Let's be honest! When we think of pumpkins, the first memory many of us have is the delicious taste of a seasonal pumpkin pie, the wonderful warming elixir of a pumpkin spice latte, or the tantalizing smell of a pumpkin spice candle. It's not the pumpkin alone that ignites our senses, but the brilliant addition of some very specific spices we've come to know as pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie spice.
Last year in 2022, Merriam-Webster, the solemn and cheeky keeper (yes, you can have both!) of only the worthiest of our American English words, codified the words "pumpkin spice" as part of our lexicon. Per Merriam-Webster, "pumpkin spice (noun) – less commonly pumpkin pie spice: a mixture of usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and often allspice that is commonly used in pumpkin pie."
This scrumptious combination of spices was no secret to the thousands of home cooks who traded the secret combination from recipe to recipe. In 1934, McCormick, a national leader in the spice and home cooking trade, added what they called "pumpkin pie spice" to their outstanding repertoire of spices.
Enter Starbuck's part in the evolution of pumpkin spice. Legend has it that the food and beverage innovators began working to convert the heady mix that makes up pumpkin spice into a liquid to better convey the flavor to beverages. They struck gold in 2003, and the mighty PSL ("Pumpkin Spice Latte") was born!
Beyond the PSL, no other flavor celebrates Fall quite like pumpkin spice in our pies, lattes, cookies, bread, stews, curries, ravioli, and even roasts.
There are, however, some truly "interesting" uses of Pumpkin Spice out there, including the limited-edition Pumpkin Spice canned Spam, the Pumpkin Spice chicken sausage, and Pumpkin Spice Pringles. But here's to individuality and the eclectic wants of our personal taste buds!
We highly recommend McCormick's Pumpkin Pie Spice and Simply Organic's Pumpkin Spice.
Or, if you're up to it, you can make some yourself and store it in an airtight container in a cool, dark place in your cupboard or pantry.
Mix the following ingredients in a small bowl and store any leftovers in an airtight container like any other spice. Some adventurers have changed some of these measurements according to their taste; however, these are the most common.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
You'll find some truly delicious recipes in our Pumpkin Recipe Section, like Pumpkin Pie Spice Chili Recipe or the cake-like Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies with Raisins.
Don't mistake Allspice for Pumpkin Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice in your recipes.
Allspice is close to Pumpkin Spice in that it has a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; however, it lacks the additional ingredient of ginger, which adds that zing!
Have fun with all this deliciousness! Enjoy the adventure!
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