What is pumpkin spice?
Pumpkin spice is a blend of dried spices—cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, sometimes with allspice—and it contains no pumpkin. The name indicates what it was invented for, not what it contains: pumpkin pie spice, the spice for pumpkin pie, the quintessential American autumn dessert. Over the years, it dropped the "pie" and became the flavor of the season: today it scents coffees, cookies, and breads that do not contain a single gram of pumpkin.
Why is it called that if it has no pumpkin?
Pumpkin on its own has a mild, almost neutral flavor. What is recognized in the United States as "pumpkin pie taste" is actually the flavor of the spices in its filling—a pumpkin purée with eggs and milk—which recipes repeated from home to home. In the 1930s, the blend began to be sold pre-mixed under the name of the pie, and the name stuck.
Since 2003, when Starbucks launched its pumpkin spice latte, the term moved beyond baking and began to define an entire season. Hence the confusion: most "pumpkin spice" products contain the spice blend and no pumpkin at all.
What it contains and in what proportions
A ratio that works: 4 parts cinnamon, 1 part ground ginger, 1 part nutmeg, and 1/2 part ground cloves. If you have allspice, add 1/2 part: it rounds out the blend, but it is not essential.
Cinnamon provides the body, while the others are accents. Cloves must be measured carefully: they are the most potent of the four and, if used in excess, give everything a medicinal taste. For a 24 cm (approx. 9.5 inch) pie, like pumpkin pie, two teaspoons are enough; it is also the spice used for pumpkin bread.
It is not the same as Christmas spices
They share cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, but the Christmas spices (or festive spices) of Northern Europe add cardamom, which gives them their Nordic character. Pumpkin spice does not contain it: it is warmer and less floral, designed to accompany something creamy and sweet.
Where to find it in the UK and the US
Pre-mixed blends are widely available in supermarkets and specialty spice shops in the United States. In the United Kingdom, it is often sold as 'mixed spice' or 'pumpkin pie spice' in larger supermarkets or international food stores. If you cannot find it, it is easy to make: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves are available in any grocery store or spice shop.
It is best to make small batches, one jar per season, because ground spices lose their aroma within a few months. If you have whole nutmeg, grate it fresh: it makes the most significant difference.
The recipes
Frequently asked questions
- Does pumpkin spice contain pumpkin?
No. It is a blend of dried spices. It is named that way because it was created to season American pumpkin pie, not because it contains it.
- What about the pumpkin spice latte?
The blend contains no pumpkin. The Starbucks latte was sold without pumpkin from 2003 until 2015, when a small amount of purée was added to the sauce. Even so, what is recognized as its flavor is the spices. It can be made at home in ten minutes: homemade pumpkin spice latte.
- Can it be used in savory dishes?
Yes, with a light hand. It goes very well with roasted pumpkin and sweet potato: the roasted pumpkin and caramelized sweet potato soup uses three of its four spices. In savory dishes, it is best to reduce the cinnamon and let the ginger take the lead.
- How long does it last?
Stored in an airtight container away from light, it retains its aroma for about six months. It does not spoil after that, but you will need to use more to notice the flavor, and a larger quantity will bring out the bitterness of the cloves.
Updated on 2026-09-19T21:21:30.188Z