It's hard not to want to enjoy pumpkin pie spice year round; the aroma and taste are so strongly associated with cozy comfort and family feasting that just a hint of the scent evokes fall weather and holiday gatherings. Here we have compiled a set of recipes that honor this Proustian effect. These recipes either use pumpkin pie spice outright, or they use a combination of the individual spices that when employed are evocative of the beloved orange gourd.
But first, let's give a quick introduction to those found in pumpkin pie spice blend.
Weekend Baking Suggestion: Pumpkin Muffins. Imagine waking up on a Sunday morning to be greeted by these beauties. Picture splitting one open, spreading a little butter on it, and watching it melt into the moist crumb.
A cozy autumn staple baked into a light and airy muffin. With a lovely sweet crumb topping and pumpkin pie spice's warming aroma, there's a taste of fall in each bite.
This moist pumpkin bread gets baked with whole wheat flour, plenty of pumpkin puree, and our pumpkin pie blend for a wholesome fall treat.
The key to the chewy texture of these pumpkin cookies is to under-bake them ever so slightly and let them cool on the tray. They’re delicious all on their own, but even better topped with a simple homemade cream cheese frosting.
The key to the chewy texture of these pumpkin cookies is to under-bake them ever so slightly and let them cool on the tray. They’re delicious all on their own, but even better topped with a simple homemade cream cheese frosting.
Make a galette that combines the fall-time requisite pumpkin and, of course, pumpkin pie spice with the sweet, caramel-like flavor of cooked apples. This recipe uses a thin layer of pumpkin puree spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice for that pumpkin pie spice flair. It is then topped by a thin layer of sliced sugar and spice coated apples. The marriage of these two flavors delivers a worthwhile mash up of texture and taste that makes the pairing seem natural, if not fated.
What could be more autumnal than the smell of cinnamon-y fresh baked goods? Scones are a great way to indulge in all the magnificence of pumpkin pie spice without the sugar of an actual pumpkin pie. Scones are perfect for fancy brunches or for just pampering yourself while sipping tea and reading a book.
Because maybe you do want more sugar, this scone recipe also has instructions for a vanilla glaze or optional crystallized ginger inclusions. Drizzle the glazing for additional visual appeal and to add a bit more sweetness to the dish.
Maybe it's fall and all things pumpkin are appropriate, but maybe it's summer and the outdoors is melting in oppressive heat. As your mind casts itself over the pleasures of autumn and you are thinking how much you long for crisp breezes and crunchy leaves, consider making a batch of this pumpkin pie spice ice cream to indulge your wistfull wishes while still cooling off from the summer sun.
This ice cream recipe employs the French-style custard method for making ice cream. It requires an ice cream maker and some time to churn. That said, its rich creamness is worth the extra time and effort.
The thumbprint cookie is a sugar cookie dough classic. Featuring a moist and chewy base with shallow indents that can hold a variety of fillings, the thumbprint cookie is infinitely customizable. We've added a bit of luxury to this base recipe; it is modified with aromatic vanilla bean seeds for an extra sensory sumptuousness.
Not missing an opportunity to add employ a favorite fall flavor, we've developed a pumpkin pie spiced and whipped honey combination. Beware that after drizzling this mixture onto your cookies, you might end up licking the spoon.
This creamy, pumpkin pie smoothie gets blended with pumpkin puree, frozen banana, and warm spices, making for a delicious breakfast or snack for the cozy fall weather.
This milkshake recipe is full of bold coffee flavor and warm fall spices, like a frozen Pumpkin Spice Latte! There’s an option to make it a boozy milkshake, like a fall-twist on a frozen mudslide, or you can leave out the alcohol if you prefer.
Elevate your Monday mood by having this pumpkin spice creamer ready to add to your morning coffee on the gloomiest of days. This recipe will take about ten minutes of your time, but your future self with thank you.
This blend of half-and-half, sugar, and spices also features actual pumpkin puree.
No matter how early in August Starbucks releases its pumpkin spice line, it never feels early enough. If this flavor has you bewitched and accessibility is elusive, make your own pumpkin spice cold brew at home. The time it takes is worth year-round access.
This recipe uses maple syrup instead of sugar, so it is a bit more caramel-flavored than the Starbucks version. Also, if you don't have a way to cold brew coffee, you could use iced coffee as a substitute.
Pumpkin spice syrup is another make-ahead idea. It can add a touch of fall to your ice creams, smoothies, milk steamers, etc. As back-to-school days approach consider drizzling it on morning oatmeal and you'll make the day a little more special for blurry-eyed littles.
This recipe uses both granulated sugar and light brown sugar to give the syrup a little more caramel flavor. Vanilla extract rounds out the pumpkin pie spice used and adds a mellow sweetness in taste and fragrance.
The creaminess of this classic pairs well with pumpkin pie spice. Considering our relatively new, but very strong associations of pumpkin pie spice with coffee, this variation seems like a natural. The drink features Kahlúa, a coffee-flavored liqueur made with actual coffee.
Topping this drink with whipped cream can give your inner child a thrill, but the cocktail is not diminished in flavor or appearance with this step omitted.
On a hot day, the condensation on a copper mug of a Moscow mule is almost as enticing as the fizzy concoction inside. It promises cool refreshment and some relief from the heat. This is exactly what the drink was designed to do according to at least one version of this cocktail's origin stories. The lore goes that in the early 40s the owner of a vodka distillery, a barkeep who'd created his own ginger beer, and the Russian-born daughter and co-designer of a copper mug collaborated to bring America a new drink. The "where," "when," and even exact "who" of this event seems to be hard to pin down—but not the fact that the drink rose steadily in popularity and inspired numerous variations.
This variation elaborates on the initial formula and capitalizes on the holiday associations of the ginger in ginger beer. Adding pumpkin pie spice blend helps bend the balance of the drink even further in favor of fall flavor.
This martini variation is shaken, but we promise the effect will be stirring. Shaking will lend this drink the proper amount of chill. Furthermore, the opaque whipping cream and pumpkin puree it contains means it does not require the more delicate method of stirring, which is sometimes employed to keep a traditional martini clear and jewel-like in appearance.
For additional flair, you can rim the glass with sugar and pumpkin pie spice blend; float a pecan as a further nod to pie; serve with a cinnamon stick on the side; or do all three.
From Rachel's post: "Life update: I have discovered the joy of freshly ground nutmeg. Look at the pretty brown crinkles! This is a little fall-inspired tiki number here featuring a plethora of warm spices from @selefina.spices! The pumpkin spice powder is 👌."