Pumpkin Spice Substitutes (Best Pumpkin Pie Spice Swaps)

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Out of pumpkin pie spice halfway through a recipe? These easy pumpkin spice substitutes will save the day using spices and blends you may already have in your cupboard.

The best substitute depends on what you have on hand. If you’ve got cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or allspice, you can combine a few to get pretty close to the real thing. If your spice selection is looking a little sparse, don’t worry. Apple pie spice, cinnamon, and even allspice can work in a pinch.

Below, I’ll break down the best substitutes for pumpkin pie spice, how much to use, and what to expect from each swap so you can choose the one that works best for your recipe.

The Best Pumpkin Spice Substitutes

bowl of unmixed spices in piles - ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, whole allspice seeds and 2 cinnamon sticks in the background.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Best overall substitute: If you have a few individual spices in your cupboard, making your own blend is the closest substitute for store-bought pumpkin pie spice. My homemade pumpkin pie spice combines cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice for that warm, familiar flavour.

How to use it: Substitute homemade pumpkin pie spice 1:1 for the amount called for in your recipe. If you need 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, use 1 teaspoon of the homemade blend.

Best for: Anything that calls for pumpkin pie spice, including muffins, quick breads, pancakes, cookies, pies, and fall drinks.

Apple Pie Spice

Why it works: Apple pie spice is one of the easiest ready-made swaps because it contains many of the same warm spices. The exact blend varies by brand, but cinnamon is usually the dominant flavour, often paired with nutmeg and allspice.

How to use it: Start with a 1:1 substitution for pumpkin pie spice. The flavour won’t be identical, especially if your apple pie spice doesn’t contain ginger or cloves, but it will still give your recipe plenty of warm spice.

Best for: Muffins, quick breads, pancakes, cookies, pies, and other baked goods.

Cinnamon + Nutmeg

Why it works: No premade spice blend? Cinnamon and nutmeg give you a simple two-spice substitute with plenty of warmth. It won’t have the gingery kick or depth of a full pumpkin pie spice blend, but it works well when you’re in a pinch.

How to use it: For every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, try ¾ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.

Best for: Muffins, pancakes, quick breads, cookies, oatmeal, and other recipes where a slightly simpler spice profile won’t hurt.

Cinnamon

Why it works: Cinnamon is the main flavour in most pumpkin pie spice blends, so it’s the best single-spice option when that’s all you have. You’ll miss some of the warmth and complexity from ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, but cinnamon still gives baked goods and drinks that familiar fall flavour.

How to use it: Start with about ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon for every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice called for. You can always add a little more to taste, but there’s no need to double it.

Best for: Muffins, quick breads, pancakes, oatmeal, coffee, and other recipes where the spice blend isn’t the main event.

Allspice

Why it works: Despite its name, allspice is a single spice, not a blend. Its warm flavour has notes reminiscent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, making it a handy stand-in when you don’t have pumpkin pie spice.

How to use it: Start with ½ teaspoon of allspice for every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Allspice has a stronger, more concentrated flavour, so it’s better to start with less and add more if needed.

Best for: Cookies, muffins, quick breads, cakes, and other warmly spiced baked goods.

Cinnamon + Ginger

Why it works: Cinnamon gives you the sweet warmth of pumpkin pie spice while ginger brings some of the sharper, peppery flavour you’d otherwise be missing. It’s a simple combination when your spice cupboard is running low.

How to use it: For every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, start with ¾ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.

Best for: Pumpkin bread, muffins, pancakes, cookies, and other baked goods where a little extra ginger works well.

What About Nutmeg, Ginger, or Cloves on Their Own?

They can work in a real pinch, but I wouldn’t consider them the best pumpkin pie spice substitutes by themselves. Each represents just one part of the flavour you’re trying to replace, and cloves in particular can quickly overpower a recipe.

If you have cinnamon, use it as your base and add a small amount of nutmeg, ginger, or cloves to round out the flavour. You’ll get much closer to pumpkin pie spice than you would using one of these stronger spices alone.

Pumpkin Spice Substitutes FAQs

Yes. Cinnamon is the best single spice substitute because it makes up a large part of the flavour in pumpkin pie spice. Start with about ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon for every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. The flavour will be simpler, but it works well in most baked goods and drinks.

Yes, but use less. Allspice has a strong, concentrated flavour with notes similar to cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Start with about ½ teaspoon of allspice for every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, then adjust to taste if needed.

Absolutely. Apple pie spice is one of the closest premade alternatives to pumpkin pie spice because the two blends share several of the same warm spices. You can generally substitute it 1:1, keeping in mind that the exact flavour will vary depending on the blend.

Use what you have, with cinnamon as the base whenever possible. Cinnamon paired with nutmeg or ginger will get you much closer to pumpkin pie spice than using one of the stronger spices alone. If you’re missing just one spice from a homemade blend, you can usually leave it out and expect a slightly different flavour rather than abandoning the recipe altogether.

In recipes, the terms are commonly used to refer to the same warm spice blend. Pumpkin pie spice typically contains cinnamon along with spices such as ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Despite the name, there’s no actual pumpkin in the spice blend.

And there you have it! Whether you make your own blend, grab the apple pie spice, or work with the cinnamon hiding in the back of your cupboard, these substitutes for pumpkin spice mean an empty spice jar doesn’t have to derail your recipe.

Which swap saved the day for you? Let me know in the comments below! And if you try one in your fall baking, don’t forget to tag @HipHipGourmet on Instagram so I can see what you’re making. 🎃