recipe to suit your preferences. Here's my take on how to make pumpkin pie spice at home so you can save some cash this fall.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:0
  • Total Time:5 mins
  • Servings:5
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mace - optional
Molly Gallagher
  • Step 1

    Put all of the spices together in a bowl.

    Molly Gallagher
  • Step 2

    Stir together until all the spices are uniformly mixed.

    Molly Gallagher
  • Step 3

    Transfer spice blend into a storage container.

    Molly Gallagher
  • Step 4

    Incorporate into your favorite pumpkin spice recipes, or decorate the jar give it to a fall-obsessed friend as a gift!

    Molly Gallagher

With the knowledge of how to make pumpkin pie spice under your belt, you now have the power to make anything and everything pumpkin spice-flavored. Basically, the world is your oyster.

You can (and should) make some of the classics, – PSLs, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, etc. – but definitely branch out to new pumpkin-spice horizons. This pumpkin spice granola and these pumpkin spice cookie butter waffles are a great way to get started on your quest for pumpkin spice glory. 

chocolate, sweet, dairy product, cream
Eileen Wang

If you're stuck for ideas, many Spoon writers have formulated genius recipes that include pumpkin spice. I have linked many of them throughout this article, but if you need more general inspiration, just search "Pumpkin Spice" on the Spoon University website. I promise you'll find something (if not 100 things) you'll want to make.