Pumpkin pie spice has long been considered the flavor of the fall, with dozens of products infused with this blend to capture consumers' attention. If you are one of the few that still thinks of pumpkin pie when thinking of pumpkin pie spice, you may find yourself with very little company. Usually thoughts of this spice blend are peppered with coffee, creamers, butters, and a mélange of other foods that probably did not need to ever be pumpkin pie spice flavored. 

 

What is Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Pumpkin pie spice has a lengthy history in America. This flavor is now synonymous with coffee chains in the fall, but this was not always the case. Pumpkin pie spice was first referenced in the first American cookbook on record called American Cookery, published in 1796. This book was written by Amelia Simmons, whose spice blend used in her "pompkin" pudding was comprised of molasses, allspice, and ginger. 

The first mention of a spice blend being called "pumpkin spice" comes from a recipe for Pumpkin Spice cake in a Washington Post article from 1936. The spice blend didn't become synonymous with pumpkin flavor until the 1950s when spice companies began to market a pumpkin pie spice blend using the spices people would commonly use in pumpkin pie. This blend included cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg, as well as sulfiting agents. In the 1960s, this spice blend was dubbed simply "Pumpkin Spice" despite the fact that it contains no pumpkin at all. 

Pumpkin Pie Spice flavored coffee popped up in 1996, and has since gained a flourishing popularity in coffee shops around the world, starting in Florida with "pumpkin spice coffee beans" and in our very own Allentown, Pennsylvania with "pumpkin coffee" offered at some mom and pop shops. It is probably used more for coffee than it is for pie at the present, though this is what the original spice blend was dreamed up for. 

 

What's in it?

Our Organic Pumpkin Pie Spice is hand blended with organic cinnamon, organic ginger, organic clove and organic nutmeg.

 

Flavor Profile

Organic Pumpkin Pie Spice has warm and earthy notes, with hints of sweetness. 

 

Where to Use

You can use our Organic Pumpkin Pie Spice in pumpkin pie, which is its original intent. You can mix it into coffee, hot chocolate, or in White Russians. This spice blend is wonderful in any liquid that has a creamy dairy presence in it. 

Use Organic Pumpkin Pie spice in pumpkin rolls. If you have leftover pumpkin from all your roll making, you can make a delicious pumpkin smoothie and sprinkle in some pumpkin pie spice. 

Pumpkin spice waffles, French toast, or pancakes are always an option, especially in the colder months. Cinnamon apple oatmeal sprinkled with some of this spice is another delightful breakfast option. In a similar vein to the apple cinnamon oatmeal is apple cider spiced with pumpkin pie spice, which is best when served warm.  

If you make pumpkin spice scones, you could top them with honey butter and serve with some of that previously mentioned hot chocolate. 

If you are craving those sugar glazed nuts that you can usually find in little stands all over the mall during holiday shopping mania, you can easily recreate them with your favorite nuts and some organic pumpkin pie spice and some sugar. First collect your ingredients; 1 cup of demerara sugar, ¼ cup of water, and a half tablespoon of this spice blend. Combine the ingredients in a large skillet on medium-high heat and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in three cups of your favorite nuts. Keep stirring until the nuts are completely covered and the sugar has hardened again, leaving behind no moisture. The stirring takes about ten minutes. Cool for a bit and then enjoy. 

Grapefruit makes for a nice snack when topped with this spice blend. If you have a lot of leftover pumpkin pie spice from all your holiday baking and it's warming up, fret not. You can also sprinkle this on fruit salad. Granola can also be topped with this blend to give a fall touch to those warmer spring mornings. Sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice and sugar over your popcorn for the sweetest movie treat you could imagine. 

Warmth and the flavor of pumpkin spice go hand in hand, and recipes such as Spicy Pumpkin Soup and Healthy Carrot Cake Squares served warm utilize this blend. 

 

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