What season is it? If your answer was: pumpkin spice season, then you’re totally right! This flavor is reigning supreme right now and you can see it everywhere. But if you’re more into making things at home, here’s how to use pumpkin spice in your meals.
Once upon a time, pumpkin spice used to be seasoning for pumpkin pies. But then, the latte happened, and it hijacked all serious discussion of this lovely spicy mix. I am mostly kidding, but there’s a grain of truth in there, somewhere. After the popularity of the pumpkin spice latte skyrocketed, then came the memes and of course all of the products out there that have been spiced up with this mix!
But most of those are just processed goods and it’s so much better where you can make the things at home. It’s really not that complicated. The first step is making the pumpkin spice mix. You need 4 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cloves, and 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Just mix them together and then it’s time to find ways to use the pumpkin spice.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to make a bigger batch, because you can then store the mix without a care in the world for about six months! So it will definitely be there for you throughout the cold season until spring rolls around.
5 ways to use pumpkin spice mix in your cooking
1. With yogurt and granola or oatmeal
Why not make a pumpkin spice-themed breakfast? Better yet, one that’s really easy to make, so that you won’t be late for work. Just use a glass and layer granola, Greek yogurt, and spiced pumpkin, to get something that’s filling, crunchy, and also sweet and delicious.
The second option for a great breakfast is to use pumpkin spice in your morning oatmeal. Add some apple pieces, too, and enjoy!
2. Snacks
There are many snacks you can use pumpkin spice on. Why not make a nice batch of pumpkin seeds flavored with actual pumpkin spice? Find out how to roast pumpkin seeds here! Just don’t forget to add some salt, if you’re anything like me, you enjoy a bit of saltiness when you crack those seeds.
3. Add it to your baked goods
I mean, pumpkin spice already has some cinnamon in it, right? Why not just use this spice mix in your cinnamon roll and instantly give it so much more flavor? It also works if you’re making some delicious pumpkin muffins, or some pancakes made with pumpkin puree. Obviously, pumpkin pie is the default option when it comes to you deciding to use pumpkin spice.
4. Make spiced nuts
Eating some spiced nuts from a bowl is one of those things I associate fall with so completely. And I honestly can’t really stand the ones you can buy at the store. The flavors always have this artificial vibe that puts me off completely. So I learned to make my own.
Why not use some pumpkin spice for these nuts? Add the spice mix to a skillet, along with some water and sugar and make a syrup. Then toast your favorite nuts, like almonds, walnuts, and pecans in that syrup. You can do a similar thing with popcorn. Pop the corn. Then mix the pumpkin spice in a skillet with melted butter and some sugar. Then drizzle over the popcorn.
5. Add to soup
It might sound weird, but I always love the weirdest things. Use pumpkin spice in a butternut squash or pumpkin cream soup. Roast the basic ingredient, scoop out the flesh, and then add to a blender. Add some vegetable stock and the spice to the blender, blend everything together and then enjoy in a bowl!
